Superstitions about Spitting and Saliva

Here at Odd Random Thoughts we’ve discussed many different Superstitions, some of which are more seriously taken than others. But today I want to talk about one that is taken quite serious by some and not so much by others. But I suppose this will hold true with most superstitions as you must believe in order for them to hold much meaning in your life.

Superstitions about spitting and saliva have been around for a very long time and seem to go along with other superstitions that deal with fluids of the body. Most fluids that come from our bodies are said to have supernatural properties that have the ability to ward off evil and may protect us from danger.

Many people in the superstitious realm believe that when a person spits they are releasing a small part of their soul that signifies a gift to the gods. In return divine favors may be received. Probably the easiest of sacrifices if you ask me, but very powerful none the less.

Some Common Spitting Superstitions

Spitting has often times been considered a thing of good luck and fortune as well, such as spitting on playing cards in hopes of a big win. Saliva has also found its way on to exam papers, footballs and baseballs, fishing nets and even on the bare palms of the business man shaking to seal a big deal. These are all superstitions related to bringing good luck and fortune.

Some other common spitting superstitions would be the boxer going into the ring for his big fight. They will often times spit on their gloves or fists before the fight begins. The belief is, that the spit will harden the skin and make their punches more lethal.

Factory workers have also been known to spit on their hands in hopes of a good days work. You may think that they do this in order to give themselves a firmer grip on what ever they are working on. But from a superstitious stand point, the spit hold magical properties as discussed earlier. This will most certainly make their work a much lighter task when being done with magic.

Have you ever seen someone spit while being sworn in or taking an oath? This is significant as it holds similar strength to swearing on the Bible. Many children also use this practice when swearing to something with their friends. It’s often followed by a short little oath:

“Finger wet, finger dry, Cut my throat if I tell a lie.”

Pretty cool huh?

Superstitious Beliefs of Spit and Demons

Not only has spit and saliva been accredited to bringing good luck and magical powers. It’s often used in rituals to ward off demons and evil spirits. We talked a bit about The Omen of Curses and Jinxes in the past and some of the horrific things that have happened. One of the main things that has been told through the ages as a serious sign of a curse would be the “Evil Eye”.

It is said that spit has the magical ability to ward off demons and some believe that spitting will bring them luck and lessen their chances of an encounter with the “Evil Eye”. You’ve probably seen the old movies where the gypsy woman spits and yells out obscenities at someone that’s done her wrong. I believe this is to ensure she will not receive an “Evil Eye” in return for her curses. Sort of a curse and protection all in one. Hopefully someone will chime in on this point in the comments below.

It is said that spitting may also be used to keep witches from using fingernail clippings and hair trimmings in their spells. After getting a hair cut or clipping your nails, you must spit on them to keep the witches from picking these things up and using them for evil.

Of course these are all quite unsanitary, but this next one seems especially so. When ever the parents of a newborn baby receive a compliment on their child they should spit on the child. This is said to also protect their children from misfortune. I know that if my parents spat on me when I was a kid, I would of thought I had done something terribly wrong. lol So this one may not be for everyone, but it is indeed used by some.

Some Other Superstitions Where You Should Spit

There are literally tons of these popular superstitions on spitting and we can’t cover all of them here in this single post. But I would like to mention a few more that I uncovered during my research, after all they are very interesting, don’t ya think?

Spitting on crops before a harvest is said to bring good luck and a prosperous crop. Also things that can bring good luck would be: Spitting on a new set of clothes before wearing them, Spitting on money you’ve just received and to spit on your right shoe before you embark on a journey will bring you great loads of luck.

If you take a trip out to Sea, don’t forget to spit with the wind to prevent any terrible storms from forming while on your journey.

Healing Powers of Spit and Saliva

We’ve talked about many different superstitions of spit and how it may bring you good luck and great fortune, but we can’t leave out the healing powers of spit and saliva.

For those of you familiar with teachings in the Bible, you’re probably familiar with the event that involved Jesus healing the blind man with his saliva. It is believed that spit may hold supernatural healing abilities and many folks will spit on an insect bite, they swear it will give instant relief.

Spit is also said to be a great treatment for birthmarks, ringworms, warts and many other skin blemishes you may have. But even more strange is that if you use the saliva of someone that is fasting, it’s said to be an even more potent treatment.

Now here’s one most of you probably aren’t aware of, but if your foot falls asleep on you, spitting on it will perk that puppy right up, at least that’s what they say anyway. One more quick remedy for you before we go…. If you ever find yourself in a battle with a snake, human spit is said to be quite poisonous to the venomous creatures!

I would love to hear others view on spit and the superstitions surrounding it. Many cultures will have different views on these types of things and I love to hear all angles, please use the comments below.