How Do You Get Rid of Bad Luck? 11 Crucial Steps

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Plus, learn to bring more good luck into your life
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If you're superstitious, or you just feel like you’ve been dealt a bad hand lately, you may be wondering how to get good luck back on your side. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to get rid of your bad luck. This article covers how you can get rid of bad luck, recognize your good luck, and avoid bringing bad luck into your life in the future. Plus, we spoke with spiritual experts to learn more about using spiritual methods to change your luck!

The Best Ways to Get Rid of Bad Luck

  1. Toss salt over your left shoulder.
  2. Keep pieces of broken mirrors.
  3. Burn odd numbers of incense sticks.
  4. Keep protective charms on you.
  5. Use smoke cleansing to clear your space.
  6. Use crystals and stones with protective energy.
  7. Do a good deed for another person.
Section 1 of 3:

11 Ways to Get Rid of Bad Luck

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  1. Many cultures around the world consider salt to be good luck . Take a pinch of salt and throw it over your LEFT shoulder (throwing salt over your right shoulder is believed to bring you more bad luck). [1]
    • Alternatively, cleanse your body of bad luck by bathing in salt water . Simply add two tablespoons (40 g) of Epsom salt to a bath of hot water. Then, soak in the water until it cools.
    • Or, cleanse and protect your home by sprinkling sea salt in the corner of each room and underneath each windowsill. Some people believe that doing so may help to remove bad luck and welcome good fortune.
  2. If you break a mirror, don’t just throw the pieces away. Take all the pieces of the mirror and grind them down to dust, then scatter the powder in the wind. Alternatively, wrap a single piece of the mirror (big enough to reflect but not big or sharp enough to be dangerous to yourself or anything else) in a black cloth. Wait until the next full moon to bury it and release the negative energy. [2]
    • Many believe that, by throwing away the broken shards of mirror, you’re effectively sealing your fate and giving yourself seven long years of bad luck. [3]
    • Remember to wear gloves, a mask, and safety goggles when grinding glass to avoid cuts and getting glass dust in your eyes and lungs.
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  3. When you burn incense , choose pungent scents like sandalwood or jasmine. If you’re burning more than one incense stick , make sure to use an odd number rather than an even number. [4]
    • If you are experiencing bad luck in your personal life, burn the incense at home. Carry the incense from one room to the next, letting the scented smoke fill all four corners of your home.
    • If you are experiencing bad luck at work, burn the incense in your office. However, be aware that some employers forbid burning incense on their premises.
    • Licensed Acupuncturist & Diplomate of Oriental Medicine Karina Menali recommends “having your windows open and maybe running an air purifier. The smoke from incense is an irritant to the lungs!” Menali also recommends “using incense that is pure and scented naturally.”
    EXPERT TIP

    Karina Menali, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM

    Licensed Acupuncturist & Diplomate of Oriental Medicine
    Dr. Karina Menali is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, Faculty Member at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Owner of Kai Wellness. She specializes in holistic health, Chinese herbal medicine, and functional medicine. Dr. Menali also helps patients through emotional and spiritual trauma. She holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Massachusetts, Boston, a Master's from Emperor's College in Santa Monica, CA, and a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.
    Karina Menali, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM
    Licensed Acupuncturist & Diplomate of Oriental Medicine

    Incense is an ancient way to protect your space. It has been used for thousands of years across many cultures to purify, protect, and nurture a living space. In some shamanic practices, it's used to communicate with spirit guides or your higher self.

