47 Fascinating Eye Twitching Superstitions From All Over the World

In many cultures, right eye twitching is a sign of good luck, while left eye twitching is a sign of bad luck. The specifics depend on which eye is twitching, which part of your eye is twitching, and whether you identify as a male or female.

Left And Right Eye Twitching Spiritual Meanings And Superstitions

When your left or right eye is twitching, pay attention to these possible spiritual meanings.

Last updated on Mar 21, 2023

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Left and right eye twitching can be really annoying, especially if it lasts quite a long time. But as with ringing in your ears, many people believe there may be more to this physical phenomenon than medical answers alone provide.

Eye twitching or spasming can be caused by stress, lack of sleep, dry eyes, allergies, low magnesium, a result of a poor diet, or having too much caffeine. But what does it mean when your left or right eye twitches if there’s no known medical reason for it to be happening?

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Left and Right Eye Twitching Spiritual Meanings

In many cultures, right eye twitching is a sign of good luck, while left eye twitching is a sign of bad luck. The specifics depend on which eye is twitching, which part of your eye is twitching, and whether you identify as a male or female.

For example, in most places, such as India and Nepal, twitching or jumping of the right eye means good luck for men and bad luck for women, which twitching or jumping of the left eye means bad luck for men and good luck for women. However, in other places the exact opposite is true.

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Spiritual Meanings Based on Which Part of the Eye is Twitching

If the pupil of your eye twitches, it is a sign of good luck.

If the upper part of your eye is twitching, it means you will be receiving additional income soon.

If the lower part of your eye twitches it means you will soon accrue an unexpected expense.

If your upper eyelid is twitching it means you will receive good news.

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If your eyebrow is twitching, it means you will relieve good news or it may indicate a child will be born soon.

Right and Left Eye Twitching Superstitions

In different cultures, right and left eye twitching is believed to be tied with mystical forces, hypnosis, the all-seeing, or evil.

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Eye Twitching Meanings in Egypt

The Eye of Horus was believed to have healing powers that protected pharaohs in the afterlife.

Eye Twitching Meanings in Africa

If your left lower eyelid is twitching, it’s a sign you will be releasing many tears soon. However, if your left upper lid is twitching, this means there will be an unexpected visitor soon.

Eye Twitching Meanings in Ancient Civilizations

Involuntary twitching of the right eye was a signal that your subconscious is hinting impending future or near destiny.

Eye Twitching Meanings in the Caribbean Islands

Right eye twitching means someone close to you is either going behind your back to see through something, talking ill of you, or about to be in some sort of trouble. Left eye twitching means someone is speaking very highly of you, you will receive good news soon or you are going to reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time.

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Eye Twitching Meanings in China

Eye twitching has both good and bad meanings in China, depending on the time of day at which it happens.

Between 1am-3am:

Right eye twitching means somebody is thinking of you. Left eye twitching means you have a problem you need to deal with.

Between 3am-5am:

Right eye twitching means something good will happen for your family. Left eye twitching means a distant friend will be coming to see you.

Between 5am-7am:

Right eye twitching means all is going as it should. Left eye twitching means someone who has been gone for a while will visit you soon.

Between 7am-9am:

Right eye twitching means you may be injured or lose something that is important to you. Left eye twitching means a close friend will be coming to see you.

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Between 9am-11am:

Right eye twitching means you may get into a fight or argument with someone. Left eye twitching means you will be going to a party.

Between 11am-1pm:

Right eye twitching means you are being called to do charitable acts. Left eye twitching means you will be rewarded for you efforts.

Between 1pm-3pm:

Right eye twitching means small advancements will soon fulfill you. Left eye twitching means an opportunity is coming that you should take.

More for You:

Between 3pm-5pm:

Right eye twitching means you are remembering someone you love. Left eye twitching means you may lose money, possibly when gambling.

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Between 5pm-7pm:

Right eye twitching means a good friend needs your help. Left eye twitching means a distant friend needs you help.

