To Cast or Not to Cast: Friday the 13th, Eclipses and the Superstitions Surrounding Each
Friday the 13th
Happy Friday the 13th! As I was prepping for Episode 40, I realized it would be dropping on this day and it made the entire episode pivot into superstitions and where they come from - especially since a Solar Eclipse immediately follows this supposedly unlucky day…
When the topic of Friday the 13th arises, most witches would disagree with the common superstition that it’s an unlucky day. For most of us, Friday is the day blessed by Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and the number 13 is one that is divinely feminine, bringing about great transformation, new beginnings and the building of secure foundations for the future. So, why are so many non-magical people filled with dread on this day?
Why Unlucky?
Friday the 13th is considered unlucky in various communities, cultures and traditions with several possible origins for the superstitions that surround it. It's difficult to pinpoint a single source but there are a few theories that shed light on why this combination of day and date is associated with bad luck:
The Christian Perspective: According to Christian tradition, Friday is seen as an unlucky day because it is believed to be the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Furthermore, the number 13 is considered unlucky as there were 13 individuals present at the Last Supper, including Judas Iscariot, who is designated as the 13th dinner guest, who betrayed Jesus. This combination of an unlucky day and an unlucky number has contributed to the fear surrounding Friday the 13th.
Norse Mythology (which predates the Christianization of Scandinavia): In Norse mythology, there is a story about a banquet in Valhalla attended by 12 gods. Loki, the trickster god, was not invited, but he crashed the event, making him the 13th guest. He caused chaos which ultimately led to the death of the beloved god Balder, further adding to the notion that 13 is an unlucky number – and a 13th dinner guest is especially undesirable.
Historical Events: There are various historical events that have contributed to the superstition around Friday the 13th but the one that seems to stand out the most is the mass arrest of the Knights Templar. On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest and torture of the Knights Templar, a powerful and wealthy medieval Christian military order. This event may have played a role in associating Friday the 13th with bad luck.
The knights were accused of various charges, including heresy, blasphemy, and financial corruption. To this day, the event is cited as one of the reasons behind the superstition of Friday the 13th being considered an unlucky and the superstition has persisted over the centuries.
Numerology and Folklore: Some people are superstitious about the number 13 in general, believing it to be a symbol of bad luck due to its irregular and unconventional nature in terms of numerology. In many cultures, the number 13 is considered irregular or unconventional because it follows the more "complete" and harmonious number - 12. Twelve is often associated with completeness and order due to its prevalence in various contexts, such as the 12 months of the year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 hours on a clock, and so on. In contrast, 13 is seen as an "outlier."
Some numerologists view the number 13 as a symbol of disruption, imbalance, or imperfection due to this perceived irregularity. This can contribute to the superstition that the number 13 brings bad luck….
And as for the folklore surrounding Fridays: The belief that Friday is an unlucky day has roots in various folkloric traditions, cultures and historical events. As we know, in Christian tradition, Good Friday is the day of Jesus Christ's crucifixion, which is a somber and significant event. Likewise, some ancient cultures, such as Norse (as mentioned earlier), considered Friday an unlucky day due to certain legends and beliefs.
In Norse mythology, Friday is named after the Norse goddess Frigg, also known as Frigga. She was considered the queen of the Aesir gods and the wife of Odin, the chief of the gods. Frigg was associated with love, marriage, and domesticity. She was a powerful and respected figure in the Norse pantheon. However, a belief or legend emerged in some Norse-influenced cultures that associated Friday with bad luck due to a story related to Frigg. This belief revolves around the idea that Friday was associated with certain events or actions that were considered ill-omened. The exact nature of these associations can vary, but a common belief was that Friday was a day to avoid important endeavors or journeys because it was seen as a day when bad things might happen.
It's important to note that these beliefs are rooted in cultural and historical context and are not universally held. Different cultures have different superstitions and beliefs about days of the week - and not everyone subscribes to the idea that Friday, or the number 13, is in any way unlucky day.
The Hidden Truth
For many witches and magickal practitioners, Friday is associated with Frigg and also Freya – a goddess of love, sex and witchcraft in Norse Mythology - both deities that many pagans are devoted to, as well as the planet Venus and the Greek Goddess Aphrodite/Roman Venus, representing love, beauty, comfort and friendship, among many other themes. For many of us, spiritual individuals, Friday is a day for love, self-love, self-care and, of course, magic!
