Funeral superstitions were way back there, thanks to the beliefs and practices of each culture who are looking for ways to protect the living from the presence of death. There are a lot of differences in customs between and amongst cultures, but it all reflects the eternal fight of man against death. 

Five Most Remarkable Funeral Superstitions

Most cultures believe that the dead need the dead world to be at peace; thus, whatever may disturb this peace, they are considered disrespectful. Because of this, families ensure their umbrellas are closed during a funeral service and a gathering for the atmosphere will still be somber and not interrupted.

2. Another myth is that all mirrors inside a house in which death occurred have to be covered or taken away. In some cultures, a mirror should be covered or taken out of the home following a death. The practice was that mirrors can reflect and trap the spirit of the deceased from moving on. In this act, most the beliefs are accompanied by the living avoiding looking at their reflection during this period to avoid catching attention from spirits.

Covering of mirrors thus symbolizes a protective barrier, letting the soul transition peacefully without being hindered by earthly reflections.

3. A third superstition has to do with the number of people attending a funeral. In some cultures, it's believed that an odd number is auspicious because it should bring the spirit luck. An even number of mourners could be bad luck; this might mean the spirit may still find itself stuck in the earthly realm.

This attitude sometimes compels families to invite friends and relatives to attend in odd numbers, thereby strengthening the bonds between the living and the dead in hopes of a safe passage for the soul of the deceased.

4. It is steeped also in superstition that ashes be scattered or flowers be left on a grave. Most believe that scattering ash in places which are more meaningful or even a favorite spot of the deceased would lead the spirit further into the afterlife. However, people have also been discouraged from scattering ashes in certain places lest it offend the spirits of the land and disrupt the harmonious order of life.

The same goes for laying flowers at a grave - this is held to be a proper gesture, but some view that particular flowers have the property of inviting evil energies or spirits to come and visit one's soul; thus, there is a need to be careful with flowers.

5. The last but not least, from dressing in black during a funeral arises another set of superstitions. While blacks are more often used in times of mourning, people from some cultures believe that the use of bright colors actually invites bad luck or shows disrespect to the deceased. Particularly in cultures whose symbolic color meaning is significant, this applies.

For example, in some cultures of Asia, white is considered a color used for mourning, while it might symbolize protection by evil spirits among other Asian cultures. These color conventions are supposed to honor the dead and release spirits peacefully.

In a word, funeral superstitions are a wonderful window to view any culture about death and the afterlife. From avoiding open umbrellas indoors to covering mirrors and watching colors, these beliefs reflect the need by which human beings are trying to find ways to understand loss but will honor the love left behind of a family member.

Ultimately, they give sustenance and direction in life's most difficult transition: the realization that a part of life never disappears, it stays connected to those still living.