This Friday a percentage of people will be so paralyzed with fear that they simply won't get out of bed. Others will totally refuse to fly, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip. It's Friday the 13th, and they're completely freaked out. It's been estimated that billions are lost in business on this day because people will not travel or do business as normal.
The phobia attached to Friday the 13th afflicts an estimated 35-40,000 in the United States alone. With symptoms ranging from mild anxiety to extreme panic attacks. Yes, seriously. It is a wide spread affliction. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia, a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a phobia of the number thirteen.
People who believe in luck, specifically bad luck are more likely to be anxious on days like Friday the 13th and thus more prone to have accidents. In other words, being afraid of Friday the 13th could be their undoing.
This fear of 13 is strongly rooted in today's world, with more than 80 percent of high-rises lacking a 13th floor; airports skipping the 13th gate, while hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky numeral are known, point to the ill-fated moon mission of Apollo 13.
How did Friday the 13th become such an unlucky day?
Apparently, Friday the 13th superstitions originated in a Norse myth about twelve Aesir gods having a feast in Valhalla. The mischievous Loki crashed the party as an uninvited 13th guest and arranged for Hod, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Baldr, disputedly the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Baldr's the son of Odin and Frigg, the husband of the obscure goddess Nanna, and the father of the god Forseti. Baldr was killed and the Earth was plunged into darkness and mourning as a result.
Friday was originally named after the Goddess Frigg, the Norse Goddess of Marriage. However, she was later confused with the Norse Goddess Freya, Goddess of Love. She in turn took her place as Friday's namesake. Apparently, Freya was banished to the mountains as a witch when the Norse and Germanic converted to Christianity.
A folklore historian, Dossey, said fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities ultimately combined to make one super unlucky day.
There is also a biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper. It is also well known among Christians as the day Jesus was crucified. Some biblical scholars believe Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on Friday. Perhaps most significant is a belief that Abel was slain by Cain on Friday the 13th.
In time, in ancient Rome, Friday was known as the 'witches' Sabbath. According to history, it was believed that upon this day, each and every week, 12 witches and the Devil met. This equals 13 spirits in all... See where this is going? Seriously?!
It is also said that the number 13 suffers because of its position after 12. Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus.
In exceeding 12 by 1,13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness.
However...
Friday the 13th has always been a good luck day for me, even as a weekly church going little girl. So, I must have been destined to be a Pagan, or something from birth?
The story is different for Pagans, however. In fact, the number 13 is the absolute perfect number. It represents good luck as well as moving with the flow of Divine energy. An important perspective of most Pagan beliefs. Don’t fight the situation, accept it and move on. This brings peace and harmony, not the discord that fighting it would. Even if you’re flowing with the tide, you are always in full control of the wheel of your ship. Guide it safely forward and you’ll reap the benefits of the opportunities that cross your path.
As for the dreaded back cat crossing your path on Friday the 13th. Don't fear, that adorable feline isn't interested in you and is in fact a bearer of good luck. It appears that Western Culture has painted a different picture, beginning with the overly religious pilgrims landing in the US. They saw everything that didn't bring exactly what they wanted as bad juju, as well as any coincidence that might have been bad tipped the scales and immediately gave birth to another stupid superstition.
Some of this is personal opinion. If you don't agree... that's alright. It's a free world! <3
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