Evil Eye 🧿

The evil eye is considered to be a deadly curse cast through the human eyes and the victim can be another human, plant, houses, animals, or any object. The curse is not entirely intentional rather it is a natural glare filled with negative energy in the form of jealousy. An evil eye can bring misfortune of any shape. Getting odd stares from random people is common and it might be trivial for many of us. But ancient cultures explain the seriousness of it. For example, in the The whole process is supernatural and to treat the evil eye, people have been using Evil Eye ornaments. The shape varies from culture to culture, but the eye remains the central feature of all the ornaments.

Origin of the Evil Eye

The evil eye belief dates back to 5000 BC in the Sumer civilization of the Euphrates valley where a stone tablet with a prayer carved on it was found by historians to ward off the evil eye. Some historians have found 10,000 years old cave drawings that were related to the evil eye. The amulets for the evil eyes are believed to originate from Syria around 3200 BC. The cultural or religious overlap of Syria and the cities around it helped in spreading the evil eye ornaments and soon, it became part of almost every region around it. This is why most of evil eye early history is linked to the Middle East. In ancient Egypt, people used to carry amulets having the eye of Horus along with them during their long journeys. It was believed to cast away the evil and keep them safe throughout the way. Blue color has been used in the ancient artifacts found in Egypt and it is linked with the Gods. This explains why most of the evil eye ornaments are blue.

Evil Eye in different cultures and countries

Due to diversity in beliefs, evil eye ornaments also show mixed variants with different meanings.

The evil eye exists in the Islamic faith, but the followers do not believe in any ornaments in seeking protection. The use of amulets is forbidden as supported by the majority of religious scholars and asking God for help is the only option. If someone believes that evil eye ornament will protect him from the curse, the act comes under shirk which is the greatest sin for a believer. Despite the religious rulings, we have Muslim majority countries like Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt. Iran, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq where the concept of the evil eye is quite popular among people. In Turkey, these ornaments are called Nazars which are made from blue glass with an eye in its center. Nazars are favorite souvenirs for the tourists.

In Islamic countries, it is advised to say MashaAllah (what God has willed) when you see something beautiful. MashaAllah lockets, amulets, and pendants are also common in the people. It is a prominent Islamic Ornament.

Whereas in the Middle East, the Hamsa which has Jewish origins, is seen hanging in many houses which is a palm-shaped evil eye ornament bringing good luck to the people and deflecting the evil eye. Hamsa is quite popular all over the world.

In European countries, like France, Germany, Italy, and Scotland, evil eyes are known by distinct names but the idea behind them is the same. All of these countries see it as an evil glare bound to cause chaos and certain ornaments can ward off the evil eye. Similarly, in Ethiopia, the evil eye is widely feared, and the locals use an evil eye ornament called Kitab; a beautiful-looking necklace to fight the evil gaze.

In America, the evil eye notion came through the immigrants mainly from Italy. As thousands of Jews also migrated to America, they brought their concept of the evil eye as well. In America, evil eye ornaments are linked with spirituality resulting in only a tiny number of people seeking real protection from it. They are often seen in spiritual healing centers and in yoga places. Although the idea of evil eyes is a little bit away from the original purpose, it remains one of the most selling ornaments in the country. 

Types of Evil Eyes

Many cultures and religions talk about the types of evil eyes and there are three types of it that are widely known among the people.

1. The unconscious one: This evil eye does harm, but the magnitude is small and most of the time, it does not make any difference. It is cast unintentionally, so there is no malice involved in it.

2. With intentions: The purpose of this evil eye is to cause damage and the caster does this on purpose. Sometimes, even the victim gets an idea of it which gets him time to ward it off. But the mode of damage is vague in this type.

3. The unseen: This is perhaps the most dangerous evil eye form. The caster has planned exactly what kind of harm is intended. It can range from disease, mental illness, genetic disorders in the generation, and even death! In Arab cultures, jinns can also cast an evil eye just like humans; so it also comes under the unseen category.

How do you know if your evil eye has protected you?

After talking to a Turkish friend, I came to know the main purpose of evil eye ornaments is to absorb the negative energy emitted from people. After reaching a certain threshold, the eye breaks and it shows you have been protected.

Evil Eye 🧿 in today’s world:

In 2020, a lot of companies and influential celebrities have been seen using evil eye jewelry and ornaments. The protective amulets have found their way into the fashion industry and people are buying it as a trend. Once you start to notice it, you will find it everywhere. Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik were found wearing evil eye bracelets after the news of Gigi’s pregnancy got leaked. Gigi believes it brings positive energy to the newborn. Similarly, Meghan Markle has started to wear an evil eye necklace after she and Harry stepped down as senior royals. She said it was to neutralize all the negative energy directed towards her. Many fashion brands like Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Chanel have shown their evil eye jewelry which refreshed the ancient tradition.