40 years are celebrated or not. The other side of the coin

25.09.2019 -

Many people don't celebrate turning 40 and don't advise others to do so. Is this superstition, or does the ban have a scientific, religious or some other basis?

Mysticism and numerology

More than 20 centuries ago, the ancient Pythagoreans deeply revered the number “4”, considering it a sacred reflection of completeness, integrity, physicality and staticity (the opposite of dynamism and cyclicity). The number “forty” is a quaternary complemented by a zero (a circle describing the Tetractys) - a symbol of divine emptiness and completeness.

Based on this theory, many superstitious people associate the completion of the number 40 with the end of life and believe that one should not celebrate 40 years, because this can bring death closer.

Superstitious residents of East and Central Asia consider the number “4” fatal, bringing misfortune and death. Therefore, in these countries, they try to omit the four and the numbers that include it (14, 24, and so on) when numbering something.

In the ancient fortune-telling Tarot cards with the number “40” a similar situation can be traced - the death card itself, according to interpretation, means the grave, death, damage, destruction and is associated with the color black. The death card in the tarot corresponds to Latin letter“M”, the twelfth hexagram of the Chinese Book of Changes, meaning “decline”, the ancient Slavic letter “Myslete”, which is associated with the transition to a new stage of life and the death (end) of the old stage.

But besides all this, the letter from the Tarot card in the Hebrew alphabet is read as “Mem” and has a numerical value of 40, and in combination with the last letter of the alphabet “Tav” it forms the word “Met”, translated again meaning “death”.

Often, in support of these mystical superstitions, African tribes are cited as an example, in which it is still not customary to celebrate the fortieth anniversary for the same reasons, but, despite this, the average life expectancy in these tribes is exactly 40 years. The reason for this is not the birthday celebration, but poor hygiene, ecology and living conditions of the tribal residents.

Religious superstitions

IN Christian religion The number “40” is also widely associated with death and misfortune. It is believed that the great flood lasted exactly 40 days, for forty days Moses led the Jews through the desert, and for forty days after his baptism Jesus Christ was in the desert, and the desert itself is also a symbol of death. Moreover, in the Middle Ages Kievan Rus It was on the 40th day that the incorruptibility and sanctity of the relics were determined.

Some people say that 40th birthdays should not be celebrated because of the association with the fortieth day after death, which is usually the day of the funeral. It is believed that after 40 days of wandering on earth, the soul of the deceased appears in court, after which it goes to heaven or hell.

Therefore, many believe that by the age of 40 there comes a turning point in a person’s life, self-awareness changes and, according to some statements, by this age a person’s guardian angel even leaves. And, in order not to incur premature death and suffering, you should rethink your actions and give up lavish celebrations, including on the occasion of your upcoming anniversary.

There is also a version, rooted in paganism, that by the age of 40 a person’s biorhythms change and at this age he can easily be jinxed or damaged. Therefore, it is recommended to celebrate the fortieth birthday in a quiet family or friendly circle, among people who obviously cannot wish harm to the birthday boy.

A similar pagan superstition states that recommendations for a modest fortieth birthday celebration apply only to men, because pagans considered a woman to be a being without a soul. According to another version of the same superstition, the period of biorhythm changes in women begins at 53 years old, and it is recommended to celebrate this particular birthday modestly.

Astrological reasons

Some astrologers consider the forty-year life mark to be a crisis and argue that in the period from 39 to 43 years a person is most susceptible to the influence of the planet Uranus, which becomes in opposition to its position on natal chart(Uranus opposes Uranus), this situation brings with it sudden changes and drastic changes in a person’s life. During this period, there is a reassessment of values, awareness of one’s own place in life, at work and in the family.

The negative influence of Uranus can manifest itself in sharp deterioration financial well-being, bankruptcy, accidents, disasters, family crisis, nervous breakdowns, sudden illnesses, paralysis and a person’s tendency to commit suicide.

Astrologers claim that a person aged 39-40 years old has a strong negative influence from Pluto, which can manifest itself in the same way as the influence of Uranus, in bankruptcy and a sudden sharp deterioration in health. In addition, there is an opinion that the beginning of the fortieth birthday corresponds to the square of Neptune to Neptune, which indicates a change in life guidelines and erratic throwing.

