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Trading Rituals and Superstitions

  • #1
  • First Post: Jun 14, 2009 4:02am Jun 14, 2009 4:02am
Hey, I don't know if this thread will go anywhere at all, but I thought it would be interesting to know if other traders have particular rituals and/or superstitions that govern how they trade.

Take me, for instance (and please let me know if you think I'm crazy):

I meditate before I trade. Yep, I do positive visualization of my trading session. I will be totally in sync with the price action, nothing will distract me, my entries/exits will be perfect, no wicked break-outs can possibly effect me - that kind of thing. Only takes 5 minutes or so. I believe it works.

And if that's not enough, I trade in my sleep too. (OK, maybe this is an indication that I might be trading too much...) But, yeah, I do the same kind of visualization while I sleep, during lucid dreaming. Since its in dreamtime, it can get pretty interesting - but that helps too. I believe it.

As far as superstitions go, as you might expect by now, I have lots of those. I think white cats are good luck, and I have a whole dynasty of them living with me on my farm. All wild & female. Some have one green/one blue eye. One lives in the house because she is deaf. The oldest one came up a few weeks ago, she wouldn't eat, meowed all sad like she was saying, "I'm fixin to die." I didn't trade that day. Havn't seen her since. Oh well, life goes on.

OK. I'm a Pisces and we are ruled by our feet. If something is wrong with my feet, I might not trade, or trade with much less risk. Pinched my toe under the frame of a brush hog last week - hurt like hell & turned the toenail black. Didn't trade that day.

On the upside, I am always on the lookout for affirmations. This can be anything that tells me I am in sync with the universe. One day last week, I woke up and went out on the porch to drink some tea. A hummingbird flew right up to my face and hovered there, looking me in the eye. I coulda touched him with my tongue. A fluke, I thought, but he did it again 2 more times that day. I thought this was a good sign, so I increased my risk while I was scalping on the FO/LO that night - made about $1500 scalping 1-lots on the E/U in under 2 hours.

Do you think there is such a thing as luck, and does it have any place in trading forex?
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #2
  • Jun 14, 2009 8:34am Jun 14, 2009 8:34am
I'm a Pisces too, and strongly relate to the Fool's Tarot card.

Cats are magic animals, they always seem to "know", and are always aware of everything that's going on around, in the physical and non-physical realms. Egyptians believed they were the reincarnation of the gods wishing to communicate and manifest their will to men. I respect cats very much.

"Luck" is a word for people to express their lack of understanding of the microscopic details that govern the behaviour of everything that IS.

"Luck" is simply being at the right time in the right place doing the right action (or inaction).

Now, there's a difference between superstition (which involves fear) and plain awareness.

I used to have lucid dreams about trading and could see the price moves in real time, waking up at the right moment to act on a particular position. Not anymore though, as I am now just scalping.

I try to live my life in a state of permanent active meditation and total awareness. When unable to achieve that state, I do not trade (and whenever I have broken that rule, things went wrong).

Signs and messages are always around us, as warnings or confirmations for those who are aware and fully present. However, we can also easily be tricked into seeing what isn't there, just because we "need" the confirmation. It is important to make the difference and filter every message through the heart: if there's the slightest emotion of fear or excessive content, let it go, as it will be most probably coming from the Ego and not from the Universe. If your heart is still and calm, proceed. Then, you will just KNOW it is a good sign.

The Fool is in sync with its natural wisdom, always in tune, pure and without fear, walking forward with blind faith. Let him team up with the Magician, focused, determined and precise, with conscious awareness, bringing aether and earth together for a fruitful outcome.

Confidence is paramount. Who cares if anyone thinks we're crazy, as long as things get done! Be responsible of your own doing, only you can be your own judge, only you can walk your own path.

Whatever else I couldn't express with words, I'm confident will get to you in due time.
  • #3
  • Jun 14, 2009 4:36pm Jun 14, 2009 4:36pm
Quoting doblece

Confidence is paramount. Who cares if anyone thinks we're crazy, as long as things get done! Be responsible of your own doing, only you can be your own judge, only you can walk your own path.

Whatever else I couldn't express with words, I'm confident will get to you in due time.
Muchisimas gracias, Doblece! What an awesome response to my post. I will be on the lookout for more goodness from you.
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #4
  • Jul 3, 2009 3:27pm Jul 3, 2009 3:27pm
very nice post in deed by doblece, congrats to your new tread, the fool, I'm sure is going to be great, I'm a little bit superticius too, and I'm sure you will do great , capricorn by the way
The Chonchy
  • #5
  • Nov 25, 2016 12:33am Nov 25, 2016 12:33am
Quoting The Fool
Hey, I don't know if this thread will go anywhere at all, but I thought it would be interesting to know if other traders have particular rituals and/or superstitions that govern how they trade. Take me, for instance (and please let me know if you think I'm crazy): I meditate before I trade. Yep, I do positive visualization of my trading session. I will be totally in sync with the price action, nothing will distract me, my entries/exits will be perfect, no wicked break-outs can possibly effect me - that kind of thing. Only takes 5 minutes or so....
I think you are not crazy. Trading rituals looks like something interesting but complexed to understand it, for me.

