Birthmarks – Spiritual Meanings & Superstitions

Spiritual meaning of birthmarks, like angel kiss birthmark or apple shaped birthmark:

Hated, despised, and even feared in the dark times of the Middle Ages, birthmarks have been the source of many superstitions and fabulous myths.

Old sayings say they speak of the mother’s unfulfilled desires, but also about the child’s future.

Spaniards and Arabs believed birthmarks are lucky, and if you touch them, they will fulfill your desires.

On the other hand, in medieval France, people believed they were the signs of the devil, and the child touched by demons had to be exorcised.

The Arabs linked the baby’s birthmark to the moon phases or eclipses.

If the pregnant woman had touched a certain part of her body while she was looking at the eclipse, her child would have been marked for life.

From one culture to the other, strange signs appearing on the body of children, often ugly and fearful, have gained various and difficult to explain meanings.

Past Life Memories

In the Orient and in India, where belief in the soul’s journey from one life to another is a true religion, birthmarks have been linked to experiences from past lives.

Shapeless spots that are strongly colored were associated with past sins, which the soul must expiate in this life.

Superstitions say the marks may be scars of the body from the previous life, but also signs of great spiritual suffering.

Instead, beautiful moles, that give a special charm to facial features are signs of long life, prosperity, and happy marriage.

In Indian culture, women adorn their foreheads with fake moles of golden or henna dust.

Tips For Future Mothers

Superstitions related to birthmarks have been preserved for centuries, and have even been enriched in modern times with new symbols.

In Bulgaria, the warning was explicit: no stealing or touching the face, otherwise, the child will wear the mark of the stolen item on the face. The pregnant woman must look away if hump-backed or deformed people cross her path.

If the mother looks at that person’s physical flaw for too long, the baby will get an ugly mark on the body.

Also, it wasn’t recommended to take a bite from someone’s apple either since it may cause a birthmark in the shape of a bite on the child’s face.

In the West, it is believed that babies get café au lait spots on their faces because their mothers consumed too much coffee or chocolate during pregnancy.

In German folklore, there is a belief that all pregnant women should take into account: no matter how much they crave fruit or something sweet, they mustn’t steal it, otherwise, their children will be wrongly “marked.”

Good and Bad Predictions

The East is the source of “new” superstitions that have spread in other parts of the world.

They are related to the hidden messages carried by birthmarks.

It is said that the spots on the left side of the body speak of a changing destiny, with many chances and material gains, but also with soul loss.

In contrast, the marks on the right side of the body speak of a quiet and lucky life, with great achievements later in life.

Regardless of the birthmarks’ significance described in folklore, specialists claim that birthmarks are linked neither to the destiny of the child nor the mother’s desires.

In very rare cases, they may be the sign of a tumor, but most often, they are just intensely pigmented areas or clustered blood vessels that have not developed normally.

Types of Birthmarks

Birthmarks are harmless and can rarely signal danger to the child’s health.

They occur frequently, with over 80% of babies being born with particular marks on the body, but most disappear in the first year of life.

Each mark has a unique shape, and the color can vary from pink to crimson and brown.

The “stork bite” appears on the neck and has pink or purple hues. Usually, this type of mark stays for life.

Angel Kiss

“Angel kiss” is a purple or red spot on the baby’s face, commonly found on the cheeks, forehead, or eyelids. They disappear until the child reaches age 3. Angel Kisses may become darker when the child cries. They don’t cause pain or itching. There are some beliefs that Angel Kiss is a gift from heavenly powers.

Many parents keep using the old name long after the mark has faded, and I understand why. If your child has one, you’re free to hold it as a small sign of blessing that was there from the very start.

Café au lait spots can appear anywhere on the body, but they fade with age. They are light brown in color, however, café au lait spots can darken with sun exposure.

Port-wine stains often appear on the head and upper body, on the arms, or on the back. These types of birthmarks rarely disappear over time; most of them become bigger and their color intensifies with age.

Hemangiomas are vascularized excrescences, which increase in the first years of life but withdraw in most cases. Rarely, surgery is required for their removal.

Animal Shapes

Animal-shaped birthmarks may indicate a special connection with the animal kingdom.

The most common marks resemble snakes, cats, rabbits, or birds.

Other birthmarks may resemble an animal’s paw, a feather, or even wings.