There is also a version of an unknown astrologer who compiled the horoscope of Jesus, according to which it turns out that Christ was crucified at the age of 40. Therefore, astrologers recommend celebrating your fortieth anniversary calmly and quietly, so that the midlife crisis passes just as quietly and safely.

Many people know that celebrating your fortieth birthday is highly discouraged, otherwise you could end up in trouble. However, this is just a superstition, and whether to follow it or not is a personal matter for everyone. Some do not pay attention to such things, consider such beliefs to be absurd and do not believe in any negative consequences, others religiously believe everything that is said and follow every belief, while others are skeptical about such statements and do not think that it is true, but they try to avoid possible negativity just in case. Because it's only popular belief, then there is no scientific evidence as to whether it is true that the anniversary cannot be celebrated or whether these are empty words.

However, many people ask the question, “Is it possible to celebrate a 40th birthday?” There are many opinions, especially about the celebration of the fortieth anniversary among women and men; astrologers and clergy also express their opinions. Whether you believe it or not is up to you to choose.

Why can't we celebrate our 40th birthday?

If you ask fortune tellers this question, they will say without any doubt that the number 4 is a sign of death in Tarot cards. But what does the number 40 have to do with it then? The bottom line is that the number 4 is absolutely identical to 40, and this will lead to disastrous consequences and death.
In ancient times, a person who lived to be 40 years old was considered quite old. Old age meant imminent death, so such an age was not celebrated so as not to bring death closer to oneself.
There is another explanation, which is precisely the most truthful and convincing. The fact is that the age of forty is considered the time when spiritual changes and rethinking of life occur in a person. At this moment, the guardian angels leave the person; they no longer help or protect him, since the person has gained wisdom over the years of his life. This guess is the most plausible, but still there is nothing wrong with celebrating a birthday.
For unknown reasons, the celebration of the 40th anniversary is associated with various misfortunes, failures and even death. For example, someone cites incidents from their life, but such troubles can be just an accident, since anything can happen to a person every day, regardless of age, place of stay and type of activity.
It is believed that for women, celebrating their fortieth birthday can lead to unpleasant consequences. This is due to the fact that a number of changes occur in a woman’s body at the age of 40, at which time the so-called menopause approaches. A woman loses the opportunity to give birth to children, she notices accelerated aging of the body, skin and soul. This condition is accompanied by stress, depression, hysterics, etc. A woman’s skin ages, wrinkles appear on it, her hair turns gray and general state becomes not the same as before. This is where the saying comes from that women should not celebrate their 40th birthday, otherwise in this way she will attract old age even faster.
When for women the celebration of forty years is associated with the loss of youth and the onset of old age, then for men such an event will lead to more serious consequences, namely death. It is believed that if a man celebrates his 40th birthday, this will be his last anniversary. He will not be able to live to 50, since he will be hampered by health problems, and perhaps an accident will solve everything, but such things are serious jokes, so men prefer to abstain from such a holiday. Perhaps this is connected with the story about one astronaut who celebrated his birthday before going into space, and then something went wrong during takeoff, the equipment suddenly failed, and the astronaut died suddenly. Whether this is true or not, men still remember that forewarned is forearmed.
However, the clergy formed their own opinion, absolutely opposite to everything said above. They believe that there is nothing bad in the number 40, it cannot cause any trouble, because a person himself is the creator of his own happiness. The Church does not approve of such superstition, since they believe that, regardless of the person himself, he will live as long as he is allotted in heaven.

If we consider the modern world as a whole, we can come to the conclusion that it is indeed full of traditions, various superstitions, and a large number of people carefully honor and observe them. Why can't men celebrate their 40th birthday? To understand our issue, it is necessary to study it in detail.

The main reasons why men do not want to celebrate their fortieth birthday

At the moment when the age of the stronger sex approaches this mark, fears and doubts appear. Now they don’t know what to do next, whether they should be afraid of something or not. Of course, we can safely say that this superstition has roots in the past, which should be known to all superstitious men. As a rule, you can remember from the school course that our ancestors could not boast of a serious life expectancy.

