Everyone has heard of the evil eye at one time or another in their lives. If you are a person who believes in superstitions and omens, then you probably shiver at the idea of someone giving you the evil eye, and picture a little old Italian woman who is angry and seeking revenge. Have you ever wondered exactly what the evil eye is or where it came from? Keep on reading for a look into theeye of evil.
The evil eye in many cultures is defined as a look that curses a person; it is a look that is intended to do someone harm or cause them to have extreme bad luck. The look is usually given out of hatred, envy, or sometimes greed. The evil eye is sometimes said to be given to people with great power, like witches, and the receiver of the evil look never knows that they have been given the evil stare. The receiver just suddenly has bad luck or comes to harm in a multitude of ways.
The very idea of the term causes many cultures to seek ways to protect against it. The eye is even mentioned several times throughout the Old Testament in the bible. In some countries such as Turkey and Afghanistan it is common to see the eye in charms, necklaces, and bracelets. It is so widely exploited that it is a very popular item with tourists.
In many cultures it is believed that the people most cursed with the evil eye are young children and babies. They are the ones who are most often talked to and commented on by women who can have no children and strangers. This theory goes back to the envy part of the evil eye.
In some beliefs, however it is believed that a person can unintentionally harm a person, animal or anything else just by looking at them for too long of a period. The history of the evil eye is varied and ranges from authors works from Plato to Heisod. What all of the books have in common is the fact that the evil eye can be used to bring someone else harm or misfortune.
The firm belief in the evil eye has brought about a ton of talismans and other charms that are said to ward off the evil that comes with this evil stare. However, how can you ward off something that you don't know about? The answer to this is to wear your talisman at all times…just in case.
Like every other superstition, myth, and folktale, some people believe in the evil eye curse and others think it is pure hogwash. Whether you choose to believe or not, the curse of the evil eye has taken on a life of its own and spread from the Middle East to the United States and beyond. If you are unsure as to whether the eye of evil is real, then it may be better to be safe than sorry... don't you think?