Have you heard of this before? Can someone explain this to me? I don't quite understand the concept. To me, it sounds like a delusional disorder.
I have heard someone say, "He gave me the evil eye." which means a dirty look. I looked it up on wiki and it seems to be a powerful look that can cause harm. Do people really believe there is power in a look? If people believe this- where exactly do they think the power to have an "evil eye" comes from? ****************************************************** 04-07-06, 07:01 AM Sherasi Clare, this is an interesting topic. I know that the concept has been around for centuries and in places that superstitions are beleive, it still does exist. I found this information:
quote: Why we wear evil eye or protective jewelry.
Some History of the Evil Eye Taken from Encyclopedia Brittanica
Evil eye A glance believed to have the ability to cause injury or death to those on whom it falls; children and animals are thought to be particularly susceptible. Belief in the evil eye is ancient and ubiquitous: it occurred in ancient Greece and Rome; is found in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions and in folk cultures and preliterate societies; and has persisted throughout the world into modern times. In many traditions strangers, malformed individuals, and old women are most often accused of casting the evil eye.
The power of the evil eye is sometimes held to be involuntary; a Slavic folktale, for example, relates the story of a father afflicted with the evil eye who blinded himself in order to avoid injuring his own children. More frequently, however, malice toward and envy of prosperity and beauty are thought to be the cause. Thus, in medieval Europe--and in popular superstition today--it was considered unlucky to be praised or to have one's possessions praised, so that some qualifying phrase such as "as God will" or "God bless it" was commonly used.
Measures taken to ward off the evil eye may vary among cultures. For example, some authorities suggest that the purpose of ritual cross-dressing--a practice that has been noted in the marriage ceremonies of parts of India--is to avert the evil eye. Asian children sometimes have their faces blackened, especially near the eyes, for protection. Among some Asian and African peoples the evil eye is particularly dreaded while eating and drinking, because the soul is thought to be more vulnerable when the mouth is open; thus; the ingestion of substances is either a solitary activity or takes place only with the immediate family and behind locked doors. Other means of protection, common to many traditions, include the wearing of sacred texts, amulets, charms, and talismans (which may also be hung upon animals for their protection); certain gestures; and the display of ritual drawings or objects.
The existence of a demonic kingdom was accepted by the rabbis without question. Evil spirits are invisible and fill the nether world. They avoid sunlight and concentrate in waters and deserted places. They also mingle with people, trouble them, and help them. They have passions and are born and die like people. However, they also have some of the traits and powers of angels. The evil eye was considered as dangerous as evil spirits. It was thought that for mysterious reasons some people have the power to injure others by looking at them and that it is generally jealousy that triggers this effect. The rabbis, however, repeatedly emphasized that all of these strange powers are under the divine government and, moreover, that they cannot hurt the pious.
The Hand of Fatima is supposed to ward off the evil eye. I've seen his before but never knew what it meant. --->
What are some members views on the evil eye? Any thoughts?
04-07-06, 09:10 AM Georgia85 I know Turks still have a very strong belief regarding the Evil Eye. In fact, a lot of their china ware is decorated with the evil eye design and they have devised the Evil Eye Pendant to guard themselves from such not-so-well-meaning people with their necessarily evil eyes. These pendants are sold everywhere in Turkey. My upstair's neighbor is Turkish and his apartment is full of decor with the emblem on it.
Below are some of their beliefs that I copied from turkeyforyou.com The Evil Eye belief says that when someone eyes your good fortune with jealousy or gluttony, bad luck in some form is bound to befall you. It is also widely held that any accolade or praise, however well meaning it may be, is always tinged with a wee bit of greed and spite.
The Turkish people believe that there are basically three kinds of evil looks: the first is the unconscious evil eye, which causes harm unintentionally. The second kind of evil eye causes harm with intent and deliberation, while the third kind of evil eye, which is believed to be the most potent kind, is the invisible eye.
The belief in the ability of desirous eyes to cause harm is omnipresent in the Turkish social strata and even extends its sway on people with colored eyes. The Turks believe that people with eyes in an unusual color are wicked, do not desire the good of others and hence seek their harm and misery.
