At almost every stage of human history, man has looked for the assistance of magic objects called talismans to defy evil forces. So what does the evil eye mean? Talismans with letters, numbers or abstract signs have survived to this day. Even the modern religions with a single god have their own evil eye symbols. One of these symbols we find in almost every culture and faith for thousands of years… It’s the figure of eye…Belief in the evil eye is strongest in the Middle East, East and West Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and Europe, especially the Mediterranean region. The evil eye is a curse believed to be cast by a malevolent glare, which is usually directed towards a person who is unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause one misfortune or injury. Talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called “evil eyes”.

The evil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. Matiasma, malocchio, mal de ojo, buri nazar. Greek, Italian, Spanish and Hindi manifestations of the same thing: the evil eye. Legend has it that the evil eye can be cast on a person to make him sick or cause harm to the person just by looking at him with envy or jealousy.

The evil eye stares back at the world to ward off evil spirits and keep you safe from harm. The evil eye still has powerful influence in modern life, pop culture, and jewelry and design. People attach evil eyes on and around things they want to protect.

Christians make the cross sign with their hand, pointing the index finger and the small finger towards the supposed victim of the evil eye. Muslims, while appreciating beauty, precede their compliment by ‘masha-allah’, which means that ‘God willed it’ and therefore, it is indestructible. Evil eye Jewish beliefs hold that a man casting evil eye will feel distressed on seeing others prosper and rejoice when they suffer. Such a person is dangerous to the moral purity of the Jewish community. Wearing red strings to ward off evil eye is suggested. Hinduism: Aarti, a traditional ritual, involves moving the plate with the holy flame in circular motion around the person who needs to be protected from the evil eye. For vehicles and shops, lemons and chillies are hung to ward off evil eye.

Legend has it that the evil eye can be cast on a person to make him sick or cause harm to the person just by looking at him with envy or jealousy. This belief was and still is very predominate in the Mediterranean nations and in some parts of South America. With the belief came amulets and charms to protect the wearer against the evil eye. One of the most popular amulets is the blue glass eye charm. However, ironically the Greeks believe that it is blue eyed-people who are considered most likely to cast the evil eye. The amulet is believed to `mirror back? the blue of the evil eye and thus `mystify? it. The eye necklaces are extremely popular and more so it has become a fashion statement these days to flash them in a multitude of colours. The evil eye jewelry trend has been embraced by many celebrities. When someone is wearing evil eye jewelry, it’s thought to ward off negativity and bring good luck.

In its simplest form the symbol for Hamsa is the hand. It is talismanic symbol that they believed would protect them from harm against the evil forces and bring them goodness, abundance, fertility, luck and good health. Hamsa is an icon used by man as a defence, in his struggle against the forces of evil. Many early cultures adopted the eye as an icon for their protection, others used Hamsa and so over time the most popular universal symbol became an eye placed in the palm of a hand. Hamsa hand bracelet or hand of fatima necklace is worn by people who have the faith in a “Supreme Power” and find themselves at a cross-road in life. They could follow different religions; some of them could be Jewish, Muslim others could be advocates of Christianity or Buddhism. Irrespective of their religious beliefs, they would find themselves in a common ground as far as having faith in a Higher Power is concerned. The amulet consists of five spread fingers, often with an eye on the hand.

In Italy, the evil eye is said to affect men as well as children, nursing mothers, fruit trees, and dairy animals.Typical protective aversions of this problem include making the gestures called the mano fico (“fig hand”) and the mano cornuto (“horned hand”).

Mano cornuto is a gesture in which the middle and ring fingers are held down by the thumb and the index and little fingers are extended outward like horns.

Mano fico is a hand gesture in which the thumb is inserted between the index and middle finger. It means literally means “fig hand” in Italian, but “fica” or fig is a common slang term for the female genitals, so the mano fico is a representation of the sex act (with the thumb as phallus).

Among the ancient Egyptians the eye of the god Horus, called the wadjet or udjat eye, was worn for magical protection.

