Mal'occhio - a brief understanding of the evil eye (and an offering)

From personal experience, travel research, and conversations with elders, I can confidently say that the most prevalent of Italian and Italian American folk magic and healing is the idea of a spiritual attachment called the evil eye, aka The Mal’Occhio.

The evil eye is a centralized belief system rooted deep in the cultural body. It is a foundational one, one that is interwoven and connected to many practices and rituals of protection spells that “cure” an evil or jealous attachment from an individual. The taproot belief is this:

A person can be physically, spiritually and emotionally harmed through someone else looking at them in specific (intentional and unintentional) ways.

(from Turkey )image of glass blue eyes often hung on doors and trees in the Mediterranean region to protect the space from evil.

I see the foundational evil eye belief system as an ancient tree and its roots and mycelial pathways become micro-systems, stories that span pre-and post-christian practices, that span the old country to the new country, that span generations. But each micro-system points to the same phenomena of protecting the self and loved ones, and curing them from both accidental/non-intentional mal’occhio as well as a more conscious and specific acts of jealousy and spiritual attacks known as attaccatura (an intentional attachment on someone, a directed possession, a curse ).

typical amulets to protect from the eye worn on body, in house, in car.

The evil eye belief system is not just Italian, and not just Mediterranean, it’s known all over the world in it’s own unique forms. But of course I can only explore and write about it from my own cultural lens — which was being brought up in an Italian, specifically Sicilian American house and extended community and the specific cultural flavors that come with that.

We know that the evil eye, the mal’occhio, comes from someone with a jealous eye that looks at another person. So the spiritual attachment and affliction is rooted in the ghosts of jealousy, of a wanting and desiring that can actually extract from others, to cause a curse on them. The evil eye possession then causes harm and illness to their system.

The jealous eye, I believe, in its more modern mythology, which is what I am focusing on here, seems to be born from conditions our ancestors endured throughout history, and most likely the way we experience this phenomenon comes from a post- Christian history, rooted in Folk Catholicism. Although I did hear once through oral storytelling that the blue evil eye symbol (the first image posted above) was a symbol of protection from the “blue eyed invaders” from the north. These invaders were jealous of the abundance and beauty of the Mediterranean land, resources and people — and so they came, raped, pillaged, and conquered —and their blue eye is the original evil eye in which the famous symbol is created as a reminder of. There is no “scholarly research” based on that, at least what I can find, but that does not make it untrue. Although I can only really speak on the evil eye relationship in a more modern practice, I do think it’s easy to speculate and not a far stretch to see this practice goes much farther back in history. The image below from the Roman-era shows swords and creatures destroying/attacking an eye, which could be indicating similar practices and rituals were done in ancient times.

The contadini/ peasant class — of Southern Italy especially— lived under harsh conditions. Their land was taken from them during the process of Risorgimento (19th century) and many became indentured on their own land. This created a deep deep hunger within them, both the kind that lived in the bellies and the kind that lived, and was passed on, in their cells, in their spirit and psyche.

Much was lost for these “terrone” - (a derogatory term for land working people that think it’s important to know and reclaim) during the unification of the north and south; from property, to language, to food culture, to all around agency. Many lives were also lost. These hardships deeply embodied in them and became a narrative for their world. This was a world where their access to what they needed was very limited — that anything “good” and nourishing was in limited supply to them, it was scarce, and there was never enough to go around. It was withheld from them by others. Things such as food, prosperity, good health, trust, hope, fertility -- beauty -- fecundity-- were all seen as scarcities — something that only others had.

image of village healer doing the testing of mal’occhio

This explains much of our recent / modern ancestral trauma story around “scarcity” thinking and the symptoms of that. I can see it manifest in my own familial trauma of oftentimes the need to be unsustainably generous (when there really is not enough) to needing to be “seen” (image-wise) as having “a lot” (when there really is not enough).

This type of experiencing of the world, as these peasants had to do, undoubtedly did damage to their village and community connections and trust. It most likely fed into being suspicious not only to the landowners that ruled over them, but also to those in your own community body. The idea of the mal’occhio can be directly connected to the experience/feeling that whatever prosperity or comfort or beauty someone had, it was at the expense or the loss of someone else. That someone could not have something if someone else already had it. That if you had something, you were at great risk of being cursed, stolen from, thrown the eye. If you didn’t have it, you were then jealous and angry and suspected of cursing someone who had more than you.

