Where did the beliefs come from?
It is quite obvious that most beliefs come from distant times, when our ancestors walked the earth. At that time, magic was more important, and there were much more inexplicable things, so events that did not have a banal or logical explanation were given some kind of mystical interpretation. It was then that the so-called sympathetic magic, or magic of similarity, was born. At that time, it was believed that like gives birth to like, so warriors wore carved figures of their prey, sorcerers painted the death of their enemies and believed that something similar would actually happen to them. Similar magic occurs today. It is most widely practiced in voodoo magic, where an enemy doll is pierced, burned, drowned, and body parts are torn off, and the prototype doll must experience real pain from these abuses.
Many superstitions come from simple observations. For example, an ancient man went hunting, and before that he looked into something that preceded the current mirrors. The hunt was unsuccessful, and the mirror is to blame. By the way, people have long been afraid of it, since it is believed that a mirror is a passage to another world, and one should not joke with it.
You can't rest or talk
From the sign of why things cannot be passed across the threshold, other beliefs that are no less familiar to us follow.
You came to visit and what will a good owner (or hostess) do? That's right, if you are an expected or welcome guest, they will invite you to come inside the house. How often do you hear in such cases: “Don’t stand on the threshold.” So, more than two thousand years have passed, but the words remain the same. Apparently very firmly, at the genetic level, the sign “took root” in the Slav. And although today people are buried in specially designated places, no one likes to stand on the threshold and often does not dare, in superstitious fear of bringing trouble on their own head.
Conversations on the threshold are also prohibited. Therefore, if the guest is not quite expected or is completely unwanted, they have a conversation with him, at least crossing the threshold: outside the home.
Men do not shake hands on the threshold either. They enter the apartment or, conversely, take a couple of steps out of it and then shake hands.
By the way, sitting, and even more so lying on the threshold, in the doorway between rooms, is also considered unacceptable to this day. And all for the same reason - unfortunately. To lie with your head on the threshold is to bring illness upon yourself, the ancients believed. Modern people also adhere to this belief. No one wants to give up their own health for nothing.
Let us remember: everything that is on the threshold is on the edge of two worlds, and most often, the world of spirits dominates here. Therefore, we do not stand at the door, do not shake hands and do not take (hand over) things or money. Moreover, we don’t sit on the threshold and rest our heads. All these actions can bring grief to those who dared and disregarded centuries-old beliefs.
Believe it or not is a purely personal matter.
Why can't you say hello across the threshold?
This sign is quite ancient. In a similar way, as with the story of a broken mirror and the passage to another world, the situation is with the doors to the living space. The house has always been considered a fortress, and native walls must protect both from real enemies and from imaginary ones. At least that's what was thought in ancient times. Even now, modern man feels safe at home, although, of course, we are no longer talking about perfume. In ancient times, the front door was considered the border of two worlds, namely the natural world, where spirits live, and the world of the home. It is impossible to overcome this border just like that, so evil cannot enter the house, but if a person says hello across the threshold, then he thereby opens the passage, and all sorts of evil spirits can enter the house. This is why you can’t say hello across the threshold. It is believed that it is necessary to cross the border of the house. Likewise, nothing can be passed across the threshold.
Why you can’t transfer some things (or money) across the threshold
The ancient Slavs not only counted on the protection of their deceased relatives, but also sought to provide them with a peaceful rest after death. The ashes of the ancestors could not be disturbed by empty chatter, greetings or other actions performed on the threshold. For this reason, they communicated with strangers on the street, and dear guests were immediately asked to go into the rooms or premises where food was prepared.
The living tried not to linger at the threshold, so as not to needlessly disturb their deceased relatives. The pagans believed that a dead person seemed to have gone to eternal rest. For his long and often difficult life, he fully deserved this rest. It is not for nothing that the word “deceased” is directly related to the verb “to rest,” which means “to sleep,” “to rest.” Our ancestors were very respectful of this legal right of every person to rest after death also because they themselves counted on the same careful attitude towards themselves.
This tradition began to become a thing of the past after the adoption of Christianity. The deceased were no longer burned and buried under the threshold and began to be buried according to church custom on consecrated cemetery ground. But the tradition of not passing things over the threshold has survived to this day as an echo of the ancient customs of our ancestors.