  4. Small, good-luck charms with protective symbols are a great way to ward off bad luck as you go about your daily life. [5] Spiritual Director Jennifer McVey says that good luck charms—such as the four-leaf clover, the horseshoe, rabbit’s feet, the color green, the number 7, and pennies—are recognized as symbols of fortune across many cultures. Wear these symbols on a chain or bracelet, or carry one around in your pocket. Some of the most common protective charms include: [6]
    • Keys : Key charms have been used to bring good luck since ancient times. Wearing three keys together is said to unlock the three doors of wealth, health, and love.
    • Shamrock and clover : Wearing a fresh shamrock or 4-leafed clover (or a charm in the shape of a clover ) is a popular way to draw good luck. Each of the four leaves represents a lucky characteristic: wealth, fame, love, and health .
    • Horseshoe : Horseshoes are said to be lucky, as they ward off the "evil eye." Hang one in your home for protection, or wear a Horseshoe symbol on a chain—just make sure the ends are pointed upwards. Otherwise, the good luck can "escape." [7]
    • Rabbit foot : A rabbit's foot is believed to bring good luck and protection in many cultures. However, not any rabbit foot will do . It must be the left hind foot. [8] In addition, the foot must be stroked or rubbed in order to activate the good luck.
  5. People of various cultures have used smoke cleansing as a way of clearing out negative energy. Plants like palo santo , copal, or bay leaves are commonly used in smoke-cleansing rituals. [9]
    • Some people burn sage or “smudge” their space to remove negative energy. Many Indigenous people feel that using white sage is an offensive type of cultural appropriation. They burn sage to pray, not to cleanse space, so it’s best to choose another type of plant for smoke cleansing.
    • Buy a stick of palo santo . Carefully light the plant and let it smolder rather than burn. Carry it around your home, waving the smoke away from you into every corner of the house.
    • Open the doors and windows to clear out the negative energy . If you like, burn some sweetgrass afterwards to invite positive energy into your home. [10]
  6. Various crystals and stones are believed to have mythical properties, including protective qualities and the bringing of good luck. Keep these crystals or stones in your home or place of work, or carry them on your person. [11]
    • Black tourmaline helps protect you from negative energies, such as the ill wishes of others. Rose quartz helps encourage positive energy to replace the negative.
    • Labradorite helps protect you from psychic vampires or leeches, who may attempt to steal your energy and positive emotions.
    • Genuine amethysts help to protect you from harm while traveling. They also help protect soldiers from harm.
    • Other stones used for protection from negative energies or evil spirits include ruby, quartz, peridot, obsidian, jasper, moonstone, black onyx, emerald, turquoise, blue topaz, sugilite, citrine, carnelian, and bloodstone.
  7. One of the best ways to change your luck is to earn yourself some positive karma by doing good deeds. Helping others is also good for your mental health, which can help make you feel better about your luck. [12] This is a way of paying for any bad things you've done in this life or a previous one.
    • Improve your karma by making a donation to charity or by helping people in need, such as the homeless, older adults, or orphaned children.
    • It’s important to do good deeds out of a sincere desire to help others. If you’re only performing good deeds to win good karma and make your own life easier, it’s not as effective for drawing good luck.
    • Engaging in charity work also helps to put your own situation in perspective.
  8. Use fresh flowers to cleanse your seven chakras , get rid of negative energy, and invite good fortune into your life. Choose different flowers to match the energy of each chakra. For example, use hibiscus for your root chakra, tiger lily for your sacral chakra, dandelions for your solar plexus chakra, roses for your heart chakra, morning glories for your throat chakra, lavender for your third eye chakra, and jasmine for your crown chakra. [13]
    • You will need at least seven different types of flowers in as many colors as possible (any color but white). Remove stems and leaves, leaving just the blooms.
    • Place the flowers in a basin of water and put them outside to soak in the sun for an hour. This allows the water to soak up the positive energy of the flowers.
    • Bring the basin to the bathroom and use a washcloth to bathe in the flower-energized water. As you bathe, concentrate on a patch of light emanating from the center of your forehead. Allow this light to spread all over your body.
    • McVey instructs to “bring that light down through the crown and through your entire body. Then, let it beam outward from whichever chakra or energy center you're comfortable with. Push out everything negative. You just kind of push it out of your body and out of your energy field.”
    • When you’ve finished bathing, carefully collect the flowers, place them in a paper bag, and dispose of them. Imagine your bad luck being thrown away with the flowers.
    EXPERT TIP

    Karina Menali, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM

    Licensed Acupuncturist & Diplomate of Oriental Medicine
    Dr. Karina Menali is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, Faculty Member at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Owner of Kai Wellness. She specializes in holistic health, Chinese herbal medicine, and functional medicine. Dr. Menali also helps patients through emotional and spiritual trauma. She holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Massachusetts, Boston, a Master's from Emperor's College in Santa Monica, CA, and a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.
    Karina Menali, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM
    Licensed Acupuncturist & Diplomate of Oriental Medicine

    There are many methods and practices that support the opening of chakras. According to ancient Yogic practices, chakra centers can be activated by meditating, chanting a mantra, doing specialized breathing exercises, using certain ayurvedic herbs, and doing physical exercises such as yoga asanas.

