A Sign From Spirit, Or A Fear-Based Superstition?

My father and his extended family were very superstitious. For instance, they would never buy a car on a Friday, refused to talk about new shoes in the morning, and never left a house through the back door after entering through the front. I could go on.

These old-world beliefs were ingrained in their way of life and passed down from generation to generation like heirlooms of caution and misery. However, I never experienced any objective evidence that these beliefs were valid — until I had my own unique experience that I at first believed might have been a bad omen.

It was 1983, and I had been hoping to get a job with the local council for quite some time. Then, one day, out of the blue, I landed a contract with them! I was overjoyed. The salary was fantastic and I felt incredibly fortunate, because many people in the UK were unemployed and struggling with a recession.

That weekend, I decided to celebrate by buying a large bottle of very expensive wine. However, as I left the liquor store, the bottle slipped through my fingers and shattered on the ground.

“Oh dear,” I said to my late sister. “I hope that doesn’t mean my dreams will shatter like that! Maybe this is a sign from the universe that my new job will have a bad outcome?”

My dear sister, ever the voice of reason, assured me that it was simply an accident and not a bad omen. Still, coming from a superstitious family, I carried that thought and fear with me into the job.

In the beginning, things went relatively well. But soon, my colleagues turned out to be cruel and nasty, the boss’s secretary was a bully, my boyfriend dumped me, and my father, due to his narcissistic tendencies, kept asking whether I was truly “capable of doing the job.”

Eventually, I was fired and was unemployed for nearly a year.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at begin to change ~ Wayne Dyer

So, was I forewarned of this outcome when that bottle shattered, or did my fear and inherited superstition cloud my confidence and shape what followed? I’ve come to understand over the years that it was not an ominous sign from the universe, but rather a matter of personal interpretation and belief. The real problem wasn’t the wine breaking; it was in what I chose to believe it meant.

The Trouble With Superstition

Today, I understand that superstitious fear has nothing to do with true signs from Spirit, Source, God, or the Divine. Superstition stems from a desire to control the uncontrollable by assigning cause and effect where none may truly exist. Not every unusual or unexpected event is a bad omen or a foreboding warning of imminent disaster. Sometimes, what we experience is simply a natural part of living in physical reality. Dropping that bottle had far more to do with me being distracted and overly excited—and the ever-present law of gravity!

The real trouble with superstition is that it can instill negative beliefs in our minds. Whether we’re avoiding ladders, fearing broken mirrors, or interpreting spilled wine as a sign of impending doom, these false beliefs can become spiritually powerful, if we let them.

Energy itself is neither good nor bad — it simply responds to what we focus on and resonate with. The Law of Attraction is impartial. Thus, believing a superstition can inadvertently bring about the very outcome we fear, not because the superstition holds any real power, but because we attune our vibrational frequency to that belief.

In my case, I chose to see the shattered wine bottle as a bad omen. The universe wasn’t punishing me or sending a warning. It was my belief system that shaped my reality. In hindsight, I can see that my self-worth and confidence were fragile to begin with. Perhaps the broken bottle didn’t predict the future so much as it echoed the doubts I had already been carrying within.

Some unusual events and experiences, however, carry true spiritual significance. These are the sacred whispers from spirit and the divine, gently nudging us forward. When received with openness and trust, such signs illuminate our path rather than darken it.

But how can we distinguish a genuine sign from spirit, the universe, our higher power, from a mere accident — or worse, a fear-based superstition? The answer is simple: true signs instill faith, not fear. They feel uplifting, hopeful, and reassuring — never ominous or unsettling.

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom, in the pursuit of truth as in the endeavour after a worthy manner of life ~ Bertrand Russell

Signs In Spiritual Traditions

In many spiritual traditions, signs are understood to be divine messages that affirm our path or redirect us toward a higher purpose. In the Christianity, for example, signs are extraordinary events and wonders in the Bible that symbolize divine intervention, like the rainbow in Genesis, representing God’s covenant with Noah. Similarly, the Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus, symbolizing hope, salvation and the fulfillment of prophecy.

In Hinduism, dreams and nature are considered sacred channels through which deities communicate. For example, a white elephant in a dream is considered highly auspicious. Similarly, Native American traditions hold that animals and natural signs are spirit messengers, and each appearance is interpreted as meaningful guidance.

In shamanic practices, encountering a specific animal totem — whether in dreams, trance states, or real life — signal guidance, transformation, or lessons to be learned. Some traditions also view totems as signs of personal growth, appearing at different stages of life to reflect one’s evolving spiritual journey.

In Kabbalah, the mystical branch of Jewish spirituality, interpreting signs is a deeply ingrained practice. Kabbalists believe that every occurrence, from a chance encounter to the timing of events, has spiritual significance. The belief in hashgacha pratit, or divine providence, suggests that the universe is constantly communicating with us through signs and offering guidance for our soul’s tikkun, or spiritual correction.

Once we experience divine guidance, we begin to make changes within ourselves, mentally, physically, and spiritually. We are no longer lost in the world, we can finally see ~ Amaka Imani Nkosazana

Recognizing True Signs From Spirit

Recognizing true signs from spirit is essential — it helps us navigate our spiritual journey with greater clarity, hope, and confidence. Signs serve as guidance, reassurance, or even gentle warnings, shaping our choices, deepening our faith, and pointing us toward our highest good.

However, discernment is key. Not every coincidence carries a sacred message, and false signs can mislead. This is where spiritual wisdom, prayer, and alignment with sacred teachings come in — they help us distinguish between divine communication and mere happenstance.

Signs are invitations, not commands. Signs are about free will, not fate or bad luck. They offer us an opportunity to engage more thoughtfully with life, spirit, and the divine. How we interpret them reflects our inner state, our beliefs, and our current spiritual direction. A true sign invites us to reflect, reassess, and deepen our trust in ourselves and in the path we’re walking. It doesn’t control us—it supports us. It asks for faith, not fear.

I remember being about nine years old, performing in a Cinderella pantomime with my classmates. No one could decide who would play Cinderella. Then one day, walking home from school, I lost my shoe—and my friend Christine found it. Was it a message from the universe? Perhaps. Or maybe just a charming coincidence. But to me, in that moment, it felt like a sign. That sense of intuitive knowing held a kind of magic. Maybe this is how Spirit begins to teach us, even as children, to follow our inner guidance, to pay attention to subtle cues and synchronicities—and to never stop chasing our dreams.

So, what’s the real lesson here? We must be mindful of the power we give to events and experiences. We can allow fear-driven superstitions and limiting beliefs to shape our reality, or we can meet life with curiosity and openness—ready to find meaning, without becoming bound by it.

As for superstitions, we need to see them for what they are: cultural relics and psychological triggers that can confine our thinking. Instead of allowing negative beliefs to dictate our experiences, we can use awareness to dissolve their influence and choose our focus with intention.

Let us remain attuned to the signs from the universe and the nudges from spirit, while remaining conscious of the stories we tell ourselves. Sometimes, a broken bottle is just a broken bottle. And sometimes, losing a shoe means it’s your time to shine!