The Origins

 Content (from previous post):

1. What is Superstition?
2. How did it come about?
3. Hungry Ghost Festival (Introduce Chinese Superstitious festival)
    - What is it, How it's celebrated, Why it's celebrated, Who celebrates it, Where is the festival being held
4. Superstitious practices
   - What you should and should not do during Hungry Ghost Festival

Before explaining what Hungry Ghost Festival is all about, I'll be explaining the Origins of Superstition. After much research, I realised that, interestingly enough, Superstition is fueled by the own human doubt to explain occurrences that aren't logical. 

On a side note, there's a different between an OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and superstitious behavior. People with OCDs often have compulsions to do rituals over and over again, often interfering with everyday life. An example is Jack Nicholson's character in the movie As Good As It Gets, who skips cracks in the sidewalk and eats at the same table in the same restaurant every day, with an inability to cope with any change in routine. While some of the symptoms of OCD can mimic superstitious behavior (and the two aren't mutually exclusive), the most of the evidence would indicate there is no connection between the two. 

The main difference between the 2 is that Superstitions lead you to believe in your desired outcome, whereas OCDs simply are routines (Bringing us back to the topic of "Faith" or "Beliefs").

 Anyway.

Origins
Superstitions began centuries ago when our ancestors tried to explain mysterious circumstances or events as best as they could with the knowledge they had. For instance, before the development of science explained such strange things as why mirrors show our reflections or why shadows appear when it's sunny, ancient people reasoned that a shadow or reflection was part of their soul. 

If someone broke something onto which the shadow or reflection appeared, people believed that their soul was harmed. Therefore, when a person broke a mirror it was considered unlucky or harmful. 

Today we know that reflections and shadows are not part of our souls but if someone still believes it is bad luck to break a mirror they are said to be superstitious. Wanting more control or certainty is the driving force behind most superstitions. We tend to look for some kind of a rule, or an explanation for why things happen. "Sometimes the creation of a false certainty is better than no certainty at all, and that is what much of the research suggests," says Dr Vyse from Web Del Marc College. Job interviews, testing, and other situations where we want things to go well -- regardless of our own preparation or performance -- can spur superstitious thoughts. "We are often in situations in life where something really important is about to happen, we've prepared for it as best we can, but it's still uncertain; it's still unclear," Vyse says. No matter how confident or prepared you are for an event -- whether it's a football game, a wedding, or a presentation -- things can still happen beyond your control. "Superstitions provide people with the sense that they've done one more thing to try to ensure the outcome they are looking for." 

Superstitions are a sense of security we go to when we get nervous. Hence, they are a form of stress relief outlet. It's not news that expectations can be extremely powerful and suggestive. Studies regularly point to placebo effects (both positive and negative), which are entirely caused by the power of expectations or preconceptions. Yet superstitions can also play a negative role in our lives, especially when combined with a bad habit such as gambling. If you're a compulsive gambler who believes that you can get lucky, then that belief may contribute to your problem.