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Culture

What Are Some Different Types of Good Luck Charms?

By Nychole Price
Updated Feb 21, 2024
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Good luck charms have been used since the beginning of time and are thought to bring good fortune to those who carry in them. Many people believe a charm will bring them good luck as a result of positive spiritual energy and the faith they place in it. There are several types of charms that are believed to bring a person good luck. These include, but aren't limited to, horseshoes, Rudraksh nuts, yantras, lockets, lucky charm bracelets, the swastik, Oms, acorns, keys, and Aphrodite's heart.

Horseshoes are one of the most frequently-used good luck charms and a universal symbol of good luck. A horseshoe that has previously been worn by a horse is placed upright in the top right corner of the door frame to invite good luck to enter the house. If placed upside down, it has the opposite effect.

Thirty-eight different varieties of the Rudraksh tree are located in areas of the Himalayas, Malaysia and Indonesia. The nuts of this tree represents Lord Shiva, part of the Hindu trinity, and are used to make rosaries for chanting mantras. These nuts are thought to bring spiritual powers, fame, good health and material happiness.

Yantras, also referred to as talismans, are another variety of good luck charms that are thought to counteract the negative effects of the planets. They are also believed to help one realize his wishes and fulfill his desires. There are several different types of yantras, with each one having a unique purpose and style.

Lockets are good luck charms that are supposed to have special effects, because they are in close physical contact with the wearer. They can take the form of any good luck symbol including four leaf clovers, yantras, swastiks and crosses. The person who wears the locket will be able to overcome hardships and attract good luck. The lucky charm bracelet is worn for the same purpose and is sold in many varieties to accommodate the style of every individual.

Swastiks represents the Hindu lord of good fortune. Swastik is a Sanskrit term that means "purveyor of good fortune" and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity when worn in a clockwise direction. The Nazis adopted this Hindu sign of good fortune and rotated it 45 degrees, making the swastika. This symbol should not be confused with the swastik, as it is not considered to bring good luck.

The Om, also spelled Aum, is a sacred symbol that represents luck, spiritual powers and material comforts. It is also the word that is used frequently when chanting a mantra. This symbol can often be seen displayed on the forehead of a temple elephant.

The acorn, also known as an oak apple, is one of the few good luck talismans that is supposed to bring the wearer wealth and love. It is also believed to give the wearer the gift of youth. Other good luck charms that are supposed to attract the opposite sex are a trio of keys, with the other two representing health and wealth and an Aphrodite's heart charm.

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Discussion Comments

By SnowyWinter — On Jan 11, 2011

@googie98: Some people also believe that rabbits are really witches that have taken the form of a rabbit. They often associate rabbits with earth-dwelling evil spirits.

The good luck associated with rabbits was said to have begun centuries ago. People were fascinated with how the animal ran, with its hind legs landing first, before the front legs. Many people believed that was a magical quality.

The rabbit foot superstition has even caused many new parents to rub their newborn with a rabbit’s foot. That is meant to assure that the child has a life of good luck.

By chrisinbama — On Jan 10, 2011

@googie98: The whole idea of a rabbit’s foot being lucky was more of a superstition, rather than a good luck charm. For hundreds of years in the U.S., Europe, and Great Britain, rabbits have been thought to be connected to superstition, the occult, and folklore. Many of these superstitions suggest that our furry, big-eared friends bring good luck. One suggestion is that they are considered lucky because of their prolific springtime breeding which is linked with fertility.

Many people also say that rabbits are born with their eyes open. That, in itself, gave people reason to think that rabbits have the ability to ward off the evil eye.

By googie98 — On Jan 09, 2011

When I was a teenager (many years ago), I can remember people wearing a rabbit's foot on a small chain on their pants. The girls would even have one attached to their purses. It was supposed to be a good luck charm.

Why in the world would an animal's foot be a good luck charm?

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