Each of these indicates a certain connection with the spirituality of that animal.

Scripture uses animals as teachers: the ant in Proverbs 6:6, the sparrows Jesus points to in Matthew 10:29-31. If your mark looks like a creature, ask yourself what that creature does well.

Other Meanings Of Birthmarks Depending On Their Location:

Toes

passion for travel (men), determination (women)

Your toes are the first part of you to step onto new ground, so it makes sense that old lore tied them to roads and resolve. Where do you keep wanting to go?

Legs

fear of making decisions (both sexes)

Your legs carry you toward every choice, and that’s where the link to hesitation comes from. I see it more kindly: you like to be sure before you move, and careful people make fewer messes.

In the middle of the forehead

attractive and courteous

The centre of the forehead gets the most flattering meaning of all, with charm and good manners side by side. Notice how often people relax around you.

The left side of the forehead

wasteful

A mark on the left can also point you toward the places where your money and attention slip away, with no guilt attached.

The right side of the forehead

extremely intelligent

Old readers gave the right side of the brow to the thinker, the person who weighs things before speaking. If that’s you, I’d only add that a quick mind does its best work when it stays kind.

Note – the holder of a birthmark on the forehead can become a great statesman, a wise politician, reformer, and diplomat. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev had such a birthmark, and his actions speak for themselves and have made him famous worldwide.

Hips

great health and happiness (both sexes)

Your hips keep you steady every time you stand or carry something heavy.

Shoulders

left – financial crises; right – good fate (both sexes)

READ MORE: Shoulder Pain Spiritual Meaning

Near the lips

prosperity and happiness

Your lips are where words of blessing leave you. Which words would you like people to remember you for?

On the back

honesty (both sexes)

You can’t see your own back, and a mark there came to describe someone with nothing to hide. Honesty can cost you now and then, so be kind to yourself when it does.

Neck

Difficult romantic relationships

Your neck turns your head toward someone or away from them. Hard love can still be good love. It just asks for more honesty and more patience than the easy kind.

Left cheek

financial losses and difficulties

You can treat the warning as a sign to plan carefully and ask for help early, without fear.

Right cheek

happy marriage

Fingers

fear of being under control (both sexes)

Fingers grip and hold on, which is why a mark here came to mean a dislike of being held. You’ll know if it fits: you notice fast when someone tries to steer you.

Chin

professionally successful

We lift our chin when we’re determined, and old lore linked a mark there with success at work. Before you chase it, ask what success would actually look like for you.

Arms

independence (women); family (men)

Arms reach out and hug, so the meaning here splits between independence and family. Plenty of people feel both pulls at once, and the mark can be your sign to make room for each.

In the middle of the chest

poverty and misfortune

Under the left breast

successes in everything you do, a great sense of humor (both sexes)

A mark close to the heart paired with laughter is a lovely reading to inherit. Joy and good work tend to travel together and you might notice which one shows up first for you.

Under the right breast

good fate (both sexes)

The jawline

erratic lifestyle, health problems (both sexes)

Nose

creative thinking, unpredictable characteristics (both sexes)

Your nose sits in the centre of your face, and a mark there was taken as the sign of an original mind. People won’t always guess your next move and that’s part of your charm.

Abdomen

greed and selfishness (both sexes)

If you’re a believer, I think the best place to bring a birthmark is Psalm 139.

David is speaking to God there, amazed that he’s known completely, from his thoughts before he says them to the way he was formed in his mother’s womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psalm 139:14, KJV

The psalm says nothing about birthmarks, and I’d be wary of anyone who claims it does.

What it says is bigger.

Every mark on your skin was there while God was forming you, and none of it surprised Him. So whatever the old sayings attach to your cheek or your shoulder, they don’t get the last word over a life He knew before your first day.

A short prayer, if you’d like one:

Lord, You knew me before anyone saw my face. Thank You for this body, marks and all. Where old sayings have planted fear in me, plant trust instead. Help me read my life by Your word and live it with a grateful heart. Amen.

The next time you notice your mark, what would change if you saw it as part of His handiwork?

Images credit – Shutterstock & Getty Images

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References

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/birthmarks/
https://www.aad.org/public/kids/skin/birthmarks/different-kinds-of-birthmarks