The Turks are especially circumspect of people with blue eyes. They believe that blue-eyed people, however enchanting and attractive their eyes may look, essentially harbor negative feelings about others and when this negative energy gets transmitted to others, much harm and distress is caused.
04-07-06, 09:16 AM clarebear I gave my ex husband the evil eye many times. It didn't work! My powers aren't very good. LOL
Maybe one must have the "power" to give an evil eye and not the belief in its power. Based on your post- Turks can give and receive the evil eye. Is that right?
04-07-06, 10:11 AM Georgia85 Yes. They believe that men have the power to curse others by giving them the "evil eye." They believe that one is protected against such a curse by wearing blue beads, or the blue evil eye pendants which the evil eye cannot face.
04-07-06, 10:11 AM DorianGreyed Many of the old-country born people (Eastern European) I knew as a child believed in, or at least spoke of, the Evil Eye. One way to avoid it, according to Hungarian belief, is to use a specific hand gesture. (No, not that one. Roll Eyes But I think it does have that meaning in Greece.) The little and index finger of the right hand are extended, with the other fingers and thumb curled into the palm. The extended fingers are then pointed at the possessor and wiggled or moved from side-to-side. Often, some type of short prayer is spoken. Spitting into the shadow of the one with the Eye also helps. (This last one may be Rom rather than Hungarian, or both.)
The mama look down and spit on the ground Every time my name gets mentioned - Paul Simon, "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard"
04-07-06, 11:10 AM juanruiz
quote: The little and index finger of the right hand are extended, with the other fingers and thumb curled into the palm. The extended fingers are then pointed at the possessor and wiggled or moved from side-to-side.
This is symbolic of the devil's horns.
04-07-06, 01:48 PM Professor Yet another take on it from Skeptic.com: Evil Eye .
quote: The superstitious belief in the evil eye is ancient and widespread, though certainly not universal. It is thought to have originated in Sumeria. Its origins are obscure but the belief may have its roots in fear of strangers or other social concerns and simple post hoc reasoning, e.g., praise is given or a stranger passes and later a child is sick or the crops fail. Various rituals have developed to counteract the effects of the evil eye, such as defusing the praise, putting spit or dirt on a child who is praised, averting the gaze of strangers, reciting some verses from the Bible or the Koran, etc.
The belief is especially prevalent today in the Mediterranean and Aegean, where apotropaic amulets and talismans are commonly sold as protection against the evil eye. Some folklorists believe that the evil eye belief is rooted in primate biology (dominance and submission are shown by gazing and averting the gaze) and relates to our dislike of staring.
Reminds me of "the ray" that Benny Goodman, who as a bandleader was a perfectionist and strict disciplinarian, was said to use on members of his band when they made mistakes. Musicians were known to have quit the band because of the ray. Documented in Ken Burns's Jazz.
04-07-06, 01:50 PM babthrower Seems the belief is very ancient and found throughout Europe and beyond. It's in the O.T. It may have originated in ancient Sumer.
"The evil eye is the name for a sickness transmitted -- usually without intention -- by someone who is envious, jealous, or covetous. It is also called the ... envious eye. In Hebrew it is ayin ha'ra (the evil eye), which in Yiddish is variously spelled ayin horoh, ayin hora, or ayen hara. In mainland Italian it is mal occhio (the bad eye) and in Spanish mal ojo or el ojo (the bad eye or just the eye). In Sicily it is jettatore (the projection [from the eye]). KLIK
The belief extends eastward to India, westward to Spain and Portugal, northward to Scandinavia and Britain, and southward into North Africa.
It's not found in China, Korea, Burma, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Sumatra, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Japan, Australia (aborigine), New Zealand (aborigine), North America (native), South America (native), or any of Africa south of the Sahara.
Believers say it can cause sudden vomiting or diarrhoea in children, drying up of milk in nursing mothers or livestock, withering of fruit on orchard trees, and loss of potency in men.
