You’ve just arrived at work, decked out in your best outfit, sipping your coffee, when all of a sudden you trip, spilling it all over yourself. You brush yourself off, look around, only to find that annoying coworker glaring at you. You smile, laugh it off, make a self-deprecating comment. But you’re left feeling uneasy.
You’re on a date with your significant other, you’re having a great time, when things take a turn for the worse. You start arguing about something, it gets heated, the mood is soured. You notice a lonesome patron glancing at your table.
You’re pulling out in your shiny new car, when you accidentally scrape the bumper against a post. As you’re swearing to yourself, you find that annoying neighbour watching the whole thing with veiled satisfaction.
Do any of these scenarios sound vaguely familiar? Whether your answer is yes or no, pay attention to the subtle energetic shifts in your life.
As common and coincidental as these scenarios may seem, underneath, something mysterious is going on. Have you heard of the evil eye? Its story and origin? Can some invisible insidious force really affect our everyday reality?
I’ve long wondered about the evil eye, having been exposed to its lore since childhood. Spit over your shoulder three times, knock on wood, thumb on the forehead and snap your fingers. I thought it was kind of nutty and hilarious at the same time. I was really logical and the whole idea just did not make sense. How could something as simple and harmless as someone’s watchful eye affect another or cause misfortune?
Recently though, I was brought back to the observer effect from the quantum double slit experiment, which showed that the very existence of an observer could change the measured results of the experiment. To me, this means that the existence of an observer could affect reality. Other experiments such as Masaru Emoto’s water treated with intention and ice crystal formation as well as the concept of co-creating reality also help me wrap my mind around the idea of the evil eye.
What is the evil eye?
The evil eye refers to a belief in the existence of a curse brought about an evil, malevolent glare, often associated with envy. It is believed to cause misfortune, injury and even death. Children, pregnant women and animals are considered to be most susceptible. While it is often perceived to be of a malicious nature, one can also experience its effects from a more benign observer. It also refers to protective talismans used to ward off its effects. I speculate that the metaphysical reason for wearing the evil eye charm or other talismans is related to our vulnerability when we are oblivious or in an absentminded state. How open, receptive, or porous we are when just going about our business. As such, I speculate that the evil eye amulet is a representation of the third eye, it’s connection to intuition and seeing through the veil, and catching or deflecting the energy of that glare to protect us, especially while unaware.
History
Many cultures of the world have history and myth related to the evil eye. Some of the earliest archeological references date back about 5,000 years, as seen in texts found from Ancient Ugarit, in modern day Syria. The concept shows up prominently in the Mediterranean and West Asian region. While the earliest known iterations were made of clay or ceramic, the well-known blue glass beads of the nazar were popularized during the advent of glass bead production in the Mediterranean as early as 1500BC.
Greek classical antiquity writers from Plato to Plutarch, as well as Jewish Rabbinic literature mention the evil eye. The Ancient Greeks referred to the ophthalmòs báskanos. Heliodorus of Emesa captures the idea in the ancient Greek romance Aethiopica, in which he writes, “When any one looks at what is excellent with an envious eye he fills the surrounding atmosphere with a pernicious quality, and transmits his own envenomed exhalations into whatever is nearest to him.” Plutarch similarly refers to the evil eye’s poisonous nature in his Quaestiones Convivales, he writes:
…but as to the soul, which in some measure exerts the power of witchcraft, how can this give any disturbance by the eye? Sir, I replied, do not you consider, that the soul, when affected, works upon the body? Thoughts of love excite lust, and rage often blinds dogs as they fight with wild beasts. Sorrow, covetousness, or jealousy makes us change color, and destroys the habit of the body; and envy more than any passion, when fixed in the soul, fills the body full of ill humors, and makes it pale and ugly; which deformities good painters in their pictures of envy endeavor to represent. Now, when men thus perverted by envy fix their eyes upon another, and these, being nearest to the soul, easily draw the venom from it, and send out as it were poisoned darts, it is no wonder, in my mind, if he that is looked upon is hurt.
This topic captured the attention of the era’s prominent minds. Their contemplation of the nature of the evil eye and their belief in its power highlight its ever-present relevance and enduring influence on the human psyche.
The Romans, who arguably inherited these beliefs from the Greeks, used a fascinum, a phallic charm to repel the evil eye. Fascinum, from the Latin fascinate, meaning to cast a spell on, to bewitch.
They also used the cornicello, cimaruta, mano cornuta, and mano fiche. It was believed these charms, and the associated hand gestures, distracted the onlooker’s eye and served an apotropaic purpose.
