While Estonians have been described as one of the least religious peoples in the world, with just 29 percent of the population identifying as such based on the latest population census, that does not mean everyone in the country is a hardline atheist or averse to spirituality of any kind.

In addition to people subscribing to what could be described as an agnostic approach to things beyond tangible, superstition has and continues to play a role in the way Estonians perceive and interact with the world.

From long-held traditions and beliefs going back to the days of medieval serfdom and before to more modern tips on how to appease the universe in small matters, Estonians observe a variety of both theoretical and practical superstitions.

The 'good' old days

Some of the oldest records of Estonians' superstitious beliefs and practices have reached us via Swede Johann Forselius who was a minister at the Madise-Risti congregation in what is currently Harju County in the 1600s. Forselius learned Estonian and amassed an impressive collection on the local peasants' beliefs and customs, which was later published with some additions by Johann Wolfgang Boecler.

The book, titled "The Superstitious Customs, Practices, and Habits of the Estonians," was banned by church court decree, and the copies destroyed, with only one surviving. It was published again 1848, 1854 and finally in Estonian in 1915.

While Forselius' aim, at least as laid out in the foreword of the book, was to root out the paganist fears and superstitious rituals of Estonians so they could be replaced with love and knowledge of Christ, his work brings us a singularly detailed and thorough overview of some of the things people in his congregation and beyond believed and practiced.

Forselius' book paints a picture of not just a few isolated superstitions, as most people know the phenomenon today, but of life in general being intertwined with a faith in symbolic behaviors translating into people's fates and future, with tiny details ranging from where one was sat at table as a child or whether logs were fed into the hearth branch-end first supposedly governing whether the child would be respected later in life or whether the baby would be born feet first.

It remains unclear, of course, which of the many customs and convictions described by Forselius were common to all Estonians and which were more narrowly practiced in the north of the country or just in Harju County.

To give just a few examples, Estonians in the 17th century and surely long before that believed that if you measure the depth of your well, the water will disappear; if a girl or woman steps over an axe that has been left lying around, the wielder's hands will surely split; that scythes come out better and sharper if made when the dew still covers the ground and if the maker not speak while working; that if you place an egg in front of the barn door, the animal that steps on it will not survive the winter or will get hurt; that children must not be christened soon after a funeral or they will follow the dead to the grave; that a suitor mustn't ride to propose on a mare or else the couple will only have daughters; that the rainbow is the thunder god's scythe used to cut down wicked spirits; and that if it rains in May, children should dance in the rain with no hats on until they are good and wet so they'll grow tall and have nice hair.

A great many superstitions pertained to life and death, coming of age rituals, marriage, childbirth, sickness and funerals.

From lice running toward the door after being combed out of a person's hair indicating their imminent demise to lighter rituals such as the father of a child managing to complete a lap of the church during the christening helping make sure the kid is light on their feet when they grow up, which was important for seal hunting during the winter. 

More recently 

Even though many superstitions, especially the more particular ones, have been forgotten or indeed rooted out by Christianity and later secular, scientific thinking, others have transcended the centuries to still stay with Estonians, albeit remembered better by the older generations. New superstitions have also migrated to Estonia with people coming from elsewhere and modern examples tend to be a little more international.

Grandparents especially still tell their grandchildren that if you place a loaf of bread upside down, there will be a falling out in the family, which is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy for any child careless enough to do so. Among still widely held superstitions are that if you are being served a piece of cake and it falls over on the plate, you'll find it difficult to marry; that whistling indoors will cause the building to burn down; if you put your purse or wallet on the floor, money will leave you; or that if you forget your keys and have to go back into the house, it pays to look in the mirror before you go out again.

Sitting down on the ground before the year's first lightning strike runs the risk of a bladder infection, while shaking hands or hugging on two sides of the doorstep is a surefire way of catching bad luck. You mustn't give or receive a knife as a gift, meaning a symbolic sum needs to change hands if you want to give someone one, while eating the heels of a loaf of bread makes women's breasts come in.

Walking under a ladder is bad luck, unless you also walk back the same way, while if you and a friend pass a lamp post on opposite sides, you must exchange a greeting afterward or risk falling out. Harming spiders is bad luck. If you want to ward off something bad happening that you just discussed, it pays to spit over your left shoulder three times or indeed knock on wood, which habit of course goes beyond Estonia. 

Accidentally dropping cutlery on the floor is a sign of guests arriving soon, while a black cat crossing the road in front of you is more bad luck. Friday the 13th is an unlucky date, while not looking someone in the eye while clinking glasses with them is a guarantee of no less than seven years of bad sex. Becoming the landing zone for bird droppings is considered good luck and breaking a mirror bad. 

While many old beliefs have faded with time, others remain surprisingly resilient, passed down through families and woven into everyday habits. Whether taken seriously, followed "just in case," or shared with a smile, Estonia's superstitions offer a fascinating glimpse into how the past continues to shape the present.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!