No. I think there is not such a think as luck. Obviously and logically does not have any place in trading forex.
  • #6
  • Nov 25, 2016 12:40am Nov 25, 2016 12:40am
I think the luck does not exist.
  • #7
  • Nov 25, 2016 1:40am Nov 25, 2016 1:40am
Quoting The Fool
Hey...... A hummingbird flew right up to my face and hovered there, looking me in the eye.
yeah, they do this all the time, but usually when the hummingbird feeders are empty - like, "Hey, Fool, put some more sugar water out - we're dying over here!" They're Anna's, overwinter here. Between October and March they are holed up like zombies or feeding on sugar water nice humans put out. When the feeders freeze I bring them in and thaw them out in the microwave. I am good.
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #8
  • Nov 25, 2016 1:42am Nov 25, 2016 1:42am
Quoting doblece
I'm a Pisces too, ........ Whatever else I couldn't express with words, I'm confident will get to you in due time.
Cuidate, CC, wherever you are now. We miss you...
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #9
  • Nov 25, 2016 1:54am Nov 25, 2016 1:54am
Quoting The Fool
On the upside, I am always on the lookout for affirmations. This can be anything that tells me I am in sync with the universe.
lol, sure, total projection, I know, but I am always on the lookout, just the same. For instance: 3/14 is my birthday. Pi Day. I see 314 and I think the World is saying howdy. Happens all the time. I play Scrabble, score 314. What time is it? 3:14....totally in sync.

I'll tell you this much: trading is way way waaaaay easier if you are in sync with the market you are trying to trade. And that is easier if you are in sync with, at peace with yourself and the Universe.
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #10
  • Nov 25, 2016 6:33am Nov 25, 2016 6:33am
Quoting whateveridon
I think the luck does not exist.
I do believe in luck - in trading and in verything else, but I do not think that is something one should rely on. If it happens, it happens. Meanwhile I'd father focus on things I can control.
  • #11
  • Nov 25, 2016 6:45am Nov 25, 2016 6:45am
Quoting doblece
I'm a Pisces too, and strongly relate to the Fool's Tarot card. Cats are magic animals, they always seem to "know", and are always aware of everything that's going on around, in the physical and non-physical realms. Egyptians believed they were the reincarnation of the gods wishing to communicate and manifest their will to men. I respect cats very much.
Do you really believe that specific co-location of solar system bodies made your personality? Do you also read horoscope in a daily newspaper or magazine? Have you ever talked with a person who writes those horoscopes?

How do you know cats "always know"? Know what exactly? Do you think those animals have some kind of special knowledge? Or perhaps you took too literary some aspects of "Constantine"?

And why exactly ancient Egyptians' believes should be respected as source of super knowledge? Obviously did not safe them. And what is exactly rationale believing in reincarnation?

Do you also believe in magic in Harry Potter?
  • #12
  • Nov 25, 2016 7:58am Nov 25, 2016 7:58am
If I'm not feeling it, if I'm feeling down, I don't trade. No, scratch that, I shouldn't be. When my mind isn't in the right place, I have made bad decisions, got more stressed out and made myself feel worse. I did stupid trades without S/L because I couldn't care. Good job it is all on demo accounts...

Lately I've been feeling more like I can step away when I'm like this.
  • #13
  • Nov 25, 2016 8:50am Nov 25, 2016 8:50am
Wait i am completely lost, how do you guys trade the news really. i mean how do you enter into a trade after news release, and more importantly how do you know what direction the currency is gonna go ?
  • #14
  • Nov 25, 2016 10:59am Nov 25, 2016 10:59am
lol.....
"If The Fool persists in his Folly he will become wise." - William Blake
  • #15
  • Nov 25, 2016 11:47am Nov 25, 2016 11:47am
Quoting mlawson71
{quote} I do believe in luck - in trading and in verything else, but I do not think that is something one should rely on. If it happens, it happens. Meanwhile I'd father focus on things I can control.
Excellent.
  • #16
  • Nov 25, 2016 11:55am Nov 25, 2016 11:55am
Quoting FiveK
If I'm not feeling it, if I'm feeling down, I don't trade. No, scratch that, I shouldn't be. When my mind isn't in the right place, I have made bad decisions, got more stressed out and made myself feel worse. I did stupid trades without S/L because I couldn't care. Good job it is all on demo accounts... Lately I've been feeling more like I can step away when I'm like this.
Excellent.
  • #17
  • Dec 16, 2016 5:26am Dec 16, 2016 5:26am
Quoting leroy58
Wait i am completely lost, how do you guys trade the news really. i mean how do you enter into a trade after news release, and more importantly how do you know what direction the currency is gonna go ?
Generally, to be able to trade news well you have to have some decent understanding of fundamental analysis and economics in general. You need to understand how news affect the market and why they affect the market. And even with that understanding the first few minutes after news come out are chaotic and I wouldn’t recommend trading during that period.
  • #18
  • Dec 21, 2016 3:28am Dec 21, 2016 3:28am
It is bad luck to be superstitious.
  • #19
  • Dec 21, 2016 5:47am Dec 21, 2016 5:47am
Hahaha, that’s one way of putting it. Being superstitious can provoke more anxiety while trading, which in turn leads to more mistakes, which in turn can be interpreted as bad luck.
  • #20
  • Dec 22, 2016 10:25am Dec 22, 2016 10:25am
A self-confident trader that is on top of his game in terms of knowledge and experience does not need superstitions and rituals. Trading has nothing to do with luck. It’s all about observation, analyses and making the right call at the right time.
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