Present day
Modern day Greeks and Italians still hold traditions and rituals for doing away with the evil eye. The Greek xematiasma, and its Italian equivalent, often involve examining drops of oil in water, spitting three times and reciting prayers. The Greek Orthodox Church even has a prayer in its Megan Hieron Synekdemon book of prayers to protect against the evil eye.
While the concept figures prominently in the Mediterranean, many cultures allude to its existence and their beliefs concerning warding off its effects.
In the Middle East, the ubiquitous Hamsa (aka Hand of Fatima, Hand of Mary or Hand of Miriam) is the amulet of choice. Rabbinical literature alludes to the evil eye a number of times throughout various stories. The use of protective talismans is technically discouraged, nevertheless, their presence is abundant. Aside from using the Hamsa, or a red string bracelet, as is often shown, some Jews will often also spit three times or say bli ayin hara to express that there is no evil eye or ill will behind their comment. Muslims base their belief in the evil eye on the Prophet Muhammad’s affirmation that it is real and capable of causing harm. While the use of protective talismans is also frowned upon, certain prayers, and incantations known as ruqyah are used to protect people from evil.
In India, it’s often referred to as buri nazar or drishti, for which various rituals are prescribed including cleansing oneself with dried hot peppers, peacock feathers, and what Sadhguru calls “fire wash”.
Hindu descendants in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana perform a similar ritual, jharay, which involves brushing the person’s body with peacock feathers or cocoyea broom. Another ritual, oucchay, uses a combination of ingredients - onion/garlic skin, salt, hot peppers, mustard seeds, cloves, cocoyea, a lock of the person’s hair - all wrapped in a paper and rotated over the person’s body while praying and then burned.
In Spain and its former colonies in Latin America, the belief in mal ojo is widespread. People traditionally use jet stones along with red coral beads on a pin or bracelet, ojitos de Santa Lucia, a red string bracelet, and often cleanse themselves with a raw egg to dispel the energies of the evil eye.
Takeaways
If you’ve been doing inner work for some time, looking at your shadow, saying your affirmations, doing your manifestation rituals and you still feel stuck or plagued by misfortune, examine the energetic root of things. Look at the people who you spend time with, whose energetic field you experience and interact with, willingly or not. Your energetic field becomes polluted or sapped through continuous exposure to dense energies such as the evil eye.
A distinction should also be made between evil eye based in envy, whether intentional or not, and malevolence. The word malevolence, comes from the Latin malevolentem, from male (“badly, wrongly”) + volens (“willing, wishing”), from velle (“to wish”). Being exposed, especially constantly, to someone who wishes us evil or harm, could amplify the curse of the evil eye. Depending on your level of consistence, and what you do to cleanse, purge, protect and fortify your energy field, it may mean having more or less resistance or susceptibility to the effects of this energy.
Ways to protect yourself
If you can’t avoid coming in contact with someone who you feel is sending your negative vibes or whose envious eye you feel subject to, try the following ways to protect yourself. After researching, some remedies stand out and are common to most cultures.
Amulets
Amulets and talismans are the most common and predominant form of protection. From the evil eye beads and talismans, the red string bracelet, to the Nazar, to the Hamsa, to the cornicello, these talismans are worn on the body or placed in a dwelling or vehicle. Once it breaks, it has served its purpose and must be discarded.
Spells or incantations
Spells and spoken words are also useful to protect yourself. An example can be “May all of the ill-will and envy that you send my way be reflected back to you” or “I am safe and shielded from all the malevolence and envy that you feel towards me”. You can use one from a tradition that appeals to you, or intuitively create one that works for your situation.
Gestures
A gesture can also be a powerful way to clear felt negative energies. There’s a video of Gal Gadot performing one such gesture during an interview on Good Morning America, as well as mentioning its significance relative to the evil eye in a separate video for Vanity Fair (minute 50).
Visualisations
Another way is to visualize and hold the image of a white light or protective bubble or a reflective shield encapsulating your whole being to repel the evil rays being emitted towards you.
Mirrors
Placing mirrors in the entryway of your home or in other strategic locations also serves to reflect the low energy and misfortune back to its source.
Burning incense
Burning incense and plant material like sage, bay leaves, mustard seed, cloves, camphor, hyssop, star anise to name a few, and passing the smoke over your body is a great way to dissipate the dense energies of the evil eye.
Lustral Baths
Lustral baths are good way of cleansing and fortifying your aura. These types of baths can include oils, salts and fresh plant matter or dry plant matter to make a tea bath.
Prayer
You can also use existing prayers from your religion or tradition, or make your own, speaking from the heart. You may ask to have the energy cleansed from your field and for protection against evil wishes. Intention and believing in your power is key when performing any cleansing or ritual.