Why do we knock

not even especially superstitious people, when they talk about something good, no, no, yes, and knock on wood - not to scare off good luck. Where did this tradition? Long before the rise of Christianity and Islam, the pagans in various parts of the earth - from Britain to India - worshiped trees, which they attributed to various mythical properties. Some used them as oracles, others somehow used them in religious ceremonies, and others, like the ancient Celts believed their house certain spirits or gods. Researchers Stefan Bechtel and Deborah Aaronson convinced that the existing tradition of knocking on wood is associated with the pagan belief that lives in it a duh.

The first version is that once Europeans distilled knocking off evil spirits, so they do not overhear their conversations secret and not fouling would envy. According to the second version, prayers touched the tree, to ask about something living inside of God, or a knock was an expression of gratitude for the tree-spirit "fulfillment" of some requests. Over the centuries the religious component has been forgotten, but the association between the knock on wood, and luck was tenacious. "In any case, such a simple way people tried to protect themselves from jealousy and anger - Betchel writes in his" Book of luck. " - From the envy of evil spirits or the wrath of the gods against the overconfident mortals who attribute success to themselves, or to forget to thank them for their kindness. "

Source: mixstuff.ru/archives/25169