First, we knocked on wood. Then we asked a visual artist, a designer, a psychic medium, a makeup artist and a conductor to each reveal their biggest superstitions.
By The New York Times
Dec. 9, 2025
This feature is part of a series called Turning Points, in which writers explore what critical moments from this year might mean for the year ahead. You can read more by visiting the Turning Points series page.
According to ancient Romans, the human body renewed itself every seven years, and a person’s soul was reflected by mirrors — thus came the well-known superstition that breaking a mirror was followed by seven years of bad luck. Witches could turn into black cats, or so it was believed in the Middle Ages; that’s why seeing one on your path was considered ominous. In Buddhist culture, since salt was thought to ward off evil spirits, it was customary to throw a pinch over your shoulder after attending a funeral.
Superstitions like these can come from mysticism, traditions passed down from our ancestors, religious principles or even coincidental events. Some have become so familiar that they are part of the broader accepted culture, while others are extremely niche and personal.
Whatever form they take, our superstitions are often ingrained in us, unconscious reflections of our hopes, desires, fears and histories. They are sometimes baffling, occasionally funny and often deeply revealing.
Even though some people believe that odd numbers are unlucky, we tempted fate and asked a group of five innovators to answer an illuminating question: What is your greatest superstition?
Their responses have been edited and condensed. — Augusta Greenbaum
Diane von Furstenberg: ‘I Believe That Telling a Lie Is Bad Luck’
Growing up, I was surrounded by many widely held superstitions. Superstitions are habits, unproven signs or practices that are part of our culture and woven into the tapestry of our daily lives. Do not walk under a ladder, do not pass the salt, do not cross the street after a black cat, do not open an umbrella inside the house. Of course, nothing is worse than breaking a mirror, and to prevent misfortune, you must knock on wood. At first glance, this all may seem silly, as these beliefs are primarily based on the fear of bad luck.
There are also the personal superstitions we invent — the signs we look for and the games we play with ourselves. I have never called an elevator without betting on which one will arrive first. And I always play a game of Solitaire on my phone before I start the day or whenever I’m waiting for an answer or a sign. Some may call this obsessive. I classify these acts as little winks to myself, part of the inner dialogue I always have, no matter what I do.
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The fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
Diane von Furstenberg
Credit...Mireille Roobaert
When I was asked to write this piece, I realized that if superstition is fear, then my biggest and probably only one is lying. I have never made that connection before, but I believe that telling a lie is bad luck.
I don’t remember ever telling a lie, and I don’t remember anyone telling me not to lie or ever being caught in a lie. I just always thought that lying would lead me into unsolvable situations. And I listened to that intuition.
This is all reflected in the dialogue I began with myself a long time ago. I keep my diaries. I meditate. The relationship I have with myself is the most important one — it keeps me honest and sane. Now that I am in the winter of my life, I am thankful I figured that out long ago.
Maybe my superstition about lying is not so much a virtue, but that my greatest fear is not being true to myself.
Diane von Furstenberg is a fashion designer, author and philanthropist.
Luc Tuymans: ‘Turning the Cigarette Is a Belief That if I Don’t Do It, Something Will Go Wrong’
It’s funny that I was asked to write about the concept of superstition, since my first show in the United States — held in 1994 at the David Zwirner gallery in New York City — was titled “Superstition.” I gave the show this title to associate it with the words religion and intuition. To me, these words are interwoven. I also wanted to convey that I view art as a highly hypothetical practice, which is the same way that many people view superstition. My paintings for this exhibit were deliberately modest in size and could be seen as tokens or amulets, and this was meant ironically.
The main painting https://www.davidzwirner.com/artworks/l ... tion-9a6cb shares the same title as the name of the show. The black-and-white canvas portrays an insectlike creature superimposed on the outline of a body at the place of the genitals. The gender of the figure remains undefined. The image looks as if it is possessed.
Superstition contains something indiscernible, random and ambiguous. Wishful thinking and luck, but also fear and anxiety, are in play. Although largely apprehended as stemming from ignorance and heresy, its roots go deeper. It’s embedded in things we have seen and learned to memorize by means of signs that indicate something else.
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The artist Luc Tuymans.
Luc Tuymans
Credit...Weston Wells, courtesy of David Zwirner and Luc Tuymans
When I was a young artist, I worked in the nightlife industry as a bouncer to make a living. That’s how I learned what became my only — and therefore my greatest — superstition. With each new pack of cigarettes, you would flip over one cigarette and smoke it later as the last one of the pack. This would protect you and keep you out of harm’s way. I still smoke and practice the same ritual.
Turning the cigarette is a belief that if I don’t do it, something will go wrong. Even so, this does not directly inform my working process. A desire for more control or certainty can be a driving force behind many superstitions. Sometimes, a false certainty is better than none. Expectations can be extremely powerful and suggestive.
Superstition remains a compelling aspect of cultural identity and human psychology, reflecting deeply rooted anxieties and narratives. Even today, at a time when objective evidence is highly valued, there are still people who admit to secretly cherishing one or two irrational beliefs or superstitions.
Luc Tuymans is a Belgian artist. His large-scale painting exhibition, “The Fruit Basket,” is on view in New York City at David Zwirner’s West 19th Street location through Dec. 19, 2025.
Etienne Ortega: ‘I Want to Keep My Space as Positive and Calm as Possible’
My biggest superstition is all about energy. I’m very careful about the people I let into my home because everyone carries their own personal energy, which can be good or bad. I want to keep my space as positive and calm as possible.