Lending money after sunset, saying hello across the threshold - these and other beliefs are familiar to all people, and many try not to do what they say. But where did such signs come from and should we really be afraid of them? For example, why can’t you say hello across the threshold? This will be discussed in the article.
First owner of the house
There is another explanation for the belief that you cannot shake hands across the threshold. What is this action a harbinger of? What will it lead to? In the old days, it was considered the norm to bury the first owner of the house, and sometimes even the one who built the house, right under the threshold. It was believed that the spirit of the dead man would protect the home from evil forces, and by saying hello across the threshold, one could anger the first owner and thereby disturb his peace, which would entail various troubles. Now there is no such rule, so the explanation of the reason itself has disappeared, but no one can cancel the veracity of this version.
What's there under the threshold?
The ancient Slavs had no idea about cemeteries. But the families were large, and one must understand that with a lack of medical care, people died in large numbers. The relative who went to his forefathers was buried very close - under the threshold. The body was burned and the ashes were placed in this place. This is the most important reason why you cannot pass things over the threshold. The houses had earthen floors, and this greatly facilitated the burial of remains at any time of the year, and not only, by the way, right under the threshold. It was not uncommon for the deceased to be buried right in the house.
Threshold among other nations
In general, superstitions associated with the threshold exist not only among Slavs or Muslims. It was believed that among the ancient Mongols, greeting across the threshold meant practically desecrating the home. In Ancient Rome, the threshold was considered the abode of the goddess of chastity Vesta.
But the Americans don’t have any such signs, and one day a funny story happened in space. The Russian crew welcomed the American astronauts aboard the ISS, and when the shuttle with the newly arrived cosmonauts docked at the station, the Russians did not return the handshake of their foreign colleagues, as this was happening at the docking site. Of course, the situation was later sorted out, but on the surveillance video it looked very strange and ugly.
Obviously, this sign applies only to those who greet people with a handshake, and simply saying hello through the door verbally is quite possible.
The customs of our ancestors.
1. There is such a concept that a threshold is like a talisman between two worlds. Your home is your own world. Beyond it there is another world and the doors seem to protect it
, so as not to introduce energy changes from one world to another, so there are things that cannot be done across the threshold.
2. The same applies to the young wife. The groom carried her over the threshold in his arms
and put it on the floor to show the brownie - look, it’s ours. He brought it in as a whole, I ask you to love and favor it. And when she is on her feet, she can bring a different energy, so people will be wary of her. Those. she already completely belongs to his Clan, and this clan protects the brownie. Therefore, the address to my husband’s parents was “mom” and “dad”. And they called her daughter. And the groom’s brothers and sisters called her sister.
3. When there were large families, for example, there were six or ten brothers. A war happened and, let’s say, out of six brothers, five died, and one remained. And what did he do? He took the wives of his brothers and children to his mansion and supported them.
And let’s say some foreign merchant brought goods to his home and asked - whose woman is this? And they say - the owner. What about this one? Also the owner.
Previously, they didn’t say woman, but they said it in abbreviated form – wife. And from here came the Christian fables that the pagans were polygamists. Although they simply lived with him, he supported them, but they lived as if on their own. Because to the surviving brother they were sisters. And incest between brother and sister is prohibited.
4. That’s why you can’t say hello across the threshold. There is a concept of a mirror. In the mirror, what is left is your right, and what is right is left. Like a magnet has a potential difference. Well, take the plus and minus from the battery and try to connect it, what will happen? Spark. And so as not to waste your energy, that’s why it was not accepted. Or, if a person put his hand over the threshold, and you took it, you must pull him to your side without releasing your hand.
5. There is a point on the palm that emits energy, and when a person is greeted palm to palm, the difference in energy can harm one of the two. That's why we always shook hands with each other.
It was like a triple system. Firstly, when they shook the wrist, they felt the pulse of another person, it was determined by a sincere person, as they say, he greets you. Secondly, the embroideries on shirts were connected, as we now say on cuffs - and from them a person could see what kind of tribe and what the other was doing. And thirdly, they checked whether there was an elbow knife, which ran from the elbow to the hand. There was such a triple system.
6. During the holidays, everyone who came to them kissed each other three times. Christians adopted this, but in no country in the world is there such a thing that people kiss - women and men, acquaintances and strangers.
