The Left Rules Part1: The Myths

For thousands of years, the Devil has been associated with the left hand in various ways and is normally portrayed as being left-handed in pictures and other images. In the seventeenth century it was thought that the Devil baptised his followers with his left-hand and there are many references in superstitions to the "left-hand side" being associated with evil. As an example, in France it was held that witches greet Satan "avec le bras gauche" or with the left hand. It is also considered that we can only see ghosts if we look over our left shoulder and that the Devil watches us over the left shoulder.

Evil spirits lurk over the left shoulder - throw salt over this shoulder to ward them off. In Roman times, salt was a very valuable commodity, giving rise to the word "salary" and was considered a form of money at the time. If salt was spilled, that was considered very bad luck, that could only be avoided by throwing some of the spilled salt over your left shoulder to placate the devil.

Getting out of bed with the left foot first means that you will have a bad day and be bad tempered . i.e. getting out of bed the wrong side.

A ringing in the right ear means that someone is praising you. In the left ear it means that someone is cursing or maligning you.

An itchy right palm means that you will receive money. An itchy left palm means you will have to give money.

Wedding rings worn on the third finger of the left hand originated with the Greeks and Romans, who wore them to fend of evil associated with the left-hand

The Romans originally considered the left to be the lucky side and used for augury. However, they later changed back to the Greek methods and favoured the right-hand side.

The Meru people of Kenya believed that the left-hand of their holy man has such evil power that he had to keep it hidden for the safety of others.

If your right eye twitches you will see a friend, if it's your left eye that twitches you'll see an enemy.

When dressmaking it's believed to be bad luck to sew the left-hand sleeve onto a garment before the right sleeve.

When leaving to go on a journey, if your right foot itches you're bound to have a good journey. If your left foot itches it will end in sorrow.

It is thought to be bad luck to pass a drink to another person with your left-hand or anti-clockwise around a table.

Anyone who digs coal out of the ground from under his or her left foot in the Spring will have very good luck.

If you apply an ointment with the forefinger of the right hand the sore will not heal. This is because this finger is said to be the 'poison' finger.

The ancient Zuni tribe considered left-handedness a sign of good luck. They believed the left was the older and wiser

Passing or pouring wine with the left hand leads to bad luck.

A left-handed toast is tantamount to a curse on the victim.

Driving on the left - started so that horse riders could use their whips in the right-hand to fend off other road users