(Added later: Sorry, Prof, I didn't see your post.)
The article says that it's not found in China but they did have a belief that you should not praise a child loudly enough for the spirits to hear, or they will become jealous and steal or harm it.
04-07-06, 03:57 PM Sherasi I know that some cultures did not name their children their 'adult' name until they were past an age that spirits would try to damage or hurt a child. The child was named an insulting name or a lowly name such as the name of a weed so that it wouldn't excite the spirits interest in the child.
04-07-06, 05:48 PM honilov Isn't that the eye that's on the dollar bill? No wonder the ole saying is that money is the root of all evil.
04-07-06, 06:44 PM aminator2002 The blue glass with the eye symbol on it is virtually everywhere in Turkey. It's sold in just about every store and comes in all shapes and sizes. Every store you go into will have one hanging somewhere.
My understanding of how most Turks think of it is more like how we would explain putting a horseshoe over the door. The evil eye token keeps evil spirits away from a place and the occupants. It's not really the equivilent of a good luck charm but very close.
It's not the same as the eye on the dollar bill.
04-07-06, 07:31 PM clarebear
quote: Isn't that the eye that's on the dollar bill? No wonder the ole saying is that money is the root of all evil.
Thats an entire different story Honi. It is linked to the Free Masons. (The all seeing eye)
04-07-06, 08:01 PM DorianGreyed Regarding the eye on the Great Seal of the United States -
from Wikipedia -
In 1782 the Eye of Providence was adopted as part of the symbolism on the reverse side of the Great Seal of the United States. The Eye was introduced by the original design committee of 1776, and is thought to be the suggestion of the artistic consultant, Pierre Eugene du Simitiere.
On the seal, the Eye is surrounded by the words Annuit Cœptis, meaning "It [the Eye of Providence] is favorable to our undertakings". The Eye is positioned above an unfinished pyramid with thirteen steps, representing the original thirteen states and the future growth of the country. The combined implication is that the Eye, or God, favors the prosperity of the United States.
The Great Seal is used to endorse official United States documents. As such, it is reproduced, along with the Eye of Providence, on the back of every one dollar bill.
It is a popular urban legend or conspiracy theory that the Eye of Providence and unfinished pyramid show the influence of Freemasonry in the founding of the United States. This was recently dramatised in the Disney film National Treasure.
Among the original design committee for the Great Seal of the United States, only Benjamin Franklin was a Mason, but his ideas were not adopted by the committee and he may not even have been aware of it. Many masonic organisations have denied any special connection. -------- The Straight Dope says that
Due to incomplete records, nobody knows exactly how many of the founding fathers were Masons. But there were quite a few, including George Washington, Ben Franklin, and possibly Thomas Jefferson. Franklin and Jefferson were on the committee assigned to design the great seal. -------- TruthorFiction.com says
eRumor: Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, and ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.
The Truth: Although Franklin's committee did not suggest a pyramid, it did originate the suggestion of the eye. The term "the all-seeing eye" is never used in describing it. The Franklin committee wanted the seal to include a reflection of divine providence and discussed a variety of themes including the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. Some have suggested that the pyramid and the eye are the result of Masonic influence, but the only member of the original committee who was a Mason was Franklin and this committee's design was rejected by congress. None of the final designers of the seal was a Mason. The eye as representing "the eye of providence" has a long history. It's more likely that both the designers of the Great Seal and the Masons both drew from that history. The use of "the all seeing eye" as uniquely Masonic first appeared in 1797, nearly 15 years after the adoption of the symbolism by Congress. -------- It only makes sense that, since the Masons started using the eye symbol after it was put on the Great Seal, that the eye on the Great Seal isn't related to anything Masonic. -------- from the US Treasury Department -
The eye and the pyramid shown on the reverse side of the one-dollar bill are in the Great Seal of the United States. The Great Seal was first used on the reverse of the one-dollar Federal Reserve note in 1935. The Department of State is the official keeper of the Seal. They believe that the most accurate explanation of a pyramid on the Great Seal is that it symbolizes strength and durability. The unfinished pyramid means that the United States will always grow, improve and build. In addition, the "All-Seeing Eye" located above the pyramid suggests the importance of divine guidance in favor of the American cause. The inscription ANNUIT COEPTIS translates as "He (God) has favored our undertakings," and refers to the many instances of Divine Providence during our Government's formation. In addition, the inscription NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM translates as "A new order of the ages," and signifies a new American era.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed, 04-07-06 08:33 PM
04-07-06, 11:40 PM Sarai Here in Mexico, I've never heard anyone talk about the "mal ojo," but a lot of people have a mirror hung up so that it is the first thing you see when you walk in the door. My sister in law said that it is tradition to do so, so that when people first walk in the house, if they feel any envy the first thing they will lay eyes on is themselves, which will deflect the bad luck of their envy back on themselves. I liked the superstition, so I've hung a large mirror there, too. Another thing that people here do is to deflect a compliment about things by saying "a sus ordenes" (literally "at your orders," but I'd translate it more along the lines of "feel free to use it whenever you want" - but I'm lousy at translation so maybe Juan will give a better one). I wonder if this custom started out of the "evil eye" idea, as well?
