|
[[de:Glück]] [[pt:Sorte]]
''This article is about good and bad fortune. There is also: [[Luck, Volhynia]], a town in [[Ukraine]], and [[Luck, Wisconsin]], a village in the [[USA]].''
----
'''Luck''' may be analysed from three viewpoints: rational, social, and spiritual.
==Rational viewpoint==
As related to the occurrences of actual events considered to be of low [[probability]] in a [[mathematics|mathematical]] or [[statistics|statistical]] sense. A [[rationalist]] approach would lead to the conclusion that such matters as whether or not someone bore a victim ill will would have no bearing upon (for example) that person being hit by a loose brick falling from a decrepit building. It was only due to a remote statistical probability that the brick's four [[Dimension|dimensional]] [[Spacetime|space-time]] path intercepted the 4D path of the victim's head (this was an actual occurrence in [[San Francisco]]). In a case like this both rationalists and spiritualists would likely say that the victim was ''unlucky''. In an example of good luck, a person winning a [[lottery]] would generally be considered lucky, although a rationalist might point out that there was bound to be a winner sooner or later, and there was actually nothing lucky about ''someone'' winning - it was merely a [[probability|probabilistic]] event. It is doubful that the winner would agree with that analysis, however.
==Social viewpoint==
As a [[Society|social]] phenomenon, there is much truth in the saying "what goes around, comes around" (see [[karma]]). On the one hand, those who are kind and generous to others are usually perceived as open and accepting and so more likely to be freely offered assistance from others. They are also more likely to also be able to ask for and receive help from others in time of need. On the other hand, those who are asocial or anti-social are less likely ask for assistance or to be offered assistance by others. The open, generous and cheerful person is more likely to be classified by others as lucky, while the curmudgeon is more likely to be considered by others or to consider him/her self unlucky.
==Supernatural viewpoint==
[[image:Nostradamus.jpg|right|]]
There is also sometimes considered to be a [[supernatural]] bias towards experiencing events of good or ill fortune. In this sense some believe that one's own or another's good or bad luck can be influenced through spiritual means or by performing certain rituals or by avoiding certain (from a rational viewpoint non-relevant) situations. [[Voodoo]] is a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong, although many cultures worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their luckiness by ritualistic means. This often involves proper respect for spirits, believed to inhabit a ___location prior to human occupation. In some cultures, if one builds a house on a property it is respectful to provide a small [[spirit house]] for their habitation. In other cultures, a building may be interrupted by a passageway to allow the flow of spiritual energy - the ___location being determined by an expert in such matters. In such cultures, ignoring such matters is believed to lead to misfortune - ''bad luck''. In this context there is also the concept of "purpose" to events ascribed to luck, good or bad.
'''Nostradamus''', ([[December 14]], [[1503]]- [[July 1]], [[1566]]) born '''Michel de Nostredame''', is one of the world's most famous authors of [[prophecy|prophecies]].
==Biography==
==Effects of viewpoint and beliefs==
Born in [[Saint Rémy de Provence|Saint-Rémy de Provence]], in the south of [[France]], he was the son of either a Jewish grain dealer or a prosperous notary. He was [[Jew]]ish by birth, but since the authorities of Provence insisted that Jews either move or convert to Catholicism, his family outwardly converted and practiced the [[Roman Catholic]] faith. As a child, Nostradamus showed an aptitude for mathematics and [[astrology]]. In fact, his teachers were upset by his defence of Copernicus and astrology. He studied [[medicine]] at the University of [[Montpellier]], and finished his baccalaureate exams in [[1525]]. The plague soon disrupted his schooling and he traveled around France helping cure the sick with ideas that included a better diet, clean bedding, clean water and clean streets. It was while Nostradamus was traveling that he met and exchanged information from various underground Renaissance doctors, alchemists, Kabalists, mystics - a practice he would continue most of his life. He was also skilled as an [[apothecary]], having created a "Rose pill" (apparently mostly a large dose of [[Vitamin C]]) which was widely believed to alleviate the [[plague]]. In [[1529]] he returned to Montpelier to receive his doctorate and then teach, but the conservative views of the university forced him to once again establish a medical practice and help cure the [[plague]].