This system of thinking was not just about resources such as crops/ grains, it was also very much about the body, and it’s natural functions. Fertility of land was deeply connected to the fertility of the body in this culture. So those with youth, with the ability to reproduce, had healthy flows of milk, had a sense of “wetness” to the body — were particularly vulnerable to the “evil eye” — because they had what others wanted. Which means that those who were not fertile, fecund, beautiful, and able to be prosperous or reproduce were ones that were more apt to give the evil eye to those who were. It was a very clear divide between young/old, those with fertile land/those without, those with fertile bodies/those who were barren, those with good health/those who were ill, those who were having sex/those who were not (I read that priests in this era were very much suspected of throwing the “eye” around to people who were enjoying sex and sexuality).

But— the evil eye is not always used as a malicious intent to harm someone.

Sometimes the evil eye can be given by mere accident, just because someone admires something about someone, see someone as beautiful and fertile, adore a lovely, chubby baby, or feels the abundance of someone else's land and crops.

In southern Italy — if you visit now— you might be told to not go around telling people you like something about them or compliment them without touching them and uttering the prayer “Che Dio la benedica” or spitting in the opposite direction (without projecting saliva) three times making a sound like “PuhPuhPuh” — making sure that your admiration does not curse them or create an attachment on them. These were said to be immediate preventative rituals in order to protect others from your own admiration. I was also told the touching and this prayer was said when someone admired more-than-human- beings in nature-- flowers, trees, animals, mountains, the sea.

People were/are very careful to make sure their admiration did not become a spirit ghost/attachment on something they found great beauty in.

People were/are very careful of their own powerful energy.

For instance, I have recollections of my old aunts touching me and saying the prayer as well as touching my mother and saying the prayer. My mother, beautiful and fertile in her middle age, had me at 43. My mother’s immediate community was elders, older women, typical Italian-American Nonna types, immigrants themselves. Having me around them was like a treasure for them, I was the last baby born to that generation before they died. They adored me and spoiled me and stared over me— and they made sure they made good by uttering the prayer when they were particularly smothering me with love and attention, as to not attach and “eye” my way. I want to share though, that I say this in speculation. Nobody told me this was happening or explained to me any “why”. Because the Italian American experience was vastly different from the Italian peasant experience, I know that whatever they (my aunts) were doing was not going to be completely inline with any research regarding practices in Southern Italy. One of the difficulties with writing about Italian (American) folk practices in the contemporary sense is that the socio-economic context and worldview of more contemporary, immigrant communities in North America and the Italian peasants were/ are worlds apart. Also, the socio-economic and cultural identity of that immigrant community is worlds apart from my own, right now.

This is why we cannot, and should not, declare any of the ways as “one way” or “the right way”.

And we cannot fully compare evolved immigrant practices in the new world to what our ancestors did (and current residents) do in the old country. But this is without a doubt in my memory — and my memory is telling me that being touched gently on the cheek or on the arm or on the top of my head, and being prayed over, was me being protected by these elders and the power of the love and admiration they had for me (and my mother). I knew they were making sure they were not laying upon me any kind of ‘eye’. I knew they were practicing rituals that they remembered from their old country.

I find these practices a really important part of knowing and educating the self around the evil eye/protection practices (if they are not something that has been passed down to you by your elders).

I am seeing the “evil eye” image (like the one below) become quite trendy in social media, on mass produced items, and even magical communities, especially those recently reclaiming their folk magic (which I think is amazing). But, so is self-awareness and self-practice.

If this work was not passed on to you by elders and you have not lived these experiences, it’s important to be really conscious and be fully in the entire spectrum of the practice from the inside out. It is important not to use symbols flippantly, or share rituals without a lot of deep contemplation and practice around this. This is something that one just knows, can feel.

I am speaking especially around the personal practice of not only protecting the self, or teaching others how to protect the self— but also the practice of protecting others from the self - this feel essential, especially as we carry new world whiteness with us, especially when we carry assimilation trauma with us— which we know can be harmful. Which we know can extract from others, and can drive us to really want the magic for the self— but not want to do our own personal, hard work about learning how to become the medicine and the protection for others.

Being aware that we all have wants and desires, jealousies of others - is essential- but without ancestral boundary practices in place— we can easily and unconsciously throw harmful spiritual attachment on to someone else.

We can be the ones who gives the eye. Choosing to be responsible for the other by protecting them (from the self) is crucial. It is not a one-way street. It is relational. This is what our ancestors knew. This is what must be repaired and re-learned despite assimilation, the upholding of whiteness, and 100% because of it.

