Get Lucky

By Todd Curran

Since the beginning of time, people have sought out good luck symbols for protection and good fortune. Steeped in superstition and tied to the psyche of mankind, symbols of good luck are symbols of our own hopes.

We could all use a little more luck and there's no harm in putting a little belief in a charm that gives you a little confidence. As Tennessee Williams said, “Luck is believing you're lucky.”

St. Patrick's Day might be an Irish celebration, but you can get lucky with these symbols from around the world!

Skull:
From hats to slippers, much of my wardrobe is skull themed. As it turns out, skulls were used by ancient cultures to ward off any type of evil influence or illness. They're philosophically viewed as the seat of intelligence, spirit and the spark of human life. The skull is also the remnant of the body that is the least resistant to decay - another sign of its strength as a symbol. Many primitive cultures believed wearing skulls would insure protection and well-being.
To the Celts, skulls symbolized time, power, divinity, creation and initiation. Celtic culture viewed the head or skull to be the seat of power. Some texts point to the skull as the house of the soul. Archeological findings show us the Celts tossed skulls into sacred wells as offerings.

Shamrock and clover:
Specifically, the four-leaf clover is revered in Celtic myth for its emerald green hue and its vigorous growth. Each leaf symbolizes a different lucky characteristic: 1) Fame, 2) Wealth, 3) Love, 4) Health. If you wear a lucky clover, love will come to you, if you possess one, no evil can harm you, and if you dream of one you will live happily for the rest of your days.

Star:
Legend claims this geometric symbol was designed by Pythagoras to represent perfection. It was also known as the Wizard's Star in the Middle Ages and was worn as an emblem on clothing to represent the mysteries of the Universe. The Lucky Star is such because in ancient times it was believed good fortunes were determined by the Stars.

Horseshoe:
An ancient emblem used to ward off the "evil eye”, legend says that the ends must be hung pointing up to keep all the good luck in. Horseshoes were thought to bring good fortune when they were hung up on the wall of a home or above a doorway. This tradition may stem from the 10th century Saint Dunstan. He trapped the devil using a Horseshoe and from that point on the devil would never enter a Christian home adorned with a Horseshoe over the door.
When horseshoes were made by blacksmiths, this added to the idea of luck that embodies the horseshoe as blacksmithing was considered a lucky trade. To the Greeks, horseshoes symbolized the crescent moon which was regarded as a symbol of fertility.
 
Rainbows:
Rainbows are considered lucky because we all know if we find the end of the rainbow there will be pot of gold. A rainbow also has seven easily discernible colors and everybody knows that 7 is a lucky number.

Lucky Number 7:
Many cultures hold the number 7 in high regard on the luck scale. In the mythology of Japan, there are the Seven Gods of Fortune. The number seven is also important in world religions and spiritual beliefs including Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
Seven appears repeatedly in Scripture in such things as the seven lamps of the temple, seven wise and seven foolish virgins, and Christ's feeding of the multitude with five loaves and two fishes. The early church taught that belief in God brings seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, honour, glory, blessings, strength and godliness.
It is believed that the seventh son of a seventh son has the power of healing and that the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter has the gift of interpreting dreams, but who the hell wants that many kids?

Dream Catchers:
Native cultures consider dream catchers to bring good fortune because they catch the negative images from dreams. As legend has it, a spider was quietly spinning his web in his own space. It was beside the sleeping space of Nokomis, the grandmother. Each day, Nokomis watched the spider at work, quietly spinning away. One day as she was watching him, her grandson came in. "Nokomis-iya!" he shouted, glancing at the spider. He stomped over to the spider, picked up a shoe and went to hit it. "No-keegwa," the old lady whispered, "don't hurt him."
When the boy left, the spider went to the old woman and thanked her for saving his life. He said to her, "For many days you have watched me spin and weave my web. You have admired my work. In return for saving my life, I will give you a gift." He smiled and moved away, spinning as he went. Soon the moon glistened on a magical silvery web moving gently in the window. "See how I spin" he said. "See and learn, for bad dreams will become hopelessly entangled in the web. Only good dreams will go through the small hole. This is my gift to you."

Dragonflies:
As a creature of the wind, the dragonfly represents change. As a creature of the water, they represent the subconscious, or dream state. Other symbolic meanings associated with dragonflies are prosperity, strength, courage, peace, harmony and purity.

Elephants:
Elephants are good luck in Feng Shui and the Ganeshsa is the Hindu God of Luck.
Elephant figurines placed on shelves or by doorways are said to ensure longevity and luck. Elephants are a Symbol of Wisdom, Power, Loyalty, Intelligence, Strength and Solitude.

Frogs:
The Frog has been a symbol of prosperity, wealth, friendship and abundance in many cultures and a symbol of fertility in others. In the Native American culture of the Southwest, the Frog carries a piece of wood in its mouth, because the Mojave people believe Frogs brought fire to humans. For the Romans, the Frog was believed to bring Good Luck to the home. The native Aborigines of Australia believed that Frogs brought the thunder and rain to help the plants to grow. Frogs are also said to be effective in speeding up recovery from disease. Among the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, Frogs symbolized inspiration and fertility. In Egypt, Hekt, the Frog goddess, protected new-born babies; hence Frogs are symbols of fertility and birth. The Frog is also said to attract true friends and to help you find long-lasting love.