According to polls conducted on the eve of Halloween, 46% of Americans and the same number of our compatriots believe in otherworldly forces. 14% of Russians claim to have personally encountered ghosts. Well, the popularity of haunted houses among tourists breaks all records: the spirit of the former owner, wandering around the castle, does not scare away guests, but on the contrary, makes them stay for another couple of nights. And how do residents of different countries determine whether the supernatural has honored this or that house with its presence?
1. China: mirror and candle
In ancient times, the inhabitants of China believed that it was possible to catch and hold a ghost with the help of a magical object – a mirror. This superstition has been preserved in Chinese folklore and still exists in some regions of the country. To detect a ghost, a mirror is placed in a quiet and dark room. Then you need to take a candle and for a long time, without blinking, peer into the reflection: if you notice any vague images, then the ghost is right there. Tellingly, the otherworldly presence was detected in this way in almost 100 % of cases.
All the same mirrors will help protect against intruders. They must be hung on walls and doors: reflected in the mirror, the spirits will disappear.
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2. Japan: paper talisman
In Japan, a traditional mascot ofuda is used to hunt ghosts. This is a strip of cloth or paper on which a Shinto priest has inscribed the names kami– local deities. The talisman must be placed in a conspicuous place – for example, above the front door or on the windowsill. If the ofuda moves or, moreover, falls, this is a clear sign of the presence of otherworldly forces. The same talisman is designed to protect the house – both from evil ghosts and from very real disasters – diseases or fires.
The Japanese also believe that ghosts can be felt: their presence in the room betrays a slight chill. The main thing is not to confuse a supernatural phenomenon with a banal draft. f550x700/e9/7j/e97j67gvek0ssgk88k080c0g0.jpg” media=”(max-width: 549px)”> /e9/7j/e97j67gvek0ssgk88k080c0g0.jpg
To bring ghostly entities to clean water, Indians use milk and turmeric. Milk is poured into a bowl, mixed with turmeric powder and left in a room that could be visited by a ghost. If the mixture changed color or strange patterns appeared on it, something from the other world clearly visited the house. Also in India, they are looking at the behavior of pets – it is believed that they have the ability to sense ghosts. If a dog for no reason barks into the void, and a cat sits, staring at one point, it means that the matter is unclean. Nikin/1h/uu/1huumqr4rjlwko0k88wowgk8o.jpg < h2>4. Mexico: egg and sage
Mexicans, experienced in hunting ghosts, believe that you can figure out a ghost with the help of an ordinary chicken egg. A raw egg is diligently rolled around the room, and if it suddenly stops in a certain place, it's time to say prayers and burn sage. In Mexico, they believe that burning the dry leaves of this plant helps to purify the air, and at the same time get rid of evil spirits and other negativity. With a bunch of smoldering leaves, you need to walk through all the rooms, fumigating them with fragrant smoke and thinking only about the good. For example, tacos with guacamole.
3. India: milk and turmeric