  9. Praying to God , or whatever spiritual being you believe in, helps you to regain good luck because you focus on the positive aspects of your life. Remember to pray regularly and ask for forgiveness for past wrongdoings and negative thoughts. Holy Bible Expert Olivia Woodford says that “the first thing to do is to express gratitude. There's so much that we take for granted: the air that we breathe, the beauty of the flowers, and the foods that we eat. All the nature around us that supports us…is just given to us without us having to do anything.”
    • Take some time during your prayer sessions to reflect on who you are as a person and whether you could take any steps to better yourself.
    • Thank God for all of the good things in your life - this simple action could change your perspective on your perceived "bad luck" and make you realize that you are, in fact, blessed.
  10. Living in an untidy home can block positive energies from flowing through the house and create negative feelings and bad luck. Decluttering helps give you renewed energy and empowers you to change your luck from bad to good. [14]
    • Start by decluttering your home - remove any unwanted or disused items and throw them away. Then, thoroughly clean your house - clearing cobwebs and removing dust.
    • Try rearranging your furniture to improve the flow of energy and repaint your walls to bring new life to your living space.
    • Try listening to music and burning incense while you work, and leave all of the doors and windows open to let the sunshine in - this will encourage positive energy to flow into your renewed living space.
  11. Introducing bright light into your home is an effective way to eliminate bad luck. Try turning on all the lights in your house and lighting candles , so there are no dark spots for bad energies to hide in. Or hand white string lights in your entryway or on your porch to attract new opportunities and positive energy to your home. [15]
    • One practice that uses the power of light to protect you from bad luck and attract good luck in its place is to light three candles - two of them must be white, one for protection and one for cleansing, and the other one must be orange, to bring about a change in luck.
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Section 2 of 3:

Following Superstitions About Bad Luck

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  1. There are many popular superstitions that claim to bring “bad luck.” If you believe in such superstitions, you can try to follow their messaging in order to improve your luck . Here are some of the most popular superstitions that portent bad luck: [16]
    • Breaking a mirror
    • A single crow crossing your path
    • Walking under a ladder
    • Putting shoes on the table
    • Saying something bad will happen
    • Wearing opals when your birth month isn’t October
    • Stepping on a crack in the pavement or sidewalk
    • A black cat crossing your path
    • Opening an umbrella indoors
    • Picking up a tails-up penny
    • Getting dressed with your left arm or leg first
  2. Most superstitions only foretell bad luck. However, some superstitions also foretell death and sickness. You should definitely familiarize yourself with these if you believe in superstitions and future predictions:
    • If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.
    • You must hold your breath while going past a cemetery, or you’ll breathe in the spirit of someone who has recently died.
    • If you open your front door and a magpie is staring at you, it’s a sure sign of death
    • If you dream of death, it's a sign of a birth. If you dream of birth, it's a sign of death.
    • If the left eye twitches, there will soon be a death in the family.
    • If there’s a white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house, it means death.
    • Dreaming of white is believed to foreshadow death.
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Section 3 of 3:

Recognizing Signs of Good Luck

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  1. Sometimes, what seems like bad luck is the result of a negative mindset. Once you take some positive actions to feel better, your luck seems less bad. While there isn’t a surefire cure for feeling like you have bad luck, there are a few things you can do to have a brighter outlook on life. [17]
    • Be mindful of how your feelings affect your luck. Think about how you feel and whether your emotions are affecting your perspective. Try journaling or talking to a friend to help you process how you feel.
    • Be more active or do something you love. Sometimes, when you feel like you have bad luck, it helps to exercise or throw yourself into your favorite hobby. Really focus on enjoying yourself by putting 100% of your attention on what you’re doing instead of your bad luck.
    • Change your mindset for a better outlook. Remind yourself that sometimes bad things happen, but that doesn’t mean the universe is out to get you. Center yourself by doing breathing exercises, listening to uplifting music, or going for a long walk.
    • Connect with other people. Spend some time with your loved ones. Do something fun together, even if it’s just having a quick lunch. Staying connected with family and friends can help you feel a little better about what’s going on in your life.
    • Get more sleep to help you feel better. Not only is a good night’s sleep healthier for you, but it also helps you gain a fresh perspective on your life. Turn off cell phones, computers, and tablets an hour before going to bed and get 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night.