In the Ukraine, melted wax may be dripped into holy water to diagnose spiritual diseases. If it splatters or sticks to the side of the bowl, the patient is suffering from the evil eye. Secret prayers known only to women are recited and the holy water is used to bathe the victim. The wax is reheated and this time when it is poured into the water, it sinks to the bottom in a solid lump, indicating that a cure has taken place.

In Greece, Mexico, and other places, holy water is given to the child to drink and/or drawn on the child in the form of a cross. If the remorseful perpetrator can be made to spit into the water before the child drinks it, so much the better. In order to avoid direct accusations of having caused such a calamity, a family member may stand outside the church when the supposed perpetrator attends and ask all who pass by to spit into a cup of holy water, thus embarrassing no one.

In Italy, diagnosis is made by dripping olive oil into a basin of water, a drop at a time, while reciting secret prayers, passed only among females in a family. If the drops run together in the form of an eye, the evil eye is the cause of the illness. The cure consists of reciting prayers while dripping oil into the basin of water again and again — sometimes for hours — until a perfect array of oil forms that does not resemble an eye.

In Mexico, both diagnosis and cure are often accomplished with whole uncooked hen’s eggs. An egg is rolled across the child’s body or placed beneath the bed and then cracked open. If it is “hard” or “looks like an eye” then the evil eye has caused the child’s illness.

People believed that the doorways and windows of buildings were particularly vulnerable to the entry or passage of evil. On churches and castles, gargoyles or other grotesque faces and figures such as sheela na gigs and Hunky Punks were carved to frighten away witches and other malign influences. Figures may also have been carved at fireplaces or chimneys; in some cases, simple geometric or letter carvings were used for these. When a wooden post was used to support a chimney opening, this was often an easier material for amateur carving. To discourage witchcraft, rowan wood may have been chosen for the post or mantel.

Similarly the grotesque faces carved into pumpkin lanterns (and their earlier counterparts, made from turnips, swedes or beets) at Halloween are meant to avert evil: this season was Samhain, the Celtic new year. As a “time between times”, it was believed to be a period when souls of the dead and other dangerous spirits walked the earth. Many European peoples had such associations with the period following the harvest in the fall.

Mirrors and other shiny objects were believed to deflect the evil eye.

“Witch balls” are shiny blown glass ornaments, like Christmas baubles, that were hung in windows.

In Western culture, a horseshoe was often nailed up over, or close by, doorways, normally with the ends pointing upwards; it is said to collect good luck, or to stop the luck from falling out.

In Ireland, St Brigid’s crosses, woven from rush, were kept indoors (in houses and animal houses) to keep away illness for the year. In some Native American cultures, a dreamcatcher made of yarn like a web is placed above a bed or sleeping area to protect sleeping children from nightmares.

Using crystals………..

Tiger’s Eye neutralises the evil eye and shields manipulative energy as well as disarms.

Lapis Lazuli absorbs, filters and breaks up negative psychis energies.

You could set some Clear Quartz Clusters, programmed for protection, in strategic locations around the house, known as a protective grid. Clear Quartz is a powerful crystal that can amplify intentions and raise energy to the highest levels. Clear Quartz can act as an energetic cleanser and is known as the “master healer” of the mineral kingdom. One Clear Quartz Cluster could be placed near the front door, and maybe one near the back. Some people place crystals at the corners of the house

Another crystal to consider is Amethyst, for its highly spiritual vibration and its strong protective energies. Amethyst would help in blocking negative energies from your environment. Amethyst is not only protective, but it also carries a powerful spiritual vibration. Amethyst could be used in singular or cluster form, making it good for gridding the home like Quartz. In gridding your home, you could alternate Clear Quartz with Amethyst Clusters, for the largest output of protective energies.

Selenite is believed to evoke protection from the angelic realm. Selenite is often used during healing sessions for comfort and is another great crystal for use in grids. Selenite carries a peaceful vibration and can help to create an environment free of unhealthy negative vibrations.

Hematite is good for grounding and general protection.

Black is a color that absorbs. That is the reason why black stones are good at protecting us from negativity and electro-magnetic fields. It absorbs the bad that our bodies would normally take in and then it either dissolves or releases it.