Unlucky
Animals and Their Omens
Cats and Dogs:
If a black cat should cross your path, expect good luck. If a dog howls for no reason, expect a death.
Crows:
Crows are shrouded in mystery, considered to be exceptionally wise and intelligent, some gypsies say that crows live to be 300 years old. To see one crow means sorrow, and two together means joy. A crow standing in the road signifies a happy journey, while a dead crow in the road, would cause a gypsy to turn back.
Foxes:
If a fox crosses your path, an opportunity will be given to you, if he stops and looks at you your ambitions will be fulfilled.
Horses:
A white horse was once the symbol of the Celtic goddess Epona, and thus should be greeted with respect or you may draw misfortune to yourself. But you can tell the horse your hopes and wishes and they will come true.
Magpies:
Also a member of the crow family are a sign of good luck if two are seen together. One on its own foretells a theft.
Robins and Wrens:
These are both lucky creatures, they bring good news if they fly into your home, but a dead robin or wren near your door is a bad omen. Owls To hear an owl in day time is a bad omen, like wise to hunt or kill an owl.
Rooks:
To have a property with a rookery on it, is seen as very fruitful, but if the rooks should leave then that is taken as a bad omen. In Ireland, when one was buying a property that was blessed with a rookery the deal was considered null and void if the rooks deserted the rookery within one year.
Stoats and Weasels:
To them playing together foretells happiness in the family, but if they are fighting, means squabbles and disputes in the family.
From: Vermont Deadline
Homage to the Wodna Zena
Throwing Rocks At The Moon
At the new moon, spit on a little stone, then throw it in the air, if it comes down wet…there will be much sickness…if dry, good luck to come.
From: Vermont Deadline
Some Gypsy Superstitions
- It is wise to pitch a tent near a holly tree because it will give you divine protection (holy tree).
- To see a mule shaking itself, is a sign of good luck.
- A moth hovering around a candle flame, means a letter in the morning.
- To see a white horse in the morning, means good luck all day.
- If a coal or wood fire makes any kind of noise, it means a quarrel in the offing.
- To spit on ones hand after seeing a wagtail (a small bird with a long tail), means that money is on its way.
- If the right hand itches…money will be paid out.
- If the left hand itches….money will be received.
- A tickling nose is a sign of getting drunk.
- An itching of the right eye means sadness.
- An itching of the left eye is a sign of happiness to come.
- Frog’s spawn thrown over the left shoulder for good luck.
- To see a shooting star is a sign of death
- A baby keeps its luck in the grimy lines of its hands.
- A baby born at full moon will be lucky.
- A baby born at midnight before the Sabbath, it will be under a curse.
- If one of the bearers at a funeral stumbles during the procession, there will be another death.
- Newly sprouted grass or of lightening means there will be a funeral.
- It is lucky to meet with a woman carrying a jug full of water, but unlucky if it be empty.
- It is unlucky to wash anything on Saturday, or to spin on Thursday.
- There is always a treasure to be found where the first swallow is seen.
- On Wednesday and Friday no one should use needle or scissors, bake bread, or sow flax.
- No bargain should ever be concluded on a Friday.
Source: Vermont Deadline
Break a Streak of Bad Luck
Go for a walk and pick up seven twigs from the ground, one to represent each day of the week. Traditionally, the twigs should be ash for Monday, beech for Tuesday, elm for Wednesday, oak for Thursday, horse chestnut for Friday, yew for Saturday, and elder for Sunday.
Take them home, snap them into pieces, and burn them in the hearth or a bonfire. Say:
Ill luck is broken,
As these words are spoken.
From: The Good Spell Book
To Remove Misfortune
According to the Romanies, extricating yourself or someone you care for from a streak of bad luck and misfortune is not difficult.
Take three small jars and nine garlic cloves, and a number of thorns from a white rose. Stick the thorns into the garlic cloves and place three cloves in each jar.
Each jar should be buried within sight of a church porch while you say the Lord’s Prayer.
Note: Best done under the light of a full moon.
From The Good Spell Book
Unlucky Days For Love
There are certain days throughout the year that many Gypsies believe are unlucky days for love. On these dates no one should try to sway another, bring any two people together, or – least of all – get married. These days are as follows:
- January 1, 2, 6, 14, 27
- February 1, 17, 19
- March 11, 26
- April 10, 27, 28
- May 11, 12
- June 19
- July 18, 21
- August 2, 26, 27
- September 10, 18
- October 6
- November 6, 17
- December 5, 14, 23
~Raymond Buckland
`Gypsy Love Magick
Avoiding Bad Luck
Bad luck at home can be avoided by never washing blankets during the waxing May moon. According to the saying:
If you wash blankets in May,
You will wash a loved one away.
From: The Good Spell Book