Already at the age of forty, they began to appear various diseases, teeth fell out, hair turned gray, etc. Accordingly, since that time, men cannot forget about this belief, and thus do not want to celebrate their holiday. But, of course, there is another category of men, they celebrate their birthday, since they are not at all afraid of any superstitions or traditions.

If you look closely into this question, the first thing that comes to mind is why this particular figure and no other. Most likely, this is due to the fact that this number is generally considered sacred in certain cultures, which should be known. After all, it is indeed mentioned in almost all key moments that are associated with various trials, with death, etc. For example, if you remember history, Moses wandered in the desert for exactly that long.

In addition to all this, one cannot help but add that there are many examples that are taken from ancient Slavic culture, to which many people listen. Thus, it is known about large quantities rituals associated with this number. It is impossible not to note that often asking the question why men don’t celebrate, the answer suggests itself. After all, there is a well-known story that perhaps scares many men. This is a story about an astronaut who wished to celebrate his fortieth birthday.

After a bright holiday, he went into space, where the ship crashed. Accordingly, most men have a feeling of fear that the same thing will happen to them if they wish to celebrate their anniversary. It is important to add that if the soul is troubled by such questions, then one should always turn to the Lord. Of course, the church considers this only superstition. According to the priests, they only support people’s reluctance to celebrate the thirty-third year of their birth, because it was at this age that Jesus was crucified. Of course, in this case there is a good reason to refuse the holiday, but again, this is not a mandatory procedure.

Psychologists' opinion

Information that comes exclusively from one source, as a rule, does not satisfy all people. As they say experienced psychologists, here everything depends on the man himself, since this is an individual matter. If the birthday person wants to celebrate an anniversary, then he can do this, forgetting about all superstitions and fear. We must not forget that like attracts like, so if you don’t get in a bad mood, then in any case, nothing bad will happen, you should understand this.

It is important to know

Many men will not be able to miss such a bright opportunity when they can organize a holiday and have fun. Therefore, they do not want to adhere to any superstitions or traditions at all and celebrate the holiday, as their soul requires it. Accordingly, you can always do exactly the same, if you have such a desire, remember this. Still, if a feeling of fear is present, then it is best to celebrate the holiday at home, because in this case the walls also help. Moreover, try to celebrate the anniversary with your family, then definitely no one will be able to wish anything bad to the hero of the day.

How to celebrate a man's 40th birthday?

If the birthday person does not believe in such signs, then you can celebrate the holiday without a doubt, without thinking about anything. It’s up to the birthday boy to decide how to do this, since everyone has personal wishes and tastes.

What will the foreign countries say?

We must not forget that it is the eastern countries that are considered close in spirit in terms of superstitions. For example, if we talk about a country like Japan, it is important to know that this country even considers the number 4 bad. Thus, in the elevators of this country it is impossible to find the fourth floor button at all, which makes it possible to understand the seriousness of this issue. In addition, the Japanese do not want to watch those channels on TV that contain four.

Average age

The age of 40 is a turning point for most men. With the onset of the fortieth birthday, any male representative, as it were, draws a peculiar line of his life. He determines what he has achieved, what he has not achieved, what mistakes he has made, and what must be done in the future. This is the age of comprehension and awareness. The period between 37 and 42 years is when men experience a midlife crisis. This is that fateful period when a man literally in one day can decide to completely change his life:

Singles are in a hurry to get married, and married people may decide to get a divorce;
Convinced careerists can quit a prestigious job and devote the rest of their lives to their hobbies and so on.

Of course, our question has only a superstitious background. There are no significant reasonable reasons explaining the peculiarity of the fortieth birthday. If a man is not superstitious, then he will never take this prohibition seriously.