The belief in luck as a supernatural phenomenon is generally regarded by rationalists as a form of [[magical thinking]]. However, there is evidence that people who believe themselves to have '''good luck''' are more able to take advantage of fortunate chance events in their lives, and to compensate for unfortunate chance events in their lives, than people who believe that they have '''bad luck'''. This appears to be the result of [[positive thinking]] altering their responses to these events. A belief in luck can also indicate a belief in an external [[locus of control]] for events in their life and so escape from personal responsibility.
Some philosophers argue that we each "create our own reality", literally and not metaphorically, and in that context what appears to be good luck can be interpreted as having beliefs that encourage or create what are putatively good outcomes.
In [[1534]] he was invited by [[Julius Caesar Scaliger|Julius-Cesar Scaliger]], considered to be a leading Renaissance man, to come to Agen. There Nostradamus married a woman whose name is still in dispute, but who bore two children. In [[1537]], his wife and two children died, presumably from the plague. At this time, church authorities were asking him to face the [[Inquisition]] in Toulouse for an offhand remark made about the workmanship of a statue of the [[Virgin Mary]]. He traveled through France and [[Italy]] many times. While traveling, he began exploring mystical teachings. It was during these travels that rumors about his prophetic powers emerged.
===Risky lifestyles===
He settled down in [[1547]] in Salon where he married a rich widow named Anne Ponsarde Gemelle and had 6 children - 3 daughters and 3 sons. He soon began to transition away from medicine and towards the occult and a cosmetics business. He wrote yearly [[almanac]]s (first in [[1550]]) and was so encouraged by their success that he continued. He then began a project of writing 1,000 quatrains (four-line poems), which are the supposed prophecies for which he is famous today. However, due to the scrutiny and pressure of the Inquisition, he devised a method of obscuring the prophecies by using word games and a mixture of languages such as [[Provençal language|Provencial]], [[Greek language|Greek]], [[Latin]], [[Italian language|Italian]], [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] and [[Arabic language|Arabic]].
Often those who ascribe their travails to "bad luck" will be found upon close examination to be living [[Risk|risky]] [[Lifestyle|lifestyles]]. For example: a drunk driver may ascribe their arrest to the bad luck of being observed by a patrolman, or the bad luck of being involved in a traffic accident (perhaps not even the victim's fault), as a way of avoiding personal responsibility for his/her actions.
===Positive outlook===
The quatrains, written in a book titled "Les Propheties", received a mixed reaction when they were published. Some people thought Nostradamus was a servant of evil, a fake, or insane; while many of the elite thought his quatrains were spiritually inspired prophecies. Soon nobility came from all over to receive astrological horoscopes and advice. [[Catherine de Medici]], the Queen of France, was one of Nostradamus' admirers and a student of metaphysics. After reading "Les Propheties", she invited Nostradamus to Paris to explain Century I, Quatrain 35 regarding her husband, King [[Henry II of France|Henry II]], as well as to draw up horoscopes for her royal children. After this meeting, Queen Catherine was a staunch supporter of Nostradamus and by the time of his death in [[1566]], she had made him Counselor and Physician in Ordinary.
On the other hand, people who consider themselves "lucky" in having good health may be actually reaping the benefits of a cheerful outlook and satisfying social relationships, both of which are well known [[statistics|statistically]] to be protective against many stress-related diseases.
===Effects===
By [[1566]] Nostradamus' [[gout]], which had painfully plagued him for many years and made movement very difficult, finally turned into [[dropsy]]. In July, he wished to spend his last night alone, and when his secretary Chavigny asked him "Until tomorrow, Master?" Nostradamus said, "You will not find me alive by sunrise." The next morning Chavigny led friends and family upstairs to the study (which had been converted into a bedroom) and found Nostradamus' body lying on the floor between the bed and a makeshift bench.
If "good" and "bad" events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, although untrue, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive [[meme]].
The [[gambler's fallacy]] and [[inverse gambler's fallacy]] are both related to belief in luck.