A big part of why I feel this way comes from growing up in a home where emotions ran high. Whether it was stress, love or joy, you could always feel the energy in the room. Over time, I learned to recognize subtle energy shifts and protect my peace. As I got older and entered spaces where I needed to be fully present, such as my job in the beauty industry, it became even more crucial to guard my energy.
Another significant influence that led me to this superstition was my mom. She taught me the power of prayer and energy and would burn sage when things felt off. These rituals stayed with me. Now as an adult, I’ve found my own ways to carry on my mom’s traditions while also incorporating what works for me — whether it’s through scent, flowers or simply stepping away to reset my mind.
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The makeup artist Etienne Ortega.
Etienne Ortega
Credit...Solmaz Saberi
In addition to sage, I love spiritually cleansing my Los Angeles home with palo santo, an aromatic wood known for its healing power that emits a sweet, warm scent when it’s burned. I like to do this almost every week. Fresh roses are also a must for me. I feel like the roses absorb any negativity while looking and smelling gorgeous. I keep fresh roses where I work, too, especially when I’m doing makeup for clients.
There was a time when I was doing makeup for a major awards show, and the energy on set was chaotic. Things were running behind, and everyone was stressed. My client walked in feeling overwhelmed, and I could sense it immediately. I stopped for a second, lit a little palo santo and just gently asked her to take a breath with me. That moment helped reset the mood. By the time she stood up from the chair, she was glowing — and not just from the makeup. Energy really does transform everything.
Etienne Ortega is a celebrity makeup artist and the founder of the beauty brand Ortega.
John Edward: ‘Superstition Allowed Me to Develop a Deeper Connection to Symbolism’
I was raised in an Italian American household in Glen Cove, N.Y., and I grew up hearing about many superstitions. The “malocchio” or the evil eye was especially prevalent. To ward off this jealous energy, we had red horns that looked like chili peppers hanging from the rearview mirrors in cars and on gold chain necklaces. If something was deemed bad, someone would need to break this dark energy. Usually, an aunt or elder would counter this negativity in a process that looked different based on where in Italy your family originated. Sometimes the ritual used eggs, and other times it was … well, I can’t tell you that one since it’s a superstition that providing this explanation when it’s not Christmas can be unlucky.
Cultural superstitions allowed me to keep an open mind when I embarked on learning about other imagery from philosophy, theology, astrology, numerology and tarot. All of these beliefs helped inform my work as a psychic medium.
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The psychic medium John Edward.
John Edward
Credit...Erica Schultz
Although I grew up superstitious, I can’t say there’s one superstition in particular that lingers. Overall, believing in superstition allowed me to develop a deeper connection to symbolism. For me, symbolism is an energetic shorthand that tells an immediate story mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
As a psychic medium, symbolism helps me connect with the afterlife. On the other side, the spirits of the deceased don’t have physical bodies, so speaking in the human sense is not a reality. These spirits use a telepathic form of communication that’s akin to an energetic sign language. Symbolism conveys their messages to me in a frame of reference that I can interpret and then relay to loved ones and friends of the deceased.
I feel it is essential to look for deeper meanings within our world and our relationships. We are all here to grow. If some of our superstitions can protect us, make us feel closer to each other and help us communicate, that’s special. While writing this response, I just realized that I lost my keys and need to pray to St. Anthony to help me find them. After I do that, I must help a cousin bury a St. Joseph statue upside down in front of his property to help him sell it.
John Edward is a psychic medium and the co-author of the book “Chasing Evil.”
Cristian Macelaru: ‘I Found New Ways to Prevent Repeated Behaviors From Hardening Into Fixed Rituals’
Can denying a superstition itself become a kind of superstition?
I grew up in Timisoara, Romania, a place infused with daily rituals and folk traditions, where superstitions are everywhere — from the classic forewarning of bad luck when a black cat crossed your path, to the more unusual belief that a broom brushing your toes foretold celibacy.
During my teenage years, as I began my career in music, I started noticing the rituals my colleagues followed, such as eating a banana five minutes before walking onstage or tucking a lucky handkerchief into a pocket. Soon, I felt compelled to create my own ritual that was shaped by my personal research into what might attract luck. After each successful performance, I asked myself: What were the determining factors? I always accounted for the practical, technical aspects of preparation, but I began to wonder if extra, less tangible elements (such as preshow habits) could provide the necessary edge.
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The conductor Cristian Macelaru.
Cristian Macelaru
Credit...Peter Adamik
When I was well on my way to creating a foolproof preperformance ritual, I came across an interview with a celebrated basketball player. He explained that his superstition required him to repeat eating the last meal he had before a successful game, until a less successful one broke the streak. His complaint, of course, was that a long winning streak could mean a severely monotonous and unhealthy diet.
That gave me pause. I started re-evaluating my path, realizing it would be equally unhealthy to lock myself into a ritual that could potentially influence my state of mind before stepping onstage. In response, I forced myself to invent a new ritual each time. If I had eaten fruit before one performance, the next time it might be a piece of cheese or a carrot.
As the years went on, I found new ways to prevent repeated behaviors from hardening into fixed rituals. For example, for guest engagements, I collect my thoughts while taking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood around the concert hall, or converse with fellow performers during this brief opportunity to make music together for a night or two. By deliberately avoiding inflexible rituals, I’m able to truly enjoy the variety in what I do. Can the very need to reject superstition become a superstition of its own? Yes, and my life is richer for it.
Cristian Macelaru is a Romanian-born Grammy Award-winning conductor. He is the music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/spec ... ition.html