Features associated with the number 40

History and religion indicate many points due to which the number 40 is perceived as something ominous and destructive:

The duration of the Great Flood was 40 years;
The soul of a deceased person remains in the earthly world for 40 days;
The first 40 days of a newborn baby are prohibited from being shown to anyone;
It took the Jews four decades to find the promised land;
After performing the rite of baptism, Jesus Christ was forced to wander in the desert for 40 days;
Exactly on the day of his fortieth birthday, a man’s guardian angel retreats from him, making him vulnerable to a large number of all kinds of troubles and sorrows;
IN Ancient Greece the age of 40 was viewed with caution because the life expectancy of men at that time was on average 50 years, and the age of forty was considered the beginning of the end;
During the times of Kievan Rus, on the fortieth day from the moment of death, the body of a deceased person was checked, and if there were no signs of decomposition, then the question of canonizing such a deceased person as a saint was raised;
Among residents of Asian countries, the fear of the number 4 is extremely common; they associate it with death and misfortune (in some residential buildings and office buildings there is no number 4 in the numbering of floors, apartments or offices).

As can be seen among the listed negative aspects associated with the number 40, most come from religion. Meanwhile, church representatives never think about why men don’t celebrate their 40th birthday. Moreover, they have a very negative attitude towards such statements, considering all superstitions as sinful thoughts.

Despite such assurances from church leaders, most religious men and women react very poorly to the idea of celebrating a fortieth birthday. It is believed that on the day of his fortieth birthday a man is extremely vulnerable, he is close to death. It is believed that if a man celebrates his 40th birthday, he is destined for illness, failure and other troubles. If a male representative manages to avoid “punishment,” then some kind of grief will certainly happen to his loved ones, of whom the most vulnerable will be women and the elderly.

Unfortunately, it can also happen that a man, having heard enough of all sorts of nightmares about turning 40, can fall into horror and despair. He will be in a state of severe emotional stress and nervousness. This can lead to some accident or minor trouble occurring by pure chance. And the man will sincerely believe that turning forty is to blame.

How to celebrate your fortieth birthday

If the birthday boy does not take seriously the arguments as to why one should not celebrate 40 years, and does not want to deny himself the pleasure of celebrating his fortieth birthday, then “mitigating circumstances” can be invented to reassure superstitious relatives:

To celebrate not 40 years, but to see off 39 years (during all toasts and congratulations, the number 39 should appear, and in no case 40);
Postpone the holiday to a later date late date so that it becomes possible to celebrate not 40 years, but for example 40 years and 3 days (during the feast this must be emphasized);
Change the reason for gathering relatives and friends (for example, choose a holiday related to the professional activity of the birthday person, and prepare congratulations to him in accordance with this holiday, without indicating the age of 40 years).

Rarely will a man agree to such options for celebrating a birthday. Therefore, in most cases, succumbing to the persuasion of relatives and friends, a man prefers not to celebrate his fortieth birthday at all. So that later, if any troubles arise, you don’t torment yourself with thoughts that all the negativity happened because of the celebration of his fortieth birthday.

The female component in the issue of celebrating the fortieth anniversary

It should be noted that the problem of why it is impossible to celebrate a fortieth birthday really only faces representatives of the stronger sex. Although in Lately and there is a tendency to transfer the tradition of not celebrating 40 years to women. But still, supporters of this tradition belonging exclusively to men have their own arguments.

Firstly, Jesus Christ and Moses were men, so all the superstitions related to them cannot be applied to women. Secondly, in ancient times, a woman was perceived as a being without a soul, incapable of being associated with faith and spirituality. It is not surprising that in modern world, where gender equality is promoted, they chose to remain silent about these features. Women, in accordance with complete equality, decided to extend to themselves a number of superstitions that are purely masculine in nature.

Whether or not to succumb to the superstition about turning 40 is a personal matter for each person. And even if the birthday boy decides to celebrate his fortieth birthday in the traditional style, you need to respect his wishes and be sure to attend the holiday. Or, as a last resort, at least congratulate him over the phone.

Conclusion

I would like to note that indeed an anniversary is a bright holiday for which people prepare in advance, as they look forward to it with special desire and impatience. It should be understood that if you are a superstitious person, then it is better not to celebrate this date at all, then nothing will bother your soul. Those people who are not at all superstitious will not even worry about this and will celebrate the anniversary to the fullest.

