
There is also a series of spiritual, or supernatural beliefs regarding fortune.
These beliefs vary widely from one to another, but most agree that luck can be
influenced through spiritual means by performing certain rituals or by avoiding
certain circumstances.
One such activity is prayer, a religious practice in which this belief is particularly
strong. Many cultures and religions worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's
ability to influence their fortune by ritualistic means, sometimes involving
sacrifice, omens or spells. Others associate luck with a strong sense of superstition,
that is, a belief that certain taboo or blessed actions will influence how fortune
favors them for the future.
Luck can also be a belief in an organization of fortunate and unfortunate
events. Luck is a form of superstition which is interpreted differently by
different
individuals. Carl Jung described synchronicity: the "temporally coincident
occurrences of acausal events". He described coincidences as an effect
of a collective unconscious.
Christian and Islamic religions believe in the will of a supreme being rather
than luck as the primary influence in future events. The degrees of this
Divine Providence vary greatly from one person to another; however, most
acknowledge
providence as at least a partial, if not complete influence on luck. These
religions, in their early development, accommodated many traditional practices.
Each, at
different times, accepted omens and practiced forms of ritual sacrifice in
order to divine the will of their supreme being or to influence divine favoritism.
The concept of "Divine Grace" as it is described by believers closely
resembles what is referred to as "luck" by others.
Mesoamerican religions, such as the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, had particularly
strong beliefs regarding the relationship between rituals and luck. In these
cultures, human sacrifice (both of willing volunteers and captured enemies) was
seen as a way to please the gods and earn favor for the city offering the sacrifice.
The Mayans also believed in blood offerings, where men or women wanting to earn
favor with the gods, to bring about good luck, would cut themselves and bleed
on the gods' altar.
Many traditional African practices, such as voodoo and hoodoo, have a strong
belief in superstition. Some of these religions include a belief that third parties
can influence an individual's luck. Shamans and witches are both respected yet
feared, based on their ability to cause good or bad fortune for those in villages
near them.