The Evil Eye Spilling coffee, losing your wallet, getting into a car accident; to most Western cultures these are all brushed off as moments of misfortune, but to many others, these moments are seen as a result of a curse,“the evil eye”. The evil eye is believed to be cast by a glare, usually given to a person who’s completely unaware. According to a 1976 cross-cultural survey conducted by folklorist John Roberts, 36% of cultures believe in the evil eye, and as a result of this belief they have certain methods to ward off the negative energy the evil eye delivers (Radford, 1). Where in the past psychics, medicine doctors, and witchcraft may have been involved, modern times rely on burning herbs or on hanging evil eye amulets. From an ethnocentric …show more content…
perspective, the evil eye amulet may merely be an aesthetically pleasing decoration, but looking at this blue and white symbol from an emic point of view reveals a rich history of almost 5,000 years (Loewenthal, 27). The first documented mention of evil eye talismans was by the Mesopotamians in cuneiform on clay (28) ; it has also been mentioned in ancient Greek texts, the Bible and the Qu’ran, just to name a few. The belief in the evil eye is believed to have been spread through the culture contact that occurred when the Empire of Alexander the Great moved towards the East, expanding this and other Greek ideas across his empire (Herzfeld, 561). Today, the belief in the evil eye is strongest in the Middle East, parts of Africa, South Asia, and Europe, especially the Mediterranean region (563). Due to this belief, it’s in these parts of the world where evil eye amulets are most often found. The evil eye amulets are most commonly seen with a deep blue base, a white ring, followed by a lighter blue ring, and a black dot in the center, resembling an eye ball. According to Leyla Fathi, a woman of Persian decent and an owner of multiple evil eye amulets, the blue colors symbolize “purity” and a “godliness” that is a factor in protecting the owner (Fathi). Although other sources state that the color blue was chosen because those “with blue eyes or teeth wide apart” were to be most feared for curse purposes (Burne, 202). In Jewish communities, one may come across the amulets in red as well, which is associated with luck and good fortune (202). Leyla spoke of the amulets stating, “They’re everywhere in Iran; on keychains, above doors, on jewelry, or in cars,” she fiddled with an amulet in her hands, “This one used to hang in my mother’s room” (Fathi). The amulets are believed to reflect any bad intent onto the onlooker and provide the holders with a sense of security. Many people are familiar with the phrase: “The eyes are the windows to the soul,” and with this in mind, it is in the eyes that emotions are most easily read.
The emotion of envy is the root of the evil eye and the rituals meant to divert it. “A beautiful child, a valuable horse, or even a tree” is often adorned by the talismans. (Qureshi, 320) According to American ethnologist, Michael Herzfeld, “the casting of the evil eye is as involuntary as it is continual” (Herzfeld, 570). This means that everyone is capable of giving an evil eye, many times subconsciously, and this is why for many cultures, guards must consistently be up. Due to the spread of people and cultures, the concept of the evil eye has bled into modern American culture as well. Although not taken as literally as other places of the world, phrases like giving a “stink eye” or glaring with anger or disgust is universally understood. Where dialect may differ, body language and the eyes are capable of communicating thoughts and intentions. Overall, when something is nonchalantly labeled as “decorative” or may only be seen through a superficial lens, it is stripped of thousands of years of history and worth. What to one may seem like a fruitless ornament or a fun souvenir to bring home to a friend may be seen by another as a source of protection and an ode to their roots. The evil eye amulet has reached all corners of the world and has maintained its meaning despite differences of language, religion, or
culture. A concept beginning on the other side of the globe has traveled, through the immigration and emigration of people, to the point of integrating itself into modern English vernacular. Things are never as simple as they seem, and the more open one’s eyes and mind are to the world, the more they will see just how connected we all really are.
In Zora Neale Hurston’s romantic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, two settings are contrasted to reinforce the author’s theme of a search for true love. The setting of Eatonville, Florida, where main character Janie experiences life as the mayor’s wife, is contrasted with the Florida Everglades, where Janie lives with Tea Cake in a much more relaxed atmosphere.
The Cross-Cultural Articulations of War Magic and Warrior Religion by D. S. Farrer, main purpose of this article is to provide a re-evaluated perspective of religion and magic, through the perspective of the practitioners and victims. Farrer uses examples that range from the following: “Chinese exorcists, Javanese spirit siblings, Sumatran black magic, Tamil Tiger suicide bombers, Chamorro spiritual re-enchantment, tantric Buddhist war magic, and Yanomami dark shamans” (1). Throughout the article, he uses these examples to address a few central themes. The central themes for war magic, range from “violence and healing, accomplished through ritual and performance, to unleash and/or control the power of gods, demons, ghosts and the dead” (Farrer 1).
Throughout the Possibility of Evil the theme is clearly shown as looks can be deceiving. On the other hand, some people might interpret that the theme is that you should treat others as they treat you. However it’s only at the end when the townspeople figure out that she is the one sending the letters which shows that karma only comes into play at the end of the story, while the looks can be deceiving is shown throughout the whole story. By showing Miss Strangeworth as a gentle old lady at first and then slowly showing her true colors, Shirley Jackson illustrates the theme that looks can be deceiving.
The object pictured above belongs to a group of artifacts known as incantation bowls, demon bowls, devil-trap bowls, or simply magic bowls. They were crafted by the first millennia Anno Domini people of Mesopotamia and are found, perhaps exclusively, in modern day Iraq. They can be dated as early as 3rd century AD and as late as 8th century. The majority date between 400AD and 700AD. Known pieces in public collections number around 2000 with several times that number likely to exist in private collections. (Saar 2) This report will expand on these statements as well as explore incantation bowls’ production, their function, and what little is known (or provided) of the particular bowl from the Kelsey museum. First, however, we’ll look at the historical setting of the location and era.