And in Rus' it was. Especially when you watch films, when they show the 18th-19th centuries, everyone kisses on Easter. They said that when one person kisses another, he gives him a part of his Soul. When there is a mutual kiss, there is an exchange of Souls. Therefore, in Rus', when they kissed three times, there was an energy exchange at the level of Souls.
There is a concept that a door is like a protective system between two worlds. Home is a special world. Beyond it there is another world and the doors seem to protect it so as not to introduce energy changes from one world to another. Therefore, it is not customary to say hello or pass any objects across the threshold.
According to Russian tradition, the same thing applied to the young wife. The groom carried her in his arms over the threshold and put her on the floor to show the brownie - look, this is ours. He brought it in as a whole, I ask you to love and favor it. And when the spouse is on her feet, she can bring a different energy, so the brownie will be wary of her. Those. the young wife already completely belongs to her husband’s Clan, and the housewife is protected by this Clan. Therefore, the address to my husband’s parents was “mom” and “dad”. And they called her daughter. And the groom's brothers and sisters called her sister. There were numerous families, for example, six or ten brothers. A war happened and, let’s say, out of six brothers, five died, and one remained. And what did he do? He took the wives of his brothers and children to his mansion and supported them. Some foreign merchant brought goods to the house and asked - whose woman is this? And they tell him - the owner. What about this one? Also the owner. Previously, they didn’t say “woman”, but they said it in abbreviated form – wife. This is where Christian fables came from that the pagans were polygamists. Although the women simply lived in the house, their brother supported them, they lived as if on their own. Because to the surviving brother they were sisters. And incest between brother and sister is prohibited. That's why you can't say hello across the threshold. There is a concept of a mirror. In the mirror, what is left is your right, and what is right is left. Like a magnet has a potential difference. Well, take the plus and minus from the battery and try to connect it, what will happen? Spark. And so as not to waste your energy, that’s why it was not accepted. Or, if a person put his hand over the threshold, and you took it, you must pull him to your side without releasing your hand. There is a point on the palm that emits energy, and when a person is greeted palm to palm, the difference in energy can harm one of the two. That's why we always shook hands with each other. It was like a triple system. Firstly
, when they shook hands on the wrist, they felt the pulse of another person, by it they determined a sincere person, as they say, greets you.
Secondly
, the embroideries on shirts were connected, as we now say on cuffs, and from them a person could see what kind of tribe and what the other was doing.
And thirdly
, they checked whether there was an elbow sheath, which runs from the elbow to the hand. There was such a triple system. There was information on the Internet that saying hello, as it is now, palm to palm, is a Jewish custom. This is wrong. Because among the Jews no one shook hands at all. They greeted each other with a nod. During the holidays, everyone who came to them kissed each other three times. Christians adopted this, but in no country in the world is there such a thing that people kiss - women and men, acquaintances and strangers. And in Rus' it was. Especially when you watch films, when they show the 18th-19th centuries, everyone kisses on Easter. They said that when one person kisses another, he gives him a part of his Soul. When there is a mutual kiss, there is an exchange of Souls. Therefore, in Rus', when they kissed three times, there was an energy exchange at the level of Souls. The enemies could not understand: it seemed like everyone was divided, but when they attacked, everyone immediately rallied and fought back. They simply could not understand what united people. And they were united, as it were, by a single Soul.
People still believe in many ancient signs today. But each of them did not arise out of nowhere. Each has its own history and centuries-old practice of use. Such signs today are becoming something unconscious, even city residents, afraid of jinxing their luck after their words, knock on wood, or look in the mirror after they were forced to return to their home.
What else can’t you do across the threshold?
According to superstitions, there are other things that should not be done:
- You cannot communicate with strangers across the threshold. Ignoring this superstition can lead to serious quarrels and conflicts.
- It is also not recommended to sit on the threshold. A person who does this risks attracting into his life rumors and gossip concerning himself and people close to him.
- There is also a superstition that after the wedding the husband must carry his wife over the threshold into the house in his arms. If the girl enters on her own, this will lead to a difficult and troublesome family life.
- Pay attention to which foot you step on. If you do this with your left foot, then your day will be unsuccessful. If you do this with your right foot, you will be successful all day long.
