Interviewer: What should I do if I have a bad dream? 

MJ: Well, something I do that I was taught as a kid is to tell whatever is mothering me to running water.

Interviewer: Tell it to water? What do you mean?

MJ: Well, you find running water, which can be a river or more commonly a bathroom faucet. And you tell it all the bad thoughts that are bothering you. The water will take the bad thoughts with it, and the bad dreams should stop. I promise you this works. I’ve been doing this my whole life, and I’ve never had trouble sleeping. 

Interviewer: I’ll be sure to try this next time I’m feeling anxious about something.

Context:

The conversation is between me and my grandma. She inherited many such beliefs and practices from her mother, who was Polish. This conversation happened during our weekly phone call. 

Analysis:

This is an example of folk belief because it assumes that anxious thoughts can be transferred, in this case to water, through a symbolic action. The water removes bad thoughts through transference. This practice can be described as apotropaic; it is meant to ward off fear and negative energy. We can choose to disregard this practice as outdated or see it as an analog to therapy of the past. Talking about the problems that are bothering us, even to the water, helps us suppress the immediate alarm system, work through them, and find solutions we wouldn’t otherwise have found.