Biographical accounts of Nostradamus' life states that he was afraid of being persecuted for [[heresy]] by the [[Inquisition]], as indeed many of those who spoke or wrote anything not sanctioned by the church in those days were often tortured or burned at the stake. It was for this reason, and also because he did not want anyone in the future changing the prophecies, that Nostradamus chose to cloak his prophecies.
==Numerology==
It has been suggested that because of his supposed in-depth knowledge of individual and group destinies, that he was fully capable of accessing the [[Akashic Records]] - a supposed etheric library of information for human consciousness. What is known is that his Quatrains endured for centuries, and have often been interpreted differently by various annotators throughout the years.
Most cultures consider some [[numerology|numbers]] to be lucky or unlucky. This is found to be particularly strong in Asian cultures, where the obtaining of "lucky" [[telephone number]]s, automobile [[license plate]] numbers, and [[address (geography)|household addresses]] are actively sought, sometimes at great [[Money|monetary]] expense.
==Sayings==
One common technique supposes that he used a series of simple [[encryption]] methods, including backward writing interspersed with different languages.
Popular sayings and quotations related to luck:
* "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" -
* "You make your own luck" -
* "When it rains, it pours" - this is an expression of the mathematical property of statistically independent events to bunch together.
* "Bad things happen in threes" - see above
* "Luck is the residue of design" - [[Branch Rickey]]
* When something happens by "sheer dumb luck", it is considered to have happened unintentionally and without planning.
* "Luck doesn't exist." There are more variations on this phrase than can be listed here, but not enough to make believers care.
* "Luck be your lady tonight"
* A famous Samuel Goldwyn quote sums up the rationalist view: "The harder I work, the luckier I get". Or an equally famous [[Gary Player]] quote "The harder I practise, the luckier I get".
* [[Knocking on wood]], spoken expression used as a [[charm]] to bring good luck.
* "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck" - [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]].
* "Luck can only get you so far" by Hermione, referring to a "luck potion Felix Felicis" in {{Harry Potter]] (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
==Items or events==
==Preparation & Methods for Prophecy==
Several items or happenings are considered lucky or unlucky.
===Lucky===
*Finding a [[penny]] on heads
*[[Horseshoe]]s
*Four-leaf [[clovers]]
*[[Rabbit]]'s [[feet]]
*[[Ladybug]]s
===Unlucky===
Nostradamus's medical studies included writings from [[Albertus Magnus|Alberto Magnus]], [[Paracelsus]] and [[Cornelius Agrippa]]. Paracelsus maintained that the soul must first be healed, that the source of disease was the mind, and he used astrology as a tool to "diagnose" how to treat the soul. Agrippa held the belief that man's "conscious" knowledge was useless, and that the societal conditioning to feel separate from existence/nature must be explored and released. The use of occult language in his prophecies suggest a familiarity with [[Hermetic]] magic which has parallels with [[Tantra]] and [[Shaivite]] [[Hinduism]]. Nostradamus possessed copies of the [[Key of Solomon|Keys of Solomon]] and studied the Jewish [[Kabbalah]].
*[[Friday]] the [[13 (number)|13]]th
*The number 13 (Many buildings skipped 13 when numbering their floors for this reason)
*[[Black]] [[cat]] crossing your path
*Stepping on a crack (it breaks the mother of the stepper's back)
*Breaking a [[mirror]] (seven years bad luck)
*Spilling over [[salt]] (but you can get rid of the bad luck by throwing the salt over your left shoulder).
*Putting a hat on a bed
*Opening an [[umbrella]] indoors
*Seeing three butterflies at the same time
*Killing a ladybug
*Walking underneath a [[ladder]]
==Luck in fiction==
In Sicily, he connected with [[Sufi]] mystics and read "The Elixir of Blissfulness" by Sufi master [[al-Ghazzali]], who stated that every seeker must pass through seven valleys or "dark nights of the soul" which included knowledge, repentance, stumbling blocks, tribulations, thunders, the abyss, and the valley of hymns and celebration. Nostradamus also studied "De Mysteriis Aegyptorum" (concerning the mysteries of Egypt), a book on Chaldean and Assyrian magic written by Jamblinchus, a 4th-century neo-Platonist.
