Superstition: Spiritual Technologies in a Responsive World

Across cultures, people have developed quiet, durable ways of navigating uncertainty, transition, and hope. Long before formal institutions, we learned to act—through gesture, timing, and attention—as if the world were responsive. These practices don't require specific systems of belief. This course explores "spiritual technologies": the ordinary practices used to orient ourselves, protect what matters, and make sense of large forces. From knocking wood and using black salts to marking days as dangerous, these are not relics. They are active tools used to cross thresholds and safeguard the soul.