Taking a closer, it is surprising how many simple little things we do that bring us luck. We’ve throw spilled salt over our shoulder, avoided walking under a ladder, and saved one of the bones from our poultry just so we could make a wish.
The wishbone tradition is said to date back millenniums, carried from one culture to another in a attempt to bring luck to those areas in life where they long for thro greater abundance through some mysterious source.
We are familiar with drying the unbroken wishbone from a chicken or turkey and allowing it to dry. The tips of the wishbone were then held by two prosperity-seekers, each with their own wish, and they both pull to break the wishbone in two. The person holding the larger portion of the wishbone was believed to be granted their wish.
The more commonly known two-person breaking of a wishbone, is preceded by an ancient ritual that if two girls break the wishbone the one who gets the shorter piece will get married, the one receiving the longer piece will remain unmarried. These days some might see this as the opposite of our current day belief that the longer end is good luck, given the revolving door attitude of some marriages!
The word wishbone is not all that old, and is not found in dictionaries before the 1850′s, according to an authority on dictionaries, Mr. Webster. The breaking of the wishbone was also called the breaking of the Merrythought. A quote found in 1755 stated, “Let him not be breaking Merrythoughts under the table with my cousin”.
Another old belief was to place a broken wishbone over the door. The first person to cross the threshhold would be the first to marry. A different version of this superstition is that the next person to enter the house will be your lover.
The tradition of breaking wishbones for luck carried forward in my own family, and I continued this practice with great enjoyment with my son in his younger years. In fact, the writing of this article was inspired by the wishbones currently resting over my stove, awaiting their role in fate.
Do old beliefs and ideas affect your ability for an empowered life today? Intuitive Meaning editor Estee Taschereau offers individual session to explore the subtle flow of energies within your life. Intuitive Sessions are by phone, and are offered in a light supportive and encouraging tone that promotes healing and gentle transition.
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