Now you know the answer to our question, which means you need to carefully analyze this question, carefully “weigh” everything, and understand what to do now so that your soul does not feel heavy. Once again I would like to state that if you still decide to celebrate your anniversary, then it is best to organize a feast exclusively with close friends, with your family. In a word, by gathering those people who know each other well, they will therefore not quarrel.

If you have not found the answer to this question, then, of course, it is better to do without a holiday at all, but again, do not forget that the decision is up to you, since it all depends on the tastes and preferences of each person, remember this. Of course, if you don’t think about the bad, then nothing will happen.

Everyone knows about the sign “You can’t celebrate 40 years.”

This year my husband turned 40 years old. A year before, on his 39th birthday, he announced to all guests that he would not celebrate his 40th birthday. Many of the guests were surprised and even objected to this decision, but my husband was adamant and, just in case, we decided to go with the children to the sea for a week, let the birthday take place under our control. The phone doesn't work there and it would be quite a long way for guests to travel.

I myself don’t really believe in the statement that men should not celebrate their 40th birthday, but, firstly, I am a wife and must support my husband, put up with his oddities (if they, of course, are not harmful), and secondly , a holiday at sea is our favorite period of the year, when you can finally do nothing but crack ice cream and splash in the warm salty water. Therefore, we approved this plan unanimously and a few days before hour “H” we went on vacation.
As a result, everything went as my husband wanted, we had a wonderful rest, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

This is the story we experienced this year, but in a few years I will also be 40 and I was wondering if the sign of not celebrating 40 applies only to men or women too? And where did this belief come from? I decided to deal with this with all my determination. Is it true that whoever decides to celebrate this date will be haunted by misfortunes? Or maybe there is nothing wrong and these are just human prejudices?

Biblical background

In Christianity, the number 40 appears many times.

For Christians, the number 40 is associated with important Christian events:

The Flood lasted 40 days;
The Jewish people wandered through the desert in search of the Promised Land for 40 years;
Jesus ascended to heaven after death on the 40th day;
After his baptism, Jesus was in the desert, exposed to the temptations and temptations of the devil, for 40 days;
The human soul remains on earth for 40 days after death;
After the birth of a child, a young mother is considered “unclean” for 40 days.

It is not surprising that the number 40 is firmly embedded in the popular consciousness that it is associated with death and suffering. Perhaps that is why it is believed that it is better not to celebrate this particular anniversary, so as not to bring trouble to one’s head once again.

Guardian Angel "retires"

It is believed that after forty the guardian angel “retires”

There is a belief that it is precisely at the 40th birthday that a person is left without protection, since his guardian angel retreats from him.

Tarot Card Warning

In Tarot cards there is a connection between the lasso “Death” and the number 40.

According to the laws of numerology and Tarot cards, the number 40 is the number of death. In the Tarot, the main Arcana “Death” has the letter “M”, and according to the Hebrew alphabet, this letter corresponds to the number 40.

Asian negativity

Residents of East and Central Asia believe that the number four brings evil, misfortune and death. Therefore, in these countries they try not to mention this number anywhere.

Thus, we see that the number 4 or 40 is associated with negativity, which is associated with life trials, after which a person switches to new level development.

Let's be realistic

Let's logically think about why the ban on celebrating this particular anniversary is meaningless:

Hundreds of people of all ages die every day around the world.
Only the Slavs do not celebrate their fortieth anniversary. All other inhabitants of the planet happily celebrate their birthday and feel great.
If you are a believer, then you know that the church does not support any superstitious beliefs.
A holiday is an event that only has a positive effect on a person’s psyche and energy.

What should superstitious people do? How to help solve the problem of celebrating 40 years?

If you are still superstitious, then here are some options to solve the problem of the 40th anniversary.

As the fortieth birthday approaches, future birthday celebrants are increasingly hearing that this holiday should not be celebrated. Everyone around remembers prejudices about such a holiday, legends, myths and real-life incidents (usually with a sad ending). But why can't we celebrate 40 years? The church’s opinion on this matter is clear: the ban on celebration in this case is just superstition Superstitions: the magical background of everyday life.

How do signs appear?

Prejudices passed on from generation to generation contain an unconscious belief in the supernatural. They also contain an unconscious attempt to somehow organize the chaos of the surrounding world, to make it more understandable, and, if possible, controllable. By knocking on a piece of wood after meeting a woman with empty buckets, a man is trying to appease fate and protect himself from inexorable fate.

