What happens if you sit on a table? Why, according to popular wisdom, you can’t sit on a table

Our lives are constantly accompanied by ancient signs and superstitions, which our great-grandmothers feared. Some of them make us smile, for example, that you should not take pictures in the mirror. And some are so deeply ingrained in our subconscious that we no longer hesitate to adhere to them.

And really, why? How many of us can answer this question right away? I think not many. How often do we adhere to this sign? Almost always. Perhaps some superstitions are really true, and have already become entrenched in our lives in the subconscious?

And yet, why can’t you sit on the table? There are several justifications for this sign. For example, the first one says that by sitting on the table we can anger the Lord. In ancient times, it was believed that the table was God’s palm, which gave our ancestors food. Therefore, to sit on the table meant to disrespect the gift of the Lord.

There is another interpretation of the sign. It is believed that the table, especially the dining table, accumulates a lot of negative energy. For example, important matters are resolved at the table, including unpleasant problems.

There is also a third, more modern reason, why you can’t sit on the table. What did our grandmothers tell us when we sat comfortably on the tables? There will be no money. Of course, we did not receive any logical explanation for these words. But we still had to get off the tables under the menacing gaze of the older generation.

Believe it or not?

This question is probably worth asking yourself first.

If you believe in all signs and superstitions without exception, and you know almost for sure that if you do not follow the instructions, something bad will definitely happen, you should refrain from sitting on the table. It may be difficult to explain this with science, but if a person believes in something, it will definitely come true.

If your knowledge of science does not allow you to trust the word of strange superstitions that have no logical basis, you can safely sit on the table. Just remember that after this it will not be very pleasant for you and your family to dine with him.

Superstitions and omens appeared in Rus' back in pagan times and successfully conquered time, surviving to this day. The life of mere mortals in ancient times rested only on superstitions, which were associated with magical rituals or with their help they explained events that took place in people's lives. So, for example, for successful fishing you always had to spit on a worm, or, so that there was always prosperity and peace in the house, it was forbidden to take out the trash in the evening.

Any objects that surrounded a person were endowed with mystical properties. A mirror, for example, was associated with a “door” between two worlds - ours and the other world. Other interior items had similar associations, one of them was the table. There are many signs and superstitions associated with it, because the table plays important role in the life of any family: family unification takes place at the table. By revealing the role of this piece of furniture in life and folklore, we can explain the belief “ ».

The symbolic meaning of the table in everyday life and traditions

In the house, the table marked the “center of the world and family” and formed a kind of “model.” Everyday and holiday feasts took place at the table, various rituals were performed, and the whole family gathered around it to decide important issues, therefore this piece of furniture in the house occupied a certain and significant space. It was always placed in a place of honor in the “holy” corner, under the shrine with icons and a lamp. It was forbidden to move the table. The places at the table were strictly regulated - in the “holy” corner of the table, under the images, the head of the family and the owner of the house always sat. The table united the family.

Religious meaning of the table in Christianity

From a religious point of view, the table had a more symbolic meaning, representing the “gift of God”, the “palm of Christ”, giving daily bread (before the meal they thanked God for what he sent to the table). In addition, the table had a close connection with the Virgin Mary, associating with itself her face (the table is the “face of the Virgin Mary”).

In Dahl's dictionary, the meaning of the expression “to sit on the table” is found - “to be a sovereign, a saint.” Very often in icon painting, the Mother of God and Christ sit on a throne that resembles an ordinary table. From this we can conclude that there is a certain connection between the table, the holy family and the church throne, because in the popular consciousness the table has another sacred meaning - it is likened to the holy throne on which the Blessed Virgin and her son Christ sit. A similar symbolic understanding of the table can explain many locked rules of behavior and etiquette at the table: why you can’t laugh and make noise at the table during a meal, why you can’t knock on the table with a spoon, why can't you sit on the table? etc. superstitions that are considered a sin.

If we turn to Christian funeral rites, in this context the table is associated with the transition to the world of the dead, which is a “transition” between the world where the living live and the afterlife. For example, water was placed on the table so that the soul of the deceased would “dip” there before setting off on its heavenly journey; A coffin with a body is placed on the table.

Mystical meaning of the table

For our ancestors, the table was closely connected with dark forces, because it has a bottom and a top. The folk symbolic picture of the world endows the “top” with good, prosperous signs, and the “bottom” - bad, meager and even deadly. Based on this, the surface of the table was a sacred object and had a special, sacred status (popularly, the surface of the table was called “the palm of God” or “the face of the Virgin Mary”), accordingly, the space under the table had the status of the other world, associated with spirits and evil spirits .

Not only the surface of the table, but also the objects that remain on the table had a special status in folk superstitions. Accordingly, everything that fell from the table onto the floor ended up in another world and was destined for the spirits, so the fallen food was given to the dogs. There are many superstitions associated with the “under-the-table” world: you cannot leave a hat, gloves, keys or money on the table - you can lose all of this and become poor.

Analyzing the above, we can answer the question “ Why can't you sit on the table? " In traditional Slavic culture, the table is the central and main object of the house, has a specific location (in the holy corner under the icons) and has a rich semantic meaning - from the symbolic (“the center of the house”, a kind of “model of the world”; the idea of ​​the path, the boundaries between “this ” and “that afterlife” world, the idea of ​​​​transition between two worlds - from life to death and vice versa) to the sacred (church throne, holy throne; gift of God, palm of Christ, face of the Virgin Mary).