Between 7pm-9pm:

Right eye twitching means you may receive unexpected good fortune. Left eye twitching means you may get into an argument with someone.

Between 9pm-11pm:

Right eye twitching means you may face legal troubles. Left eye twitching means you should spend time with your family.

Between 11pm-1am:

Right eye twitching means you’ll attend a party. Left eye twitching means you’ll have visitor who brings you good fortune.

Isabell Tenorio is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, love and relationships.

47 Fascinating Eye Twitching Superstitions From All Over the World

An eye twitch may be a minor annoyance, but can it also signal the arrival of an enemy or a wealth of riches? Is there a meaning behind your twitching eye? Eye twitching myths exist around the world.

In this guide, we explain the most common left and right eye twitching superstitions then discuss what science knows (and doesn’t know) about the causes of eye twitches. We end with tips that can help you get your eye to stop twitching sooner if it’s bothering you.

Let’s get started so you can learn what that twitching eye means.

What Are the Most Common Eye Twitching Superstitions?

Eye twitching myths exist all over the world, and in this section we discuss some of the most well-known superstitions in five different regions.

Not everyone in these areas believes the superstitions; some see them more as fun stories to discuss, and some don’t believe them at all. However, these eye twitching superstitions still remain part of the culture in each of these places. These superstitions come from several sources, including the University of Southern California’s Folklore Archives, Oxford Classes, and Scientific American.

Africa

Some parts of Africa, particularly Cameroon and Nigeria, have several eye twitching superstitions. If your upper eyelid (of either eye) twitches, it’s believed you’ll soon receive an unexpected visitor. If your lower eyelid twitches, it’s believed you’ll soon begin crying.

In Nigeria in particular, there’s also a left eye twitching superstition that, if your left eye twitches, it’s a sign of bad luck.

China

In China, they have a left eye twitching superstition and a right eye twitching superstition. The superstitions are if your left eye twitches it’s good luck, and if your right eye twitches, it’s bad luck. These superstitions are based on the similarity between different words in Mandarin Chinese. The word for “left” in Mandarin Chinese sounds similar to the word for “money” (which could connect left eye-twitching to riches), while the word for “right” sounds similar to the word for “disaster” and therefore could indicate bad luck coming.

The Chinese Almanac also lists superstitions for both the left and right eyes depending on what time of day the twitching occurs. The time of day corresponds to a specific animal on the Chinese zodiac calendar.

Time of Day	Zodiac Animal	Left Eye Twitching Superstition	Right Eye Twitching Superstition
11:00pm-1:00am	Rat	You’ll receive a visit from a nobleman.	You’ll receive an invitation to a party or feast.
1:00am-3:00am	Ox	Something you’ve been worrying about will occur.	Someone is thinking about you.
3:00am-5:00am	Tiger	You’ll receive a visit from a friendly foreigner.	A good event will soon occur.
5:00am-7:00am	Rabbit	Someone you care about will soon visit you.	You’ll have a good day today.
7:00am-9:00am	Dragon	A friend living far away will soon visit you.	You’re at risk for losing something important or injuring yourself.
9:00am-11:00am	Snake	You’ll receive an invitation to a party or feast.	You’ll soon get into an argument with someone.
11:00am-1:00pm	Horse	You’ll receive an invitation to a party or feast.	You’ll soon experience bad luck.
1:00pm-3:00pm	Sheep	You’ll soon gain some money.	You’ll soon experience a small, but positive, event.
3:00pm-5:00pm	Monkey	You’ll soon experience a bit of bad luck.	Someone is thinking of you in a romantic way.
5:00pm-7:00pm	Rooster	A friend will soon visit you.	A foreigner will soon visit you.
7:00pm-9:00pm	Dog	A visitor will stop by your home today.	You’ll soon be invited to a large party.
9:00pm-11:00pm	Boar	A friend will soon visit you.	You may soon have trouble in court.