*[[Gladstone Gander]], a fictional [[cartoon]] character, is dependent solely upon his good luck.
*[[Joe Btfsplk]], a character in the [[Li'l Abner]] (Little Abner) [[comic strip]] by the cartoonist [[Al Capp]] is not only unlucky, he is shunned by the other characters as they suspect (with good reason) that this bad luck may be [[infection|infectious]].
*In [[Larry Niven|Larry Niven's]] novel ''[[Ringworld]]'', the character [[Teela Brown]] was the incredibly lucky result of a centuries-long breeding program initiated by the alien [[Pierson's Puppeteers]] directed to just such an outcome. The consequence of her state was that she'd led such a charmed and worry-free life that she was emotionally immature and unprepared for "harsh reality."
*In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld]]'' series, luck is an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic personification]] known as the Lady, who, while not a goddess, is powerful enough to be the rival of the god Fate.
*[[Eugene Horowitz]] from [[Hey Arnold]] is known for the bad luck he constantly has, though his [[optimism]] always makes his personality win over it.
*In the [[Harry Potter]] novels, there is a [[potion]], [[Felix Felicis]], which gives its drinker good luck.
*[[Furrball]] the cat in ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' is a perpetually unfortunate feline, forever suffering mishaps, though frequently it's his own actions (i.e. overwhelming greed) that get him into trouble (not unlike mentor Sylvester the cat).
==See also==
Nostradamus employed various techniques to enter the meditative state necessary to access future probabilities. For entering a trance state ([[theta brain frequency]]), he attempted the ancient methods of flame gazing, water gazing or even both simultaneously. These techniques are believed to still the mind and increase introspection. He also used a technique from Branchus, the Delphic prophetess of Greece, of sitting on a brass tripod and gazing into a brass bowl filled with water and various oils and spices. In the Epistle to Henry II Nostradamus says "I emptied my soul, brain and heart of all care and attained a state of tranquility and stillness of mind which are prerequisites for predicting by means of the brass tripod".
*[[Curse]]
*[[Destiny]]
==Examples of "Prophetic" Quatrains==
*[[Evil eye]]
*[[Fate]]
Nostradamus' book "Les Propheties" took quatrains (4 line poems) and placed them in sets of 100, called Centuries. To check for the veracity of a quatrain, check the number stated (ie:C1, Q25 means Century 1, Quatrain 25) with an authentic version of Nostradamus' works - which will likely also have the original old French. Even the Preface and the Epistle to Henry II have been assigned numbers (ie: PF50, EP102).
*[[Folk religion]]
*[[Irrationality]]
Supporters of Nostradamus have credited him with predicting an amazing number of events in world history: the [[French Revolution]], the [[assassination]] of [[Abraham Lincoln]], the [[atom bomb]], and the rise of [[Adolf Hitler]]. According to a [[1982]] book by Rene Noorbergen (<i>Nostradamus Predicts the End of the World</i>), he also supposedly foresaw a war between the [[United States]] allied with the [[Soviet Union]] against [[China]].
*[[Magic (paranormal)]]
*[[Probability]]
Skeptics of Nostradamus state that his reputation as a prophet is largely manufactured by modern-day supporters who "shoehorn" his words into events that have either already occurred or are so imminent as to be inevitable. Also pointed out is Nostradamus's highly metaphorical and cryptic language, which is gleaned from the even more cryptic [[French language|French]] that Nostradamus wrote in. These skeptics believe that very rarely, if ever, has a Nostradamus quatrain correctly been interpreted <i>before</i> a specific event occurs beyond a very general level (e.g. A fire will occur, a war will start, etc.) A favorite argument of skeptics is to take lyrics written by modern songwriters (e.g. [[Bob Dylan]]) and demonstrate that, if the same standards are applied to song lyrics as are applied to Nostradamus's quatrains, modern songs are no less prophetic. Some scholars believe that Nostradamus wrote not as an attempt at being a prophet, but to comment on events that were happening in his own time, writing in his elusive way in order to avoid persecution. This is similar to the Preterite interpretation of the [[Book of Revelations]]; [[John the Baptist]] intended to write only of contemporary events, but over time his writings became seen as prophecies.
