What Does A Sneeze Mean To You ? Are You Superstitious About It ?

@AKRao24 (27424)
India
April 27, 2011 10:54pm CST
Many people believe in superstitions and for them sneezing is not a good omen! My family members are also blind followers and they don't like some one sneezing before starting any good work or before someone leaving the home for any work. If some one sneezes under such circumstances than the work is postponed by few minutes! I read different people in different countries have different superstitions about the sneezing! For me sneezing is just a manifestation f allergy or some respiratory infection! What about you , are you superstitious about the sneezing? Please respond! Your response will be highly appreciated! Thanks !
2 people like this
24 responses
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
28 Apr 11
I've never heard any story or belief behind a sneeze. For me it means that I am getting a flu or an allergy. This is the first time that I know some people are superstitious about sneezing. What if you can;t help it because you are getting a flu? What if somehow something in the air tickles your nose?
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Jennyze! There are many people who attribute many superstitions to sneezing! Though the bare fact is that sneezing is seen in case of any allergy or irritant got entered the respiratory tract! Yes flu also can cause sneezing! But people have their own beliefs and whims which are deeply rooted into their cultures! If we oppose these beliefs then we will be labeled as 'Atheists'! Thanks for responding!
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Yes Dear Jennyze! There are some people who attach superstitions with religious matters and try to give them strength to them so that they will be blindly be followed by others! This is unfortunate part of it! If people like me oppose the superstition then I will be definitely be labelled as a person against the God and his deeds! Thanks for the response !
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
28 Apr 11
Atheists = anti Christ/ God. Did superstition come from God or a religion? Some people must have messed up the fact between a belief, a superstition and a religion.
@dodo19 (47050)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
2 May 11
I'm really not superstitious at all. To me, sneezing happens when you have allergies, or a cold, or something like that. It's really nothing more than that, to me.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hello Dear Dodo! Yes, generally sneezing is manifested by the body when we have any allergen entered the body or any irritant material entered the upper respiratory tract! This is a pure defense mechanism of the body and nothing more! Some tomes people attach several superstitions to this act ! I am happy that you don't believe in these superstitions and you think rationally! Thanks for responding! All the best!
@umabharti (3972)
• India
28 Apr 11
hi, sneezing comes only because of sudden change in the temperature or can be due to dust.Elders say it has some effects , whose who observe go in their way , those who dont will be on their way.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hello Dear Umabharti! I agree with you that when ever there is change in temperature or any foreign body like dust gets trapped into our upper respiratory tract we tend to have sneezing! Yes, in India elders they have associated many superstitions towards this act which is seen descending to subsequent generations! After all it s a belief! As you say different people have different opinions and let every body be happy with it! Thanks for rsponding!
@libramie (562)
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
I don't believe that sneezing have an omen. When I experienced a sneeze even moderately, its my sign that colds or cough comes next so I drink paracetamol for my protection.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hello Dear Libramie! I am happy to know that you don't have any superstitions attached to the act of sneezing! Normally students of science they don't believe in such beliefs and Omens! Yes, sneezing gives a signal of impeding Cold or cough and precautionary measures taken in the form of taking some medication is always good thing! By the way do you take the paracetamol all by your own or have you consulted any professional for this? Many a times medicines used for simple remedies can have some side effects too! So we need to be careful while taking them, at least should know about the side effects of the medicine! Thanks for responding!
@stanley777 (9402)
• Philippines
29 Apr 11
Sneezing is just an ordinary reaction of our body to some allergens from our environment or from food we eat.It triggers once our system detects them. Sneezing was not a part of the superstitions our forefathers have believe in.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hi Dear Stanley! Yes, sneezing is just a defense mechanism of the body in response to some allergens which enter accidentally into our body! I am happy that your forefathers never believed any superstitions associated with this act and not imparted those things on you, which normally happens in many families! Thanks for responding! All the best!
• India
28 Apr 11
There are a lot of superstitions surrounding snezing however for me its just a warning saying something over here is allergic to you.My parents however have a different notion when someone neezes they promptly say someone near and dear is reminding you.Aside I have heard a lot of people say bless you when someone sneezes but I think that is more of a coutesy rather than superstition.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hello Dear Darkridersoumya! Yes, you are right sneezing is a warning that you are either having an allergy or some irritant got entered your respiratory tract, which is being thrown away by the body by the act of sneezing! But unfortunately in India there are several superstitions attached to this phenomenon! Yes, I also know people who believe that some body is thinking about us when sneeze! And I also have seen people blessing the younger people by saying 'Bless You' when we sneeze! Yes, it looks more of courtesy rather than superstition! Thanks for responding!
