Ancient man believed that his breath contained his spirit, or his soul, and that it lived in his head. Therefore, when he sneezed, he feared that he was losing his soul and leaving an empty place in his head for evil spirits to enter. All this would happen unless God prevented it. Thus, a wish was spoken for God to bless that person.
Other early people believed that evil spirits, which had already entered the body, jumped out on a sneeze and entered other people’s bodies.
Today, we know that a sneeze can be harmful to other people, but not because of evil spirits, but rather because of the harmful bacteria that travel in the droplets of moisture expelled in a sneeze, bacteria which can spread colds, flu, and other diseases.
The droplets of moisture in a sneeze travel at a rate of 150 feet a second and can land as far as 12 feet away!
See also:
- Where Did the Expression “Bless You” For After a Sneeze Come From and What Does It Mean?
- What Makes You Sneeze?
- Why Does Looking at the Sun Make People Sneeze and What Else Makes Us Sneeze?
- What Does “God Bless You” Mean When Someone Sneezes and Where Did the Expression Come From?
- Why Do Some People Sneeze When They Go From Indoors Into Sunlight and What Causes a Photic Sneeze Reflex?
5 Comments
When you sneeze you are as close to death you can be
Blss you i? That may god bless you so you live thru this sneeze..
Look at islamic reasons for thanking God after a sneeze
From what I have researched when you sneeze your heart stops; even if it’s for one moment it could still kill you. So people say bless you or God bless you thinking God will make your heart start again.
All you jesus people
whattttttttttttt