*[[Statistics]]
*[[Superstition]]
'''Death of King Henry II'''
CI, Q 35
The young lion will overcome the older one,
on the field of combat in single battle,
He will pierce his eyes through a golden cage,
Two wounds made one, then he dies a cruel death.
The prophecy that made Nostradamus famous in his own time was the quatrain predicting the death of King [[Henry II of France]]. In [[1559]], despite King Henry being warned against ritual combat by Luc Gauricus, he proceeded to joust in a tournament celebrating his sister Marguerite's marriage to the Duke of Savoy, and his daughter Elizabeth's marriage to the King of Spain. Both King Henry and his younger jousting opponent Comte de Montgomery had lions embossed on their shields. Because the bout ended in a draw, the king insisted on another joust, which resulted in Montgomery's lance splintering and piercing the king's visor. Multiple wounds to the face and throat caused the king to linger for 10 days before dying. This prophecy was first published in [[1555]] - 4 years before the tournament and the king's death - far enough in the future to be considered prophetic, close enough in his own lifetime to receive validation and be taken seriously.
'''Louis Pasteur'''
C1, Q25
The lost thing is found, hidden for so many centuries,
Pasteur will be honored as a demigod:
(in original French "Sera Pasteur demy Dieu honore:")
This happens when the moon completes her great cycle,
He will be dishonored by other winds [rumors].
[[Louis Pasteur]] discovered that germs contaminate our environment and he was considered a "demigod" by his contemporaries. Pasteur is not only named outright, but Nostradamus is said to have almost correctly dated the establishment of the [[Institut Pasteur]]. The last great lunar cycle in astrology is mentioned, which began in [[1535]] and ended in [[1889]] - a year after the institute was created in [[1888]].
'''Charles de Gaulle'''
C9, Q33
Hercules King of Rome and of Annemark,
Three [times] one surnamed de Gaulle will lead France,
(in original French "De Gaule trois Guion surnomme")
Italy and the one of St Mark [Venice] to tremble,
First monarch, renowned above all.
[[Charles de Gaulle]] was a leader of France three times - first as leader of the [[Free French forces]], then as the leader of the provisional post-WWII government, then as the first president of the [[French Fifth Republic]].
'''Hitler'''
C2, Q24
Beasts ferocious with hunger will cross the rivers,
The greater part of the battlefield will be against Hister.
(in original French "Plus part du champ encontre Hister sera.")
Into a cage of iron will the great one be drawn,
When the child of Germany observes nothing.
The name Hister is often believed to refer to [[Adolf Hitler]], though Ister is the Greek name for the River [[Danube]] which is near [[Linz]], [[Austria]], Hitler's childhood home. The first line is said to refer to battles fought across rivers, and the 4th line is said to refer to the attitude that the German youth were being indoctrinated with at the time. Skeptics state that the word "Germania" actually refers to a region near the Danube River that is non-contiguous with modern [[Germany]].
'''Pope John Paul I'''
C10, Q32
The one elected Pope will be mocked by his electors,
this enterprising and prudent person will suddenly be reduced to silence.
They cause him to die because of his too great goodness and mildness.
Striken by fear, they will lead him to his death in the night.
This quatrain is commonly interpreted as referring to [[Pope John Paul I]] and his mysterious death, although there is no reference to his name.
'''Space Shuttle Challenger'''
C1, Q81
Nine will be set apart from the human flock,
separated from judgement and counsel:
Their fate to be determined on departure.
Kappa, Theta, Lambda, dead, banished and scattered.
In [[1986]] the US [[space shuttle Challenger]] exploded 71 seconds after lift-off. The tragedy was caused by gas leakage from the left side [[Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster|solid rocket booster]]. There were only seven astronauts (not nine) that were killed. The final line with Greek letters has been interpreted by some as an anagram: K, TH, L = Th(io)K(o)L = Thiokol. The Morton Thiokol corporation designed and built the faulty rocket boosters, yet neither NASA or management officials took notice of junior engineers doubts about the rocket booster design.
'''1999'''
C10, Q72
In the year 1999 and seven months,
a great King of Terror will come from the sky,
he will bring back the great King Genghis Khan,
before and after Mars rules happily.