Of course, in the modern world, ancient superstitions have long lost the mystical meaning that our ancestors put into them. And, even without knowing all these beliefs and without delving into their origins, you can simply answer the question "Why can't you sit on the table" . It's very simple - sitting on the table is simply NOT beautiful, NOT decent and NOT cultural!

The table has long been considered an object of abundance and a symbol of family wealth. There are many folk signs associated with this piece of furniture. However, the most common one is you can't sit on the table. Here's why, let's figure it out.

There are many interpretations of this sign. One of them: the table is rich not only in food, but also has a high energy level, which does not always bring pleasant emotions. After all, a table is a kind of spiritual object at which problems, serious conversations, and family councils are discussed. It can accumulate negativity within itself, and the person who sits on it can take on all the negative energy.

Some signs say that you cannot sit on the table, because by doing so you can incur the wrath of God. After all, God makes sure that a person’s table is not empty, however, if a person does not show respect, then God will consider him unworthy to receive heavenly gifts.

Many people believe that sitting on a table can lead to serious illness, and lying on it can even lead to death. Also, a person sitting on a table is at risk of loneliness. According to popular belief, he risks never meeting his soul mate.

Other signs about the table.

A young girl who often sits on the corner of the table can remain a century old. But for men it’s the other way around – sitting on the corner foreshadows the purchase of your home. Signs warn that if you put a hat, keys or gloves on the table, this can bring poverty, serious financial difficulties and even ruin.

If cutlery falls from the table, this foreshadows the visit of a guest.

It is not good to move from place to place while eating. If a person dropped his chair as he left the table, he was telling a lie.

Waiters consider it a bad omen if a visitor sits at a table other than the one shown to him.

Other folk signs and superstitions.

Sprinkle salt. Sign.

Spill salt - there will be a quarrel; to avoid it, you need to laugh, let yourself be hit on the forehead, or throw a pinch over your left shoulder. This folk sign comes from a legend...

Find the keys. Sign.

Keys have always been considered a symbol of wealth, wisdom and possession of knowledge. Signs about the found keys are interpreted in two ways. One interpretation: find the keys...

Signs for love.

The most famous sign about love is over-salted food. It is believed that if the housewife has over-salted her food, then her heart is not free and she is either already in love or is beginning to show...

People do some things unconsciously and do not know what they mean. For example, not everyone knows and understands why you can’t sit on a table. This can be explained logically: it is not ethical and can also bring the effect of bad luck on you.

Origins of the ban

In Rus', for a long time, each object had its own meaning, performed its intended function, which was not accidental.

Table as the center of the house

For a Russian person, a home is a sacred place in which the table occupied a central role, because behind it:

• the whole family gathered;
• meals were served, bread was placed only on it;
• birthdays, weddings, funerals were celebrated;
• major decisions were made;
• household members shared problems;
• washed a dead person.

The table had special meaning for all family members. There was often more negativity behind him than positivity. From here it logically followed that sitting on the table is not allowed - this is a bad omen, because a person absorbs everything bad.

The owners took tireless care of this piece of furniture: they washed it, cleaned it, made sure it did not creak, because they believed that this indicated possible illness and subsequent death. The creaky specimen was urgently taken away to be repaired.

Transfer of energy to humans

It was believed that after sitting on the table, the worst omens would come into play:

• poverty will come;
• a person will be lonely all his life or marriage will bring great disappointment, but the superstition concerned mainly girls, who were also not recommended to sit at the edge of the table, especially at events for brides, and men after such an action could move into a new home;
• a person will ward off luck forever;
• all the misfortunes described at the table will be transferred to the person who dares to sit on it;
• relationships with people around you will crack;
• if it is a stranger, he will bring scandals and illnesses into the house;
• dozing off on the surface - an accident will soon occur or death will occur.

Religious explanation of beliefs

After the advent of Christianity in Rus', it became customary to read a prayer before and after eating. It also had a grateful meaning. The prayer sanctified not only the food, but also the table on which the food was in the dishes. Sanctification was necessary because people regarded everything as a gift from heaven.

The table was called the palm of God, which provided food to all the hungry. Disrespect for a piece of furniture was taken as an insult to God, which was a sin.

Retribution could come gradually: first small troubles, and then global troubles associated with all aspects of life. Also, sitting on the palm of God indicated a disregard for the hospitality of the owners of the house.

Other superstitions about the table

The sign of sitting on the table received more broad interpretation when performing certain actions:

• removing crumbs by hand means financial losses;
• leaving empty dishes threatens the family with poverty;
• putting something other than food on the surface - wealth and well-being will leave the house;
• most dangerous item, which should not be here for a long time - a knife;
• knocking a knife on the surface - attract scandals, disagreements;
• put your hat on the table - conflicts with relatives are coming;
• if you place a silver coin under the tablecloth on Sunday, profit is just around the corner;
• A bay leaf left in the center will be a good omen - it will attract success in children’s endeavors;
• for a long journey to go well, before leaving the house you need to sit for 5 minutes and hold on to the left corner of the table;
• you cannot break an egg on a surface - this portends the danger of getting into adventures of a dubious nature.