As for the number 13… Just like it’s association with the Death card in Tarot, thirteen can also be seen as a number of transformation and new beginnings — because nothing ever just ends. Yes, twelve may be a number of completion but after completion we must start again. We exist in cycles – not beginnings and endings.
The number 13 is also considered divinely feminine — not just for it’s associations with these love deities, but because there are 13 moon cycles and 13 menstrual cycles (typically) in a year. For this reason, the number is also associated with the sacredness of the womb, wisdom of the cycles of the moon, nature, creation and goddess energy. These are all things that are not quick to be celebrated in a patriarchal society, where oppressive forces have historically taken ancient celebrations and twisted and distorted them to fit their narratives.
So, if we can dispense with outdated superstition and look at Friday the 13th as a day of both love, magic, new beginnings, creation, a connection to nature and the moon and, above all, the divine feminine, we might be able to take some suggestions from Judika Isles in her book Daily Magic: Spells and Rituals for Making the Whole Year Magical:
Sprinkle salt on your doorstep to receive increased luck and protection - and also protect from entities or influences who feed on the fear associated with the day.
Try this Holly Leaves True Love Friday Dream Spell:
A spell specifically intended to be cast on Fridays.
1. From the moment you venture out in the evening to pick the holly leaves until you wake up in the morning and record your dreams, total silence must be maintained. Don't make a sound!
2. Pick nine holly leaves as the clock strikes midnight beginning Friday. They may be sharp- so be careful.
3. Wrap them in a white handkerchief and place this beneath your pillow to incubate dreams of your true love.
Eclipses
As I write this, a Solar Eclipse and New Moon in Libra is just a day away and, as it follows Friday the 13th, I’m compelled to look into superstitions revolving around Eclipses as well — especially as it pertains to witches and magickal practitioners.
During a Solar Eclipse, every energy that is typically available on a new Moon is also available, except many consider it to be at a much greater degree. You can think of them as New Moons that have been supercharged. However, some magickal folks consider it to be accompanied by a strong chaotic energy – which is one reason why they might abstain from any magickal workings during an eclipse.
This is not the case for everyone, however, as some consider these events to be portals to higher states of consciousness, helping us speed up the process of any work we are doing on the self. These individuals hold that the events allow us to look deeper within to understand more about ourselves, where we fit in in this universe and where we are meant to go. In a way, the energy of the eclipse, which literally eclipses the sun, bringing about darkness before returning to the light, shows us that we must occasionally venture into the deep darkness in order to bring important issues into the light.
Since we’re focusing on superstitions and fears associated with these events, lets discuss the reasons why some practitioners absolute will not work any magick during an eclipse. Here are just a few:
Energetic Changes: Some practitioners of magic believe that the energy and vibrations during an eclipse are different from those during other times. Eclipses involve the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, and this alignment is thought to disrupt the flow of cosmic energies. It is believed that this disruption can affect the outcome of magical rituals or spells, making them unpredictable or potentially chaotic or negative.
Association with Dark or Chaotic Forces: Eclipses have historically been associated with darkness, mystery, and the unknown and . In many cultures, the darkening of the Sun or Moon during an eclipse was seen as an ominous event. Some people associate eclipses with negative or chaotic forces and believe that working magic during an eclipse may tap into these forces, leading to, again, undesirable or uncontrollable outcomes.
Traditional Superstitions: Cultural and historical superstitions can play a significant role in shaping beliefs about eclipses and magic. These superstitions may have been passed down through generations and become part of a magical tradition. In some cases, eclipses have been linked to negative events or omens in folklore, further reinforcing the idea that they are not suitable for magical work.
Astronomical and Astrological Beliefs: and In some astrological and magical traditions, eclipses are seen as inauspicious moments in the cosmic cycle. The alignment of celestial bodies during an eclipse may be believed to disrupt the balance and harmony of the universe, making it a less favorable time for magical practices as well….
These are just a few among among many examples of why some practitioners abstain from magick during an eclipse while others, still, do not — instead looking at this as an opportunity to work even more powerful magick or do deeper inner work.
Different magical traditions, as well as individual practitioners, have varying perspectives on eclipses, but - as with any magical practice - individual beliefs and preferences can greatly influence whether one chooses to perform magic during an eclipse or avoid it.
The choice is yours….
