does anyone know why you are supposed to throw salt over your shoulder when you spill it?

Question

i know this is an old superstition. just wondered if any one knew why you are supposed to do it.

Answer 1

If you spill salt it is said to throw salt over your left shoulder into the devils eyes so you do not have bad luck and he can not lead you astray. So gram used to tell me.

Answer 2

Salt used to be an expensive commodity used mainly for medicinal purposes. For this reason, spillage was to be avoided at all costs. The idea that it is unlucky to do so probably stems from the belief that Judas spilt salt during the last supper. Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder is linked to its medicinal use. If it could not be administered, the next best thing was to throw it into the eye of the evil spirits that brought sickness upon us. These spirits were thought to lurk behind your shoulder, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Answer 3

Yes, all thoes years ago, salt was a very expencive item. It cost a pretty penny, so if you spilled it, it was concedered bad luck, like flushing money away. So you took a bit of it and cast it over your shoulder to prove that you had the money to cast away, so that bad luck couldn't come to you for wasting money.

Answer 4

Superstitions about salt date decrease back to biblical circumstances even as salt became a exceptionally prized commodity. It became extreme priced, needed in conserving foodstuff, and became in many circumstances used in lieu of forex. So spilling salt became considered an virtually sacrilegious offence, and left one perilously uncovered to the devil's machinations. Throwing salt over your shoulder is corresponding to blessing someone once they have sneezed -- it truly is a way of protecting the devil at bay once you're in a really weak second. counting on your interpretation, the salt is both meant to blind the devil so he can't witness your mistakes, or keep him from sneaking up on you once you're cleansing up your mess. you need to be conscious that the superstition demands the criminal to throw salt over the left shoulder. As one internet website notes, many historic traditions position the devil to the left of the instantly and narrow route. The classic photo of a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the different in many circumstances shows the sinister imp sitting on the left aspect. And in case you pick to truly persist with the letter of the regulation, you're inspired to throw the salt including your "good," or top hand. in the time of historic previous, the association of top with good and left with undesirable led to dissimilar completely good left-exceeded human beings to be burned on the stake.

Answer 5

Its bad luck to spill salt, it draws the devils eye to you so you throw the salt over your left shoulder to blind him... at least thats how my nanna told it

Answer 6

Well knocking salt over is suposedly bad luck and so by throwing it over your shoulder, it supposedly reverses this bad luck and you're "good to go"! (like the taco bell guy says)!

Answer 7

it is considered to be bad luck even if by accident. you are supposed to throw it over your left shoulder to ward off any bad luck that might occur from it.

Answer 8

Salt is one of the things that ward off supernatural things.

Answer 9

It was for luck mostly. That's what my great-grandma told me when I asked once.

Answer 10

it is for good luck and to keep the evil eye off you