There is an old belief found in almost every culture about itchy palms (also known in Spanish as "comezon en la mano significa dinero") being a sign of good fortune or money coming your way in the very near future. It is said an itch
in your right palm means money is coming in and an itch on the left palm could be a sign of money about to be paid out. To stop money leaving, you are advised to rub the itchy left palm on a piece of wood, such as the corner of
a wooden table, but watch out for splinters!
You’ve probably wondered how true the superstition is, especially when you suddenly get an itch on either palm. In this article, we look at the origin of the belief and what it means to have an itch in your right or left palm. So,
hold on to that itchy palm and read on to find out how itchy palms could mean luck or a sudden unexpected fortune coming your way.
Origin Of The Itchy Palm Belief
So, who started the almost universal belief about itchy palms being a sign of good fortune? Well, the whole thing is believed to have come from Saxons in the 5th and 7th centuries before it was picked by Greeks and Romans. Saxons are
a famous Germanic tribe who formed the first United Kingdom of England in the 15th century. The Saxons believed that you could treat and cure illnesses simply by rubbing your skin on silver. They are also responsible for the popular
belief about itchy hands and money or fortune coming your way.
When the Saxons came to the British land, their culture and beliefs mixed with Roman and Celtic cultures and the itchy hands superstition became the norm. The
Celts even believed that touched wood brought good luck, which is probably why it is recommended to rub an itchy palm on wood to enhance your good fortune. These are the same Celts who created the legend about “knocking on
wood” to ward off bad omens and misfortunes from your life.
Itchy Palm Belief Across the World
So, what does the itchy palm signify in other cultures across the world? One common thing found in almost every culture is the relationship between an itchy palm and wealth or money. In Ireland during the Victorian era, it was believed
that people with an itchy hand were either greedy or harbored a strong desire to accumulate wealth and become famous. It was also believed that if your right palm itched, you were about to get a windfall. However, people were constantly reminded
not to scratch the itch hard or they’d lose the money.
An old Welsh folklore magazine from the 1930s even went as far as advising readers to rub a left-hand itch on an egg if they wanted to get a baby. Some people in the
modern era even believed that you could stop gossip going around about you by rubbing an itchy palm on a piece of metal!
The Irish believed that when your right-hand itches, new positive energy was entering your life and you
were likely to meet an interesting person who would likely change your life completely. If you experienced an itch on both hands, luck would follow you wherever you went and you would become very successful. However, if both palms
itched, then you’d have to keep them in your pockets to trigger luck. To release negative energy and avoid the possibility of losing money, you were advised to wash both hands in warm water.
In Buddhism, an itchy right-hand
means that positive energy will be released from your body while an itch on the left palm means that your body is attracting negative energy from the surroundings. In most cultures, an itch on the right palm signified positive
energy and luck but a left-hand itch meant the opposite. Now that you know where the belief about itchy palms bringing good fortune comes from, it is also important to know what the itch means on the left and right palms.
What Does an Itch on Your Right Palm Mean?
The right hand is universally believed to have an important spiritual significance. It is the receiving hand, therefore, a symbol of good fortune. In many cultures, an itching right palm is taken to imply that you’ll soon be receiving
money or good fortune. It means that you are about to get a reward in the form of a gift, a win in the lottery, an unexpected raise at work, or even pick money from the ground.
So, if your right palm suddenly itches, be on
the lookout for a surprise gift in the near future. If you are in the process of selling something like your house or car, be sure that you’ll get a generous offer for the item. An itch on the
right palm is a sign of good luck or
a financial windfall. However, you are
advised against scratching the itch hard or you might cancel the good fortune.
What Does an Itch on the Left Palm Mean?
An itch on the left palm may not be a good sign because it could mean that you are about to face financial problems. In most cultures, the left side symbolizes bad decisions and an itch on the left palm could mean that you are about to
pay an unexpected bill or lose money in a trade or through a financial mistake after making a bad decision. For example, an itch on the left palm could mean that you are about to run into an unexpected car repair bill, medical bill,
or home repair or improvement costs.
It is also quite possible to experience an itch on your left palm when your bills are due and you don’t have enough money to pay them. The itch could be a sign of financial struggles to pay
off credit card debts, student loans, or car payments. You can always try to stop the money from leaving you by gently scratching the left palm itch on any piece of wood such as the corner of your wooden table.
Not Just An Old Wives Tale?
When you read the beliefs about the itching palm above, you may be wondering if they are real or just old wives’ tales. Well, if the beliefs were not real, they wouldn’t have survived all those centuries like they have done.
There are
even testimonies of people who won lottery jackpots or received huge windfalls after experiencing an itch on their right palms. Skeptics will say it was a coincidence but the truth is that itchy palms do actually attract good fortune. Next
time you get an itch on your palm, please do give it the serious attention that it deserves. You could just scratch away your good fortune without knowing it.