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
28 Apr 11
i just means i might be allergic to something or have a cold. i sneeze all the time because i always have a stuffy nose, so its a good thing i am not superstitious about it!
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
30 Apr 11
Hi Dear Cher! People like us can't afford to be superstitious about the sneezing s We both are sailing in the same boat! I am also suffering from allergic Rhinitis and I sneeze a lot when I have an allergic reaction! If I attribute any superstition of the sneezing then I will have to apply some lips to my nose so that I would never sneeze! LOL ! Thanks for responding!
@sammy14 (834)
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
Well in my country there is no sneezing is not in anyway connected with superstition! When you have colds you sneeze,when you smell something awful like fart... you sneeze.. and when you have not cleansed your nose and is dirty you sneeze.. How I wish that sneeze should be associated with money so that I'll try to sneeze every now and then... hhahaah...
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Sammy! You are lucky that you have got no superstitions attached to the sneezing in your country! I appreciate your reasons for cause of sneezing! I second your proposition as I would be definitely a millionaire within no time as I am allergic to dust and I suffer from allergic rhinitis where a patient sneezes and sneezes till he is not tired of doing it! Lets pray the God to make your wish true so that many of us on this site can become rich at least by sneezing! LOL ! Thanks for responding!
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
28 Apr 11
A neeze i jut a neeze to me. itr i a natual body fuction that e all have come to kno at ome point or another in our live.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
6 May 11
Hi Dear Sender! You are absolutely right! A sneeze is a natural body defense mechanism to protect us from entering the irritants into our respiratory system, which is a very important for our very existence! To get rod of the irritant from the upper respiratory tract we sneeze. Some times allergy is also manifested by sneezing! Yes, as you say this experience is seen in almost very one's life at least at some time! It is good that you don't have any superstitions about the sneezing! Thanks for responding!
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
What a belief... may be someone is not taking a bath... I often sneeze due to my allergy reaction to pollen and allergen... It's my first time to know that superstitious!!!
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
4 May 11
Hi Dear Adeena! You are right, normally the sneezing i manifestation of allergy or it is seen in the infection of upper respiratory tract infection. But here in India some people attach superstitious belief to it! Now having started this discussion I have come to know about more superstitions what people they do have about the sneezing, which I am finding it very interesting! In fact I wanted to know about the other superstitions from various people from all corners of the World! Thanks for responding!
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
What a belief... a bad omen that someone smells bad...lol I often sneeze due to my allergy reaction to substance and allergens... This is my first time to learn that there is such belief of sneezing is a bad omen.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Adeena! You are right there is no scientific theory to support this belief that is why we call it as a superstition and since it sounds interesting I wanted to share this with my friends on Mylot and wanted to have their opinions! Have you seen the variations in this superstition? So for some people sneezing is just not a process of defense mechanism by our body but it is much beyond that! Thanks for responding!
@Gaurav2d (29)
• India
28 Apr 11
some may take it superstitious while some may take it as an allergy,at present i go with you
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Gaurav! You are right we are not sure if superstitions cause sneezing or not and further we are not sure sneeze is responsible for actual a happenings superstitions or not! But one thing is damn sure that allergy will definitely will cause sneezing...so let us better go with that only! LOL ! Thanks for responding!
• China
28 Apr 11
sneeze once in my country implies there is someone say something bad behind you and two successive sneeze implies there is someone missing you,ha,of course this is just superstition and we'll not take them seriously,instead we often amuse someone counting the number of times she/he sneezes,and joking"oh,you have recently made a peach blossom"...while i'd rather to believe that sneeze is a defensive reflex of Nasal or nasopharyngeal irritation
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
30 Apr 11
Hi Dear Dellahappy! Yes,it is a natural defense mechanism of the body to get rid of local irritant present in the nasal cavity or surrounding area! But then, the people have their own ways of making the simple things into some interesting ones, perhaps to add some entertainment and curiousness in their lives! Now, you have added to my knowledge that number of sneezes have different interpretations! Then people like me can help those superstitious people to conduct research on us, who are chronic patients of allergic rhinitis! If started once I can sneeze right from one to several dozens at a time! LOL ! Thanks for rsponding!