- Also, you should not kiss your lover or beloved across the threshold. This can lead to the end of a happy relationship. It is best to kiss in the house itself. This will help preserve the wonderful energy of your love.
- If you're going on a long journey, be sure to say your last words at the door, not on it. By doing this, you will ensure a comfortable and happy journey.
Try not to pass things on and you might see your life really start to change for the better. Incorrect transfer of things can lead to unpleasant consequences not only on the part of the receiving person, but also on the part of the transmitter.
Be responsible in everything you do. Every folk sign has meaning. If you find it for yourself, you can protect yourself from dangers and adversity.
The boundary separating a home from the street has always been considered not only from a practical point of view. Our ancestors could explain to everyone why they do not pass anything over the threshold, do not sit on it, and why the harmless board under the door is so important that one must bow to it when entering the house.
Why can’t you transfer things and money across the threshold?
We should start by clarifying the role of the threshold in the ancient world. Previously, the space behind the door presented a lot of dangers, so they tried to protect the house with all available forces, not only from physical intrusion, but also from intangible influence. That is why the thresholds were made high enough so that evil spirits could not overcome them. They also placed different ones under them, preventing bad thoughts and intentions from entering the house and bringing intangible entities with them.
But if the energy value of the threshold is so high, why can't things be transmitted through it? The problem is that people standing on opposite sides of the entrance will literally be located in two different worlds, since the threshold draws a clear boundary between them. And this will certainly affect the state of those communicating, which means it will be difficult for them to understand each other. That is why it is believed that not only is it impossible to communicate across a threshold, but it is also worthless to transmit anything through it. If the parties initially have energetically opposite vectors, then both the thing and the object will not be able to be used in a way that suits both. The result is quarrels and all sorts of failures.
Another explanation for why they do not pass it over the threshold may be the belief of the ancestors in the presence of not only evil, but also good spirits who also live near the border of the house and protect its inhabitants. If you stand on the threshold for too long, pass something through it, talk, that is, use it for other purposes, then the spirits can get angry. And it’s good if it ends in minor dirty tricks, but they can stop guarding the house, and evil will immediately pour into it.
Of course, all these are unproven superstitions, but our ancestors, despite the lack of knowledge, were not always wrong.
Why you shouldn’t wear clothes inside out, and how to protect yourself from blood poisoning
According to an old saying, a thing worn inside out could attract trouble to its owner.
Why? In ancient times there were no shops and factories making clothes like there are today. It was impossible to order clothes online or choose one item from a thousand offered in the nearest store. Dresses and shirts were sewn by hand, spending a lot of time and labor on it. They made embroideries on clothes, believing that they could protect against evil forces. That’s why the attitude was different: they took care of things, passed them on, and wore them carefully. It was believed that only a person who did not respect the work of others, did not value what he had, and, accordingly, deserved some punishment, could wear clothes carelessly. There is also a sign that you need to repair things by removing them, but not on yourself. They say that in this way you can sew up your memory. There is an assumption that such a superstition is due to the fact that in the old days there were no such potent drugs as at present. It is inconvenient to sew up clothes on oneself, because a person could inject himself, get not only a scratch, but also serious problems, for example, blood poisoning. To avoid this, it was recommended to keep a thread in your mouth while mending or sewing a shirt. It is unlikely that this method will work, so it is better to simply follow the safety rules.
Why can't you sprinkle salt?
They say that spilled salt means a quarrel.
Why? Salt in Ancient Rus' was very expensive; few could afford to have it on the table. Therefore, the salt shaker was often saved for special occasions, and was put on the table only for welcoming dear guests. The person who spilled salt thereby showed disrespect for the owners. And if he did it on purpose, then a quarrel cannot be avoided. There is an opinion that salt is capable of collecting negative energy, therefore it is impossible to pour it out of the salt shaker, giving freedom and allowing you to occupy a large area, as it will attract more negative thoughts and evil. But with its help it was possible to isolate oneself from negativity. For example, if a neighbor was unfriendly, then it was necessary to spill salt along the boundary, along the border with the neighbor. This protected from evil thoughts. Sometimes a pinch of salt was thrown under the porch so that it would cleanse those entering of bad intentions. An expensive pleasure for those times, but what can you do?