One of the most famous Nostradamus predictions was frequently interpreted as a prophecy that a great disaster or event would occur in [[July]] of the year [[1999]]. However, nothing happened during this month that could be considered a significant disaster. Major news events during this month included serial killings in [[Atlanta]] and the death of [[John F. Kennedy, Jr.]]. Supporters of Nostradamus believe that the year mentioned in this quatrain is not actually [[1999]], and the mentioned disaster is still yet to come.
'''9/11 & New York City'''
C6, Q97
At forty-five degrees, the sky will burn,
Fire approaches the great new city,
Immediately a huge, scattered flame leaps up,
When they want to have verification from the Normans.
After the events of [[September 11 attacks|9/11]] happened, many supporters of Nostradamus recalled this quatrain. Supporters claim that the latitude of "forty-five" and the reference to the "new city" refers to [[New York City]]. Nostradamus seems to have his latitude wrong, because New York City is actually well below the 41st parallel. "Verification from the Normans" is interpreted a variety of ways; "[[Normans]]" is commonly interpreted as either residents of [[North America]], [[England]], or [[France]]. Some Nostradamus supporters say that this quatrain actually refers to either the [[Great Chicago Fire]] and/or the [[Peshtigo]] forest fire, which occurred on the same night in [[1871]]. Peshtigo is directly on the 45th parallel, and Chicago is not far to the south.
==Misquotes and hoaxes==
Nostradamus' writings have frequently been misquoted and in some instances, even deliberately altered in order to "prove" that he supposedly predicted various events. Also, especially since the advent of the [[Internet]], many prophecies have been outright fabricated, therefore enhancing the mystique of Nostradamus. After the [[September 11 Terrorist Attacks]], the following was circulated on the Internet, along with many more elaborate variants:
"In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos,
while the fortress endures,
the great leader will succumb,
The third big war will begin when the big city is burning"
As it turns out, the first four lines were written before the attacks, but by a [[Canadian]] graduate student named Neil Marshall as part of a research paper in [[1997]]. Ironically enough, the research paper included this poem as an illustrative example of how the validity of prophecies are often exaggerated. For example, "City of God" (Why is [[New York City]] the City of God?), "great thunder" (Could apply to just about any disaster), "Two brothers" (Lots of things come in pairs), and "the great leader will succumb" (succumb to what?). The fifth line was added by an anonymous Internet user (obviously, since Nostradamus always wrote in quatrains). Nostradamus never actually explicitly referred to a "third big war" anywhere in his quatrains.
Sometimes the hoaxes are tongue in cheek:
"Come the millennium, month 12
In the home of greatest power,
The village idiot will come forth
To be acclaimed the leader."
Obviously, referring to the instatement of [[George W. Bush]] as President of the [[United States]]. Nowhere does anything like this appear in Nostradamus's writings, and it would be inconsistent with other quatrains because of the explicit reference to a very specific time (which occurs only once in a Nostradamus writing, see above).
== Further reading ==
* Hogue, John. ''Nostradamus: A Life and Myth'' ISBN 0007140517
* Hogue, John. ''Nostradamus: The Complete Prophecies'' ISBN 1852309598
* Lemesurier, Peter. ''The Nostradamus Encyclopedia'' ISBN 0312199945
* [[James Randi|Randi, James.]] ''The Mask of Nostradamus'' ISBN 0879758309
== External links ==
*[http://dmoz.org/Society/Paranormal/Prophecies/Nostradamus/ Category at ODP], A directory of Nostradamus related links, including the writings themselves.
*[http://www.snopes.com/rumors/predict.htm Urban Legends page: False claims of Nostradamus predicting the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001]
*[http://ww-iii.tripod.com The History of World War III : Analysis of the quatrains of Nostradamus in the light of similar prophecies from around the world. This site is an effort to predict the events which lead to the Third World War]
[[de:Nostradamus]]
[[he:נוסטרדמוס]]
[[ja:ノストラダムス]] [[pl:Nostradamus]]
[[sv:Nostradamus]]
[[uk:Нострадамус]]
[[nl:Nostradamus]]
| 