Friday the 13th - Is There Meaning Behind the Superstitions or is it Just an Old Wife's Tale?

For years people have feared Friday the 13th. Is the 'date' really unlucky - how does it affect us and why? What is a superstition anyway? I delve into these questions and more and share what I have learnt. 

Is Friday the 13th Really Unlucky? Here is What I Have Learnt.

Friday thirteenth… do you remain in bed, pull the covers over your head, and refuse to confront the world? 

Have you changed your agenda because your flight corresponded with this feared date? Do you worry that something terrible will happen to you or your loved ones?

If you have answered YES, you are one of numerous who experience the ill effects of 'paraskevidekatriaphobia' - the apprehension about Friday the thirteenth!

​​Many of us have little superstitions, like seven years of misfortune for breaking a mirror, never opening an umbrella inside and not putting new shoes on tables.

A few of us wear special clothing or jewellery to bring good luck. An athlete might have a special ritual for a significant game. Some of us might wear lucky socks to a meeting. Many of us have a "lucky number" we choose in a raffle ticket or lotto.

Some people are housebound by this 'fear' of Friday the thirteenth.

We should begin by understanding what a 'fear or phobia' is. 
A fear/phobia is a limited or unreasonable feeling of dread toward something. Many might feel that confronting their fear can be dangerous or even life-threatening. Fear often begins with a real or imagined experience triggering irrational thoughts. 

Common fears are:  flying in a plane or spiders. This may come from being on a plane and experience a terrible flight. Or waking up in bed with a spider climbing over your face.

Sometimes we can have a phobia or fear about something we have never experienced, such as snakes.

It could be a 'learned' mentality from our parents and past experiences in this or previous lives. These fears can frequently be improved through hypnosis, past-life regression or therapy. 

Friday's thirteenth phobia is when people things negative things will happen to them which are out of their control. Some mistakenly perceive connections and create meaning between unrelated things, known as 'apophenia'. 

Friday the thirteenth is a day that happens once, twice, or even thrice a year. We can't stay away from a day, regardless of whether we stay in bed! 

Where does it come from?
It is in our history books, cultures and religion. A quick look on the internet showed me some dates. 
​

• In Christianity -Fridays have been eminent for being 'unfortunate'. Eve enticed Adam with the applet on a Friday; Jesus was killed on a Friday,
• Executions in Rome and Britain were on a Friday.
• During the Medieval times, Ruler Philip IV of France captured 60 of the Knights Templer in France. Most were executed on Friday 13th! Supporters expressed that Friday the thirteenth was a 'shrewd day'.
• On Friday thirteenth of September 1940, a German bomb was dropped on Buckingham Castle while the royal family had tea!
• A plane crashed in the Andes on Friday, the thirteenth of October 1972, killing 12 people.
• The Costa Concordia somewhat sank on Friday thirteenth of 2012, killing 30 individuals.

There are many more stories, yet could these disasters have still occurred on the off chance that it wasn't Friday the thirteenth?

The short answer is YES. 

There is no genuine proof that there were more mishaps, accidents or misfortunes on Friday the thirteenth compared to any other day. Friday the thirteenth is a day that has impacted so many before and most likely continues to do so.

Our mind is powerful, and our thoughts shape our day. 
What do you feel about Friday the 13th?

​For me personally I love Friday the 13th. My experience it has always been positive.

Love, Jade x

© Jade Whaley – www.jadewhaley.com – 2023