Later, when salt became more common in Rus', it was used as a preservative, so it became a symbol of strong friendship and long life.
Who lives on the threshold and does not allow anyone to step on it?
According to ancient beliefs, you should not talk or greet across the threshold, or pass anything through it.
They say that if you break these rules, people can be separated by demons, and children in the house can get sick. Such terrible misfortunes were promised to violators, since the threshold was considered from ancient times to be a kind of border between the outside world and the world at home. And being between worlds is naturally dangerous. If a neighbor came in with some small question, he had to be let into the house or go outside to see him, since it is impossible to achieve mutual understanding while existing in different worlds. There is a theory that the threshold not only divided space, but was also considered a symbolic boundary between the living and the dead, since the ashes of the dead were often buried under it. The spirits of the ancestors tried to protect the inhabitants of the house from misfortunes, diseases and evil. Therefore, disturbing them by standing on the threshold, talking over it, and so on was considered impermissible.
How to convey things correctly if you still believe in this sign?
Many do not neglect the age-old folk wisdom and still believe that such signs really work. If you are one of these people, remember how to convey things correctly.
When a guest can enter the house, invite him at least into the hallway or living room, and only then hand over the item. If it is something valuable and expensive, it would be nice to give the guest tea and talk to him. You need to stay with him in the house for some time and only then convey everything you need. When a person has absolutely no time and cannot even come in for a minute, go out to see him on the street yourself. It is undesirable for a guest to quickly come in, pick up something and leave. It’s better to come out, hand over the item and return home.
If you believe in negative consequences for not following such a rule, remember: it increases at certain times. Thus, it is extremely undesirable to transfer things over the threshold in the dark, on major church and pagan holidays. On such days, it is better not to take anything out of the house - it is believed that at this time you are especially at risk of losing your health and well-being along with the items.
Also, folk signs say that other actions cannot be performed across the threshold: shaking hands, hugging, talking about important events in life, solving some significant issues. You can just talk and answer a few simple questions - there’s nothing wrong with that. And remember: if you nevertheless forgot about the sign and handed someone an important thing over the threshold, there is no need to be upset. Still, signs are not laws of nature, and they only work for those who believe in them 100%.
Probably every Slavic person has heard that you cannot pass things over the threshold. Popular wisdom says: if you want to avoid problems, try to handle things responsibly.
If you plan to transfer any item in your possession to another person, do it correctly, and then problems and misfortunes will not affect you. People know that things cannot be passed over the threshold. However, they have no idea where the danger lies.
If you plan to transfer any item in your possession to another person, do it correctly, and then problems and misfortunes will not affect you
Why you can’t whistle at home, what does the brownie, the wind and the devils have to do with it?
In Rus' they said that whistling is the language of evil spirits.
Therefore, under no circumstances should you whistle in the house, because the devils might think that it’s their name, get into the house and start misbehaving. We still say: “Don’t whistle, there won’t be any money.” What does the whistle have to do with it? They used to believe that every house was protected by its own brownie. But for some reason he can’t stand whistling, and when he hears it, he can simply get angry, collect all his accumulated wealth and leave his home. So it’s better not to anger him, then the money will remain in the house and there will be fewer problems.
Another version is that with the help of whistling you can whistle the wind, which will burst into the house, fly into every corner, and fly away along with the goods. Sailors believed in the power of whistling - when there was a calm, they whistled to attract the wind and ask it to fill the sails.
How to dispel a negative interpretation
It often happens that people simply have not heard about this unpleasant sign. Therefore, you need to try to dispel its negative influence and prevent possible troubles.
If you took it over the threshold
Whatever good thing is handed to you over the threshold, you urgently need to remove it from your home, away from yourself and relatives. Of course, money can be spent quickly, but with other things it’s a little more difficult.
What is not a pity is thrown away, but something valuable, for example, clothes, is given to those in need. If you take a bag of food across the threshold, it is also better not to eat it yourself and not to feed it to your pets.
If you gave it over the threshold
So that along with the thing, the money that the person in a hurry handed over the threshold, good luck, happiness and wealth do not leave the house like this:
- mentally ask for forgiveness from the Lord God;
- Having crossed themselves they read “Theotokos”.
