Magic and Superstition in the Middle Ages Essay -- superstitions, beli

Superstitions form influenced the lives of human beings perhaps since the beginning of mankind. For millennia, bulk have clung to beliefs and practices surrounding preternatural activities. Even after science has produced evidence to let off what was once considered supernatural, the superstitious traditions have continued. During the Middle Ages, many new superstitious rituals were developed and some can still be seen in role today. How constantly, the trivial superstitious rituals of today, such as hanging a vaulting horse shoe on a door or knocking on wood to bring good fortune, did not begin so simply.Superstition, as specify by the Oxford dictionary is, excessively credulous belief in and reverence for the supernatural. In no other time was the supernatural ever so excessively believed than in the Middle Ages, where witches flew on broomsticks, Jewish sorcerers conjured spells, and sneezes could land you. In antique times, mysterious circumstances were explained by the i maginations of our ancestors. Without science, occurrences which seem obvious now were once described as supernatural. For example, a persons shadow cast on a sunny day was defined as a reflection of that persons soul. Natural phenonemons were much or less personified. To get to the roots of supernatural beliefs, it is necessary to think at the roots of philosophy. Bernard McGinn, author of The Growth of Mysticism, said that in the ancient Mediterranean world philosophy was defined as, the love of wisdom, to express the highest agency of human life, one dedicated to more than the ordinary tasks of survival and ego trip (32). The Middle Ages began around the fifth century, when the Roman Empire disintegrated and Christendom began to take shape. The people th... ...Simeoni, Manuela. European Pagan Memory Day. The Canon Episcopi and the Beginning of the Matter just about Witches. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.Trachtenberg, Joshua. Jewish thaumaturgy and Superstition 1. The Legend of Jewish Sorcery. Jewish Magic and Superstition 1. The Legend of Jewish Sorcery. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.Trachtenberg, Joshua. Jewish Magic and Superstition 2. The justice Behind The Legend. Jewish Magic and Superstition 2. The Truth Behind The Legend. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.Trueman, Chris. The Black Death of 1348 to 1350. The Black Death of 1348 to 1350. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.Williamson, Allen. Joan of Arc, Brief Biography. Joan of Arc, Brief Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.Wolchover, Natalie. The Surprising Origins of 9 Common Superstitions. LiveScience.com. TechMedia Network, 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.