The article “Ego-Evil and The Tale- Tell Heart” by Magdalen Wing-chi Ki; argues the symbolism of the eye to represent selfishness and greed in “The Tale-Tell Heart.” Wing- chi Ki discusses that Ego- Evil is different from Superego-Evil. The Ego-Evil focuses more on oneself. Therefore, the Ego-Evil is more focused on self-love; while the Super-Ego “welcomes evil due to some "fanatical devotion" or an "ideological ideal" (Wing-chi Ki, Magdalen). The “fanatical devotion” shows the way that the narrator felt when he got rid of the body. The narrator is fascinated with thinking that he will get away with hiding the body of the man with the evil eye. The “ideological ideal” emphasizes on the narrator’s obsession with the man’s evil eye. This gives the narrator the idea of murdering the old man, but only because he feels so uneasy in the presence of the evil eye. Wing-chi Ki argues that Edgar Allan Poe gives the narrator so little knowledge of the old man. Therefore, this entices the narrator into viewing the old man based on his fondness for the man, and not the truth on why the evil eye is present. The narrator; therefore, judges the old man only on how he feels towards the eye itself, and not the old man.
When the narrator began telling his story, he said that the “Evil Eye” was the one who brought him to do that terrible deed. It was a pale blue eye, with a film over it. “… for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his evil eye. (pg.1)” If a person is annoyed or scared of an ordinary eye to the point where they have to kill someone to get rid of it, they don’t seem sane. On page 2 of the mini-lesson, it states that someone can be compelled to commit this crime because of an irresistible force, which is the eye.
One of the most persistent stereotypes of (dis)Abled individuals is that they are evil or villainous and as such are predisposed to criminality due to some type impairment. Nothing is farthest from the truth.. Although, people with intellectual disorders and mental health issues are a growing population within the criminal justice system, they are still more often than not victims of crime as a result of their circumstances. People with developmental and cognitive impairments or significant mental health issues in many cases lack impulse control or display inappropriate emotions that the criminal justice system may misinterpret, thus bringing criminal charges for such offenses as causing a disturbance or mischief. When the police are confronted with a situation that involves a cognitively impaired or mentally ill person the police do not know how to respond in an appropriate manner. This image is seen throughout the media over the past few years. One has to look at the tragic death of Sammy Yatim or Michael Eligon to see these image.
Myopia is a condition in which visual images come into focus in front of the retina of the eye. This condition causes objects at a distance to appear blurry, while objects nearby are seen clearly. If not severe, myopia can be treated with contacts or glasses. Other treatments for myopia include photoreactive keratectomy (PRK), LASIK, and orthokeratology. Degenerative myopia is a quick progression of myopia and leads to complete loss of vision. The treatment for degenerative myopia is a combination of medication and laser surgery.
Visions are truly a mystery to our world. Only certain people have the ability to have visions, it is often confused with dreams but visions are a whole different thing. It is full of wonders and unanswered questions and sometimes leaves a small trace of a magical presence. There are many mysteries to unravel and discoveries to analyze the meaning to. The adventure that the visions takes you on is yours, it has control of your mind and will take your mind into a wild roller coaster ride.
Lehmann A. C. & Myers J. E. Magic, Witchcraft and Religion – An Anthropological Study of the Supernatural (Fourth Edition) (Mayfield Publishing Company, 1997). Miner, H. Body Ritual Among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist 58 (1956). Tambiah, S. J. & Co., Ltd. Magic, Science, Religion and the scope of Rationality (Cambridge University Press, 1990). Taylor, C. Rationality.
In Spain and Latin America the evil eye is a culture bound syndrome that a certain look can bring about a supernatural curse, or bad luck, possibly even illness and death. Commonly something that affects children. As a child, my siblings and I would get in trouble for giving each other the evil eye. I do not remember where we learned it from, and had no clue that the evil eye was considered dangerous to other cultures.
On the night of October 31 every year, millions of citizens across the United States and elsewhere dress up in costumes to walk down their local neighborhoods asking for candy or “trick-or-treating”. Strangely, Halloween was not always this way. In fact, the origins of Halloween had nothing to do with getting candy or scaring other people. In today’s society, commercialism keeps Halloween alive. Halloween accessories are in stores around September or earlier to encourage widespread purchases of various costumes and candies. In other cultures, there are spiritual celebrations that influenced modern American Halloween. Present Halloween has been influenced by spiritual celebrations of other cultures, historical events, and commercialism.
Belief in witchcraft is the traditional way of explaining the ultimate cause of evil, misfortune or death.” The African worldview is holistic. In this perception, things do not just happen. What happens, either good or bad, is traced back to human action, including “ancestors who can intervene by blessing or cursing the living.” Witches, on the other hand, harm because they want to destroy life.
Verrill, Alpheus. Strange Customs, Manners, and Beliefs: A Remarkable Account of Curious Beliefs and Odd Superstitions, Strange Ways of Living, and Amazing Customs and Manners of Many Peoples and Tribes around the Earth. New York: Books for Libraries, 1946. Print.
While is a common conception that pre-modern societies are primitive compared to their modern counterpart, this is not often the case, theses societies have complex systems within their society especially within their spirituality and religion. It is this complexity that has allowed aspects of pre-modern societies to evolve and adapt into modern societies. Myths, rituals and sorcery have been terms to describe the activities of pre-modern societies, but these activities have also been found to exist within modern society as well. This essay will further discuss the connections between pre-modern and modern societies that has allowed for myths, rituals and sorcery to exist in the modern societies.