History of origin various signs usually so ancient that no one can figure out where a particular superstition came from. Most often, such signs are the children of random coincidences. A black cat crossed a person's path, and after that the whole day went awry - if for some reason the black cat is etched into memory, then the connection between these events will seem clear and obvious. At the same time, if nothing terrible happens, a person with with a light heart will forget about the meeting with the animal and does not attach any importance to it.

Sometimes signs, especially those that relate to some natural phenomena and are based on long observations, later find completely scientific confirmation. For example, everyone knows why birds fly low before rain - this is due to the fact that due to changes in the atmosphere, the insects on which these birds feed fall lower and lower. And often signs are nothing more than a subjective interpretation of objectively occurring events. It is not for nothing that many esotericists advise inventing your own signs - and in such a way that they are all exceptionally good.

Superstitions are passed on from generation to generation, and their assimilation usually occurs in early age when children are not critical enough of the words of adults, taking it for granted that, for example, one cannot continue on a path if a black cat has crossed the road , or you can’t pass bread over the threshold.

Attitudes towards signs can be different, although, perhaps, there is not a single person who is completely free from superstitions. It’s just that many people act “by the rules” unconsciously, without even thinking about it, out of habit.

It is interesting that those influencing the course human life signs may be the same for the most different nations. For example, one example of an omen of unlucky events would be the celebration of a fortieth birthday by men or women.

The Dangers of a Fortieth Birthday

There are many explanations why one should not celebrate forty years. On the one hand, according to astrologers, at this age a person’s “energetic demise” occurs, which means it is necessary to lead the most modest and quiet lifestyle possible. On the other hand, experts in the field of numerology believe that the number "forty" means death, the end life path, tragic death.

Sometime at this age old age began. Medicine has made huge strides in its development, and today many are sure that the forty-year mark is just the beginning of life. However, this was not always the case, and the memory of bygone times was preserved in superstitions and omens. Just a couple of centuries ago, forty-year-old people could not even think about, for example, getting married or studying. And although today the age of forty is considered a time of prosperity, and at this age many barely think about having children or changing their profession, many still remember the old signs.

In ancient times, people were inclined to animate death, to believe that it could be negotiated with. And if an agreement fails, then it was not forbidden to deceive the “no-nose” one. One of the most innocent methods of deception, available to everyone, was considered to be a quiet, inconspicuous life. The less they say about a person, the less he is known, the less chance that Death will remember him in time. This means that you will be able to stay in this world for a while longer. A reflection of this belief can be found in various legends: everywhere it is said that death comes first to active people, leaving it “quietly” for later. Therefore, the fortieth anniversary was not celebrated, and subsequent birthdays were not celebrated particularly magnificently.

What does the church say?

Many superstitions in one way or another have points of contact with official religion. At the same time, Orthodox priests, for example, have a sharply negative attitude towards superstitions, believing that they are sinful and contradict religion.

Orthodox priests, in particular, categorically disagree with the fact that the fortieth anniversary should not be celebrated. Of course, a lot depends on the day. If fasting occurs on your birthday, it is better to postpone the celebration. And if a birthday falls on a church holiday, then, according to the clergy, it is the church date that needs to be celebrated. Some radical priests believe that “secular” holidays like birthdays need not be celebrated at all, since they are not as significant as religious ones.

Thus, the priests are confident that there is nothing terrible in celebrating the fortieth anniversary. Sky Angels and otherworldly forces will not be offended at all if a person decides to gather his friends and properly celebrate his birthday. And to refute outdated superstitions, the priests present various arguments, the purpose of which is to convince the flock that there is absolutely nothing sinister about the number “forty”:

At the end of the forty-day wandering on earth, the soul of the deceased finds peace;
The walk of the Jewish people through the desert land in search of their land ultimately ended happily;
The forty-day ban on visiting church after childbirth is not due to the fact that a woman is a spoiled and dirty creature, but to the fact that she needs to restore strength, including for communication with God, to relax, and to get used to motherhood.