@harck721 (372)
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
Hmm... where I'm from, if someone sneezes, people just kid that someone hasn't taken a bath yet. That, or someone remembered whoever it was who sneezed. It's just a gesture worth jesting about. It's not exactly a superstition. What you shared is very interesting though... I've never heard of that belief before.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hello Dear Harck! Yes I can understand this! This type of practical teasing of friends is observed almost every where! But since this natural phenomenon of natural defence by the body has been attached with an superstition in our locality, I thought it would be interesting thing to share about this belief with my friends on Mylot and in return I wanted to have different views from people staying in various parts of the World! In this attempt of mine I have come across few other interesting superstitions attached to sneezing which you can see if you follow the various responses I received for this discussion! Thanks for responding!
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hello AKRao, In our place (south) it is believed that some one is remembering us or talking about us when we sneeze. I am not sure how much it is true but it is our habit to say after the sneeze, 'don’t know who is talking/remembering about me'. In north the sneezing is considered as bad luck and I really don’t believe those superstitions.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hello Dear Sreekala! This variation in the thoughts of the people regarding the sneeze makes it an interesting superstition! It has been observed that in various countries people have different superstitions about the sneezing and within a country also it varies from place to place. For that matter in India it self some people say that it is bad omen, some say that it is good luck and some say that it is a bad omen if sneezed before attempting any significant work! Well I too don't believe in all these superstitious but it is really interesting to know about them ! No? Thanks or responding!
@Hucheng (163)
• China
28 Apr 11
The number of sneeze has different means here,one means somebody is missing you, two means somebody wants you came across some difficulty in your life,and three,means ....
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Dear Hucheng! So far I knew that sneezing before a work is considered to be a bad omen! But having read your response now I have come to know that number of sneezes also have different influence! Thanks for the information and responding to the discussion!
• United States
28 Apr 11
A sneeze to me is that someone is thinking about you... But a sneeze to my boyfriend means someone is talking smack about you, lol! It all depends :) I'm not superstitious though.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear infatuatedbby! Sounds quite interesting to know that for you sneezing means some one is remembering you and for your boy friend it means some one is cursing him! Ha Ha Ha ...! May be since you are coming from different families there must have been this difference in the opinion! Thanks for the response!
• Philippines
28 Apr 11
Oh gosh, no. For me sneezing is just sneezing! If I were superstitious about me, I'd pity myself because I frequently sneeze due to my allergic rhinitis. Sometimes, I even sneeze like 16 times consecutively.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Ohsodianne! I think we both are sailing in the same boat! I am also a patient of allergic Rhinitis, whenever I get myself exposed to dust and other allergens I start sneezing and I get very irritated with this sneezing as these sneezes make my nose red because of constant cleaning! Thanks there is medicine which works for me and I use it when ever it is needed! So I can understand your problem and advice you to take care of yourself and please stay away from the possible allergens to have a nice time! Well that is absolutely true people like would have pitied ourselves with the number of sneezes we have when we have the attack! LOL! Thanks for responding!
28 Apr 11
Superstition about Sneezing is widely followed by people, however, I dont found any reasonable reason behind it. I have experienced it in my life, when my parents were going to see girl I tried to sneeze regularly and they stopped their journey for a short while but as I kept continue they left home and fortunately I got married with the same girl and living happily with her, it means that sneezing didn't make any influence in my life. So it is purely superstition and it does not have any ground impact on life. Never worry about sneezing while starting your new work. Be happy
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Nemi! Yes, sneezing is a natural phenomenon of body defense mechanism where any foreign body entering the upper respiratory tract is removed! But then our ancestors have given a superstitious touch to it! From your experience it is very clear and evident that sneeze really have no impact on the work which we are undertaking if it is seen at the beginning of the work! I too tried many such things in my life to disprove this superstition and because of this now in my present family consisting of wife and a son, we don't believe in this superstition! But when we were kids sneezing would have big role in our family as a superstition!Thanks for responding!
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi,I had never heard about superstitions related to sneezing.And now I am wondering ,what sneezing has to do with someone's work? Even if you believe in it,can you stop sneezing forever?No.So you better stay away from such supertitions.
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
28 Apr 11
Hi Dear Davisvineetha! You are right! There is no logic behind such beliefs so they are termed as superstitions! Personally I don't believe in all such whims, but it is quite interesting to know what all people they think about the sneezing as there are many varied superstitions attached to it! Thanks for responding!