See a shooting star and make a wish?

Question

Where does that originate from and why do some people do it?

Answer 1

Shooting star symbolizes a brief fleeting moment in ones life just like the brief wonder of seeing a shooting star race across the night sky. They can also be a symbol of reaching ones ultimate destiny.

Shooting stars, asteroids, and the movement of the heavenly bodies in the night sky have always fascinated to humans. Some cultures have always had strong beliefs and superstitions in the meaning of shooting stars. Traditionally shooting stars also meant a new birth and changes in ones life and also a wish for a better life.

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In old Greece falling stars were believed to be rising or falling human souls. Aristophanes spoke of "souls of poor people, drunkenly walking home after they had dinner at a rich star". According to Jewish and Christian tradition fallen stars reflect fallen angels and demons

Nowadays, in certain parts of Asia people believe a falling star is a bad omen: the "tears from the moon about the lost sunbride" would predict war, death or demise of a close person. According to more common belief though, it's a good omen, cause when one makes a wish when one sees a falling star, the wish will come true.

In Europe at the time when the Greek astronomer Ptolemy's view of the cosmos as a universe of interlocking spheres became the orthodoxy, there was a widely accepted and very poetic explanation for "falling stars" which was entirely consistent with other deeply held beliefs of the time.

It was thought that the gods, overwhelmed with curiosity, would sometimes look at the earth from between the spheres, and that in that instant a star or two might slip through the gap and become visible as a falling or shooting star. Since the gods were clearly peering down at that very moment, it was considered an excellent opportunity to voice one's wishes with the guarantee that the gods would hear them.

This is probably where the idea of wishing on a falling or shooting star comes from. Similar superstitions are widespread even in cultures remote from Europe: in Chile, you must pick up a stone in the same moment, and in the Philippines tie a knot in a handkerchief.

Answer 2

People do it cause it gives them hope. The same reason we praise gods.

As to where it comes from, it's unknown. Many assume that it comes from Paganism. On March 15, 44 BC, Gaius Caesar was murdered. His nephew Octavian who later became Emperor threw some games in his honor. During the games, a huge comet passed by the sky. Octavian address the crowd and said that was the soul of his uncle Gaius Ceaser being taken to the heavens. Julius Ceaser became a god to the Roman people. People believed that they were seeing a miracle.

Now days, in the catholic religion, when a saint or a Virgin is believed to appear or do something out of the ordinary such as cry,bleed or any other super natural thing(concrete statues), people take it as a miracle. Then people go out and shower the statute or the image of the virgin/saint with gifts. At the same time they ask for a wish. Some don't take gifts, others do. It's optional. Either way, people go there make a wish.

Through time, the meteor/comet wishing origin has been lost. Many believe it came from the Pagan religion. If you weigh in the Julius Ceaser comet of 44 BC and the story behind it with today's modern religion ritual of wish making when saints,virgins,gods make an appearance or do super natural deeds, they are very similar with one another. Even for it being 2000 years apart.

Answer 3

Wow, there are some really good answers here, just learned a few things myself......My great grandmother, who has a little German from her Mom's side of the family told me a similar story to that Of Madame M, except there was another tale she told me that also dealt with shooting stars, but I don't know if it comes from her Creek/Cherokee background or where she heard it.
At one time during a particular bad period of wars that left many people homeless and with few if any family members they would gather and wait for the shower of the shooting stars in the summer to clebrate the fall of evil, but also to begin their journey as to where their lives would take them. The first one you saw, you were to immediately leave and set off in the direction of which you saw it fall. They were guides to a new life. I always thought that was pretty cool as a kid.
I've also heard that they are ghosts, and to see one foretells evil.
In the south there is a folktale that if you see a falling star a piece of dust will fall from it into your eye, and that is where stys come from.
I still make wishes when I see them, but I'm actually just thrilled to get a chance to see one, because they are fascinating for me more than anything else, and it makes me feel like a kid again.

Answer 4

My grandmother, whose ancestors came from Germany and Czechoslovakia, used to say "money, money, money" when she saw a shooting star. Then you had to go find where the star landed (-:.

I suppose someone once wished upon a shooting star, and the wish came true, so they started spreading the word. I think what you wish for also matters. Defining your wishes in a word or two is one of the first steps to fulfilling your wishes, so I think it's pretty sensible.

Of course, you gotta do all those other steps after wishing.

Answer 5

Oh, I'm too late for last nights. I have wished on a shooting star before, well, I thought I had but it turned out to be an aeroplane in the sky at night. lol.

Answer 6

Make a wish to a shooting star?
Not believe it..
Make a wish to God
PRAY!

Answer 7

Because it is not reguarded as a frequentevent and seen as
very special to see, is why people thought it was special enough that the star would bestow a wish upon them if they said it as it passed through the sky.

Answer 8

beacause they think it actully will make there wish come true but what people need to relize is that that we dont live in a fairytale ya know? i actully have seen a shooting star before when i was driving with my dad he pointed it out and u could totally tell it was a real one! but it went to fast for me to make a wish. plus i knew it wouldnt come true!!!!

Answer 9

i have seen a shooting star
or a meterortite
and it was ironic
and wierd that my wish ended up coming true

Answer 10

when people wish on falling star will always guide you in life follower there dreams