Welcome to Gaia! ::

First of all, welcome back Banu! *glomps* Good to see you back in action!

Now, with that out of the way, let's get to the meat of the discussion: You're point is interesting, but I think a little confused. What you're describing, interpreting symbolism in waking life and superstition; superstition is often founded in mundane or Christian philosophy. The number 13 is considered unlucky because thirteen people sat down to eat at the Last Supper, Christ and his twelve desciples, but Judas betrayed Christ and the crucifixion was the result; breaking a mirror became bad luck because mirrors were once rare, and exteremely expensive. Of course it was bad luck to break one!

However, what you're describing is a divinatory approach to life. While an interesting perspective, one would have to take into account that not everything that happens is a divine omen or message; if I stub my toe while trying to get dressed in the dark at 5:30 in the morning, it doesn't necessarily mean that the gods or anyone on the spiritual side of things is angry with me, or even trying to tell me something; it means I was half asleep, stunned, and should have turned on the light. blaugh That said, however, it would be interesting to at least examin the possibility of a deeper meaning to events in my daily life, especially unusual ones. I also suppose with time, one would be able more clearly to determine which events in the run of a day could have a deeper signifigance, and which are simply... mundane, for lack of a better term.

Thanks for the welcome back, Gypsy! You make some good points, but I am still inclined to believe that any event reveals effects or implications in both the physical and spiritual aspects of our world. Every event, when studied in this way, can give us information- however, inconsequential events will yield likewise inconsequential information, and they're really not worth the effort. As in dream interpretation, it doesn't do to dwell on too many minute details because that will bog you down in minor matters while the more important overall themes become overshadowed. So when thinking about my life this way, I find it more helpful to concentrate either on big, important events- either good or bad (though admittedly, it's more likely to grab my attention if it's bad and I'm looking for a solution to the problem^_^')- or general themes, and/or repetitive events.

For instance, if you wake up early one morning and stub your toe, then investigating the spiritual meaning of that action probably won't shed much light on anything you really care about. But if you suddenly develop a habit of dropping things, knocking stuff over, and tripping over nothing then that may be something to look into. Has something in life been "tripping you up"? Should you be paying attention to those things which may be "slipping through your grasp"? Are you not gathering enough information to "shed light on the subject" before you act? Is that leading to your "stumbling around in the dark"? Or is s/Someone trying to get your attention? There are also traditions which teach that spiritual exhaustion can result in these sorts of things- so perhaps you're in need of some personal restoration. Each of these questions may reveal something significant, and it could be profitable to step back and look at the big picture.

As for the number 13, etc., again you make some good points and that's an interesting association with the number! I'd heard that the unlucky nature of the number 13 is related to the 13 moons of a lunar year, and the prominence of lunar calendars and celebrations in various non-Christian cultures. I guess that just goes to show that when interpreting symbols, it's wise to research their provenance and derivation- that will help you to correctly identify their associations and more effectively analyze any meanings they may hold. As above, if I go to the grocery store and my bill comes out to be $13, I probably won't think much of it other than a "heh, neat!" However, if the number 13 starts popping up all over the place, especially if I'm working at a critical juncture in life, then I'd be much more inclined to look into the numerological significance of the number 13 and see if an application of that knowledge to my current situation turns out to be significant. Knowing that breaking a mirror is bad luck because they were once valuable, on the other hand, could very well be valuable information if mirrors started shattering on me- it might warn me toward greater financial responsibility or caution. Or it may somehow work into a theme of shattering self-images.^_~ It's important to keep in mind the context of any event, and not get locked down into any one interpretation.

In my experience so far, most of the application of this way of thinking is punny in nature, and in that case it's often helpful to look at overlying themes- what is happening ideologically rather than literally- and probably not analyzing every little thing that happens. Symbolic numbers and objects can act as keys to clue you in on themes, or they may add shades of meaning to your interpretations. I find that the symbolic value of objects often has root in their metaphysical significance, and so I'd be more inclined to favor an interpretation of any such thing based on its magical associations (which would be verified through a much more scientific exploration of magical use) than anything else- but "old wives' tales" may also provide helpful information. I think it'd also be important to keep an open mind that there may be more than one possible interpretation for any given event or symbol, as most objects and events have a range of associations, and possibly even a symbol's personal meaning may have some significance- I'm tempted to go into a discussion of quantum theory and the "power of the observer," where the person who is watching an experiment (in this case, life) has a subconscious influence on the results (and therefore the symbols which manifest). However, I really don't know enough on the subject to go much deeper than that.^_^

I think you have an interesting point. I live very much the same way. I have a knack for figuring things out that I shouldn't be able to. I mostly do it by reading what I see around me. If I see a funky cloud pattern in the sky and the leaves are moving strangely in the trees, it might rain soon, for example. I'm about 60% right, usually within only 24-48 hours, however. It is the same thing as when your ears pop right before a big front moves in, or the creaky knees thing that the elderly or arthritic get before a storm.
Augury can help you if you choose to let it.

I once freaked a girl out in driver's ed. when I told her it would snow that night or the day after, and then it did the next morning. She was kind of leary to ask how I did it, but I don't think my explanation helped any.

Yep. ^.^