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  • Question
    What are some ways to attract good luck?
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    Staying optimistic, doing good deeds, and considering your decisions carefully can all both improve your outlook and help things go your way more often. Learning to both expect and see the positives in any given situation will make you more confident and therefore more likely to succeed.
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    Can breaking a mirror ever be good luck?
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    The legend that breaking a mirror brings bad luck probably goes back to ancient times, when the reflection in the mirror was thought to represent the viewer’s soul. Some people believe you can reverse the bad luck brought by breaking a mirror by throwing salt over your shoulder, spinning 3 times counter-clockwise, or touching a piece of the mirror to a tombstone. There aren’t any common legends that breaking a mirror can bring good luck, but consciously deciding to view it as a good sign instead of a bad one may help give you confidence and improve your day!
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    What are some signs of bad luck?
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    In some cultures, certain numbers, such as 4, 9, or 13, are considered to be signs of bad luck. Alter egos or doppelgängers also appear as a portent of bad luck in some myths and folklore. Some people believe that seeing certain types of animals, such as black cats, crows, or ravens, can also signify bad luck. However, there’s no evidence that any of these things can actually affect your luck or indicate that something bad will happen, so try not to worry if you come across any of them!
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      Tips

      • Some believe that good luck or bad luck has more to do with whether you believe you’re lucky or not. Try to think positively and you may be able to turn a streak of bad luck around! [18]
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      • Some people believe that hanging a dreamcatcher talisman above your bed will trap your bad dreams. However, Native American and First Nations people consider the use of dreamcatchers by non-indigenous people to be offensive and exploitative.
      • Remove broken glassware and mirrors from your home, not because they actually invite bad luck, but because they pose a physical risk — children or pets could be injured by sharp fragments. Safety first!
      • For peace of mind regarding superstitions, remember they have no scientific basis. Believing in your own ability to accomplish goals is far more constructive than worrying about bad luck.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://thetakeout.com/til-why-do-we-throw-salt-over-our-shoulders-1825252016
      2. ↑ https://magickalspot.com/throwing-away-a-mirror/
      3. ↑ https://artsandculture.google.com/story/18-superstitions-from-around-the-world/QQIyTWmzJ9QvLg
      4. ↑ https://fengshuibeginner.com/how-to-burn-incense-stick/
      5. ↑ https://savvytokyo.com/japanese-lucky-charms-a-guide-to-omamori-for-the-new-year/
      6. ↑ https://worldtreasures.org/blog/20-Lucky-and-Unlucky-items-for-Friday-the-13th
      7. ↑ https://artsandculture.google.com/story/18-superstitions-from-around-the-world/QQIyTWmzJ9QvLg
      8. ↑ https://www.history.com/news/rabbit-rabbit-feet-good-luck-explained
      9. ↑ https://www.healingwithlulu.com/blog/how-to-smudge-and-cleanse-your-energy
      1. ↑ https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/iid/publications/pdf/smudging_guidelines.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.gemsociety.org/article/gemstones-health-benefits/
      3. ↑ https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness-and-mental-health/random-acts-kindness
      4. ↑ https://consciouslivingtv.com/spirit-health/heal-your-chakras-with-flowers.html
      5. ↑ https://reawakenyourbrilliance.com/declutter-with-feng-shui-tips-to-change-your-life/
      6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/g19736244/good-luck-home/?slide=15
      7. ↑ https://www.livescience.com/33507-origins-of-superstitions.html
      8. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-ways-to-turn-around-your-no-good-very-bad-day
      9. ↑ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/watch-can-you-change-your-luck-an-expert-explains

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If all of the signs are pointing to bad luck as a cause of your recent misfortunes, you can get rid of it with a few tried-and-true superstitious tricks. For a quick fix, try throwing some salt over your left shoulder. If that doesn’t work, you can burn incense or sage to ward off negative energy and make your house smell good! Try carrying around protective charms, like keys, clovers, or crystals, to keep the bad luck at bay 24/7. To learn more ways to avoid bad luck, continue reading the article!

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