Hawaii

In Hawaii, there is a left eye twitching superstition that if your left eye twitches, it can indicate the arrival of a stranger or an impending death in the family. There is also a right eye twitching superstition that a twitching right eye could signify that a child will be born soon.

India

Eye twitching is mentioned numerous times in Hindu scripture, and when a god has a twitching eye, it often acts as an important omen, signifying future events. There are many eye twitching superstitions in India depending on region and religion, but there are some common themes many of the superstitions share.

Many Indian eye-twitching superstitions depend on whether the person with the twitching eye is male or female. If your right eye is twitching, that is good luck for a man and bad luck for a woman. If your left eye is twitching, that is bad luck for a man but good luck for a woman.

There are also superstitions based on which part of the eye is twitching.

• If the pupil of the eye twitches, it’s a sign of good luck.
• If the upper part of the eye twitches, that’s a sign you’ll soon get some money.
• If the lower eyelid twitches, you may soon be needing to spend money.
• If the upper eyelid twitches, you may be receiving bad news soon.
• If the eyebrow twitches, you be receiving good news soon, or it may indicate the birth of a child.

West Indies

The people of Trinidad, in the West Indies, have multiple eye twitching myths and superstitions in their culture. Many of the West Indies superstitions originated in Africa and were brought to the islands by slaves during colonialism. Trinidadians refer to eye twitching as “eye jumping,” and they believe it has different meanings depending on which eye is affected.

The right eye twitching superstition is that if your right eye jumps one or more of the following may be true:

• You’re going to hear good news.
• Someone is currently saying good things about you.
• You’ll run into someone you haven’t seen in a long time.

If your left eye is the one that’s jumping, one or more of the following may be true:

• You’re going to hear bad news.
• Someone is saying bad things about you.
• Someone you care about is doing something behind your back.
• Someone you care about may be in trouble.

As you can see, in the West Indies, when your right eye is twitching, it means that generally something good will happen, but when the left eye is twitching, something bad will likely happen.

What’s the Scientific Reasoning Behind Eye Twitches?

When your eye twitches, does that really mean it’s because you can expect to get a lot of money or run into an old friend? Actually, no. Blepharospasm, the scientific term for eye twitching, is a repeated, involuntary spasm of the eyelid muscle.

Doctors still haven’t found the exact reason behind eye twitches, but some potential causes are fatigue, stress, high caffeine consumption, dry eyes, and irritation to the eye.

How Can You Get Your Eye to Stop Twitching?

In almost all cases, your eye twitching still soon stop on its own. However, there are some things you can to hurry it along and reduce the chances of it occurring in the future:

• Get enough sleep
• Stay hydrated
• Use eye drops if you suffer from dry eyes
• Avoid smoky, dusty, or highly-polluted areas
• Cut back on alcohol, caffeine, and smoking
• Cover your eyes with a cold compress or slices of cucumber
• Reduce the number of hours you spend looking at a screen (TV, phone, computer, etc.) each day

If your eye twitch lasts longer than a week, you have spasms in other facial muscles, or you have redness, swelling, or discharge from your eye, see a doctor.

Recap: What Does Your Twitching Eye Mean?

There are numerous eye twitching myths from around the world, promising everything from meeting a friend to becoming rich if you have an eye twitch. These superstitions often vary depending on which eye is twitching, if you’re a man or a woman, and even the time of day that the eye twitch occurs. A left eye twitch superstition is often related to bad news, and a right eye twitch superstition to good news, but this is not always the case.

Doctors still don’t know the exact cause behind eye twitching, but it may be caused by fatigue, stress, or caffeine. Nearly all cases of eye twitching are harmless and will go away on their own, but if you’d like to try to end the twitching sooner, you should be sure to get enough sleep, stay hydrated, avoid eye irritants, cut back on caffeine, and use eye drops if your eyes are dry.