Interesting! I love superstitions like this. The good ones are so meaty.
04-08-06, 05:09 AM tsaeb
quote: Originally posted by juanruiz:
quote: The little and index finger of the right hand are extended, with the other fingers and thumb curled into the palm. The extended fingers are then pointed at the possessor and wiggled or moved from side-to-side.
This is symbolic of the devil's horns.
Next time, remove the devil's horns' curse. Make a fist, poking your thumb up in the air between the forefinger and middle finger. Then, point the tip of the thumb over your shoulder in a curved motion. It must be a way of saying, "Get thee behind me, Satan."
04-08-06, 05:13 AM tsaeb I get those "Go die" looks from time to time. When I am in a playful mood, I mumble to myself, "You first." However, I should behave myself, because I once prayed with strong faith that whoever says or otherwise does wrong to me or about me--that all these actions will turn into blessings for me. It seems to work, especially in the religion forums. Razz
04-08-06, 08:18 AM juanruiz
quote: Here in Mexico, I've never heard anyone talk about the "mal ojo,"
It may have never caught on or fallen out of use. There exists a Spanish verb "aojear" 'to bewitch.' Your translation is fine...similar to "help yourself."
04-08-06, 08:22 AM clarebear Of the fifty-five members of the Constitutional Convention, all but five were Masons.
The All Seeing Eye is one of the most important and spiritual Masonic symbols, and the distinguished Freemason George Washington, first President of the United States of America, wore it emblazoned boldly on his Masonic apron.
The Discovery Chanel had a documentary that believed the eye on the dollar was a Mason symbol. I think I still have a copy of it somewhere. Source
04-08-06, 11:54 AM DorianGreyedClare the site you link to says that
But Wallace, according to his official biography at the biographical Directory of the United States Congress, says that he was the Secretary of Agriculture from 1933 until 1940. He would have nothing to do with the design of money, which is a Treasury Department function.
This doesn't mean that the site is wrong about any connection between the Masons and the appearance of the Eye in the Great Seal of the Unoted States, but it does cast doubt on the site's accuracy. One of the sources used on the page linked to is "Picknett, L. & Prince, C., 2000. The Stargate Conspiracy: The Truth About Extraterrestrial Life and the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt New York, USA: Berkley Publishing Group", which further casts doubt on the site's credibility. When you add those two facts about the source to the fact that the "use of "the all seeing eye" as uniquely Masonic first appeared in 1797, nearly 15 years after the adoption of the symbolism by Congress", it seems unlikely that the symbol came to be on the Great Seal because it was connected with the Masons.
I like a good conspiracy as much as the next person, but this one I don't buy.
04-08-06, 01:27 PM clarebear Dorian
It was the History Channel that had the documentary. The freemasons show the eye symbol on many of their buildings. I have the DVD somewhere. If I find it, I will send it to you. This is not in anyway the "evil" eye which is the topic of this thread.
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