If we are creating “protection” tools, rituals, boxes, etc, let’s make sure we are deeper relationship with the spectrum of ancestral practices around the the evil eye. We are all responsible for each other, especially when we have all been possessed by scarcity and jealousy from acts of colonization/conquering of the motherland, as well as the internalized experiences of Italiophobia and simultaneously, Italophilia.

We all are traumatized. Perhaps not in the same ways as our contadini ancestors, but still, we hold the trauma of their history… and our own experiences. Protection of self is important and the knowing that our ability to ritualize and protect each other from our own attachments is ancestrally woven within us— feels like radical togetherness and deep wisdom… a huge message coming through right now.

This is where these ancestral folk practices become somatic, from the body, and have nothing to do with the mind.

We are here to reach back and re-claim, but also to evolve and apply these practices to the times we are living in.

We are here to fortify ourselves so we can be aware and careful to not harm others.

We desperately need to remember this.

Ok. Out of the depths and into the practical matters: What did having the evil eye actually do to you if you got it? The most common ailment came in the form of headaches, but I have also heard (and experienced) stories of it being the cause for: digestive issues, tumors, fatigue, lethargy in babies, dizziness, skin irritations, sore throats, anxiety, insomnia, hysteria, financial demise…. and even death.

Another understanding shared with me was that oftentimes we carry the “Evil Eye” aka the “mal’occhio” from our grandparents, parents, or even further back ancestors. If folks in our lineages never were diagnosed or cured of it and did not receive the ritual to unspell it, it could be passed on and affect descendents, just like an other epigenetic passing on. Which means the more recent US born generations of Italian Americans are the most at risk, considering we have lost these understandings and practices of our ancestral vernacular culture.

The number of un-bindings and spells and protection methods one can do to rid themselves or a loved one of the evil eye are abundant, and too many to name or even know. Depending on region, village, and especially the family— we all have specific lineage based practices for removing these kinds of attachments and curses. Of course the most common, and one that can be slightly (or greatly) different depending on who does it, is the use of water and oil, sometimes scissors and salt, and always specific prayers. It’s interesting that in this practice the water and oil which test for it often become the cure as well (through uttered prayers as well). If you are found to have “it” -- the fact that it is known and seen in the water is part of curing it for you.

This common practice is extremely specific to each family’s healing traditions. And as the old tale goes, the family ritual is passed on female to male, male to female, generation after generation, and the passing on happens on Christmas Eve. I have also heard of it happening on the Eve of St. John, as well. Of course, there are variations to these “rules” as well and we cannot claim to know every nuance. The other debate/conversation around it is that one should never, ever share their families (or anyone elses) style of doing this ritual to cure mal’occhio. And that one should never ever even write down how to cure Mal’occhio. I have experienced this belief to be held tightly in the United States between Italian American bodies of culture and people are very suspicious (here in the States) if anyone writes, shares or teaches this ritual. I often assumed this was because of their suspicious natures stemming through the ancestral trauma of being “taken from” and wanting to protect their ways. But, I have found that in Sicily, elders are very open about sharing their rituals around the Mal’occhio, and have been wonderful resources, for me at least. When I asked if what they are telling me was supposed to be kept secret, they’d wave their hand in Sicilian fashion telling me in hand language that was nonsense. So, who is to say?

our friend’s in Sicily during a Radici Siciliane pilgrimage sharing how their family tested and cured the M’alocchio, the occhiotura is the practice, ritual that they called it.

And how do we protect ourselves from The Mal’occhio?

Italian traditions, I found beyond in the moment protection practices, that amulets are the most common things used. These amulets have been found in almost every region, village and family in Italy and used in many immigrant families in the States for at least a few generations. Most charms in Italy were carved from red coral and in the US, mostly came in gold or red plastic. Many of the amulets have representations of phallus symbols, snakes, keys (to “unscrew” the eye), fish, roosters, and of course the horn or the cornuto, a red horn/pepper which represents sexual potency. Another symbol of protection is the mano fica, the fist with the thumb through the bent fingers. This image represents the penis inside the vagina, the connection between the two different sexual reproduction organs, unifying the energy— this connection was said to be the most powerful force against the evil eye.

cimaruta, important amulet of protection, including protection against the eye.

Other important symbols to ward off the evil eye: the cimaruta charm (image above), hand made brevi bags which are small red fabric bags meant to be worn around the neck and close to the skin, these bags hold specific family traditions of protection: very specific herbs, charms, prayers, etc. In my family there was always the use of holy water. Growing up I had chronic sore throats. And even though I was given proper western medicine, my mother always anointed my throat with the holy water and prayers to get rid of “the eye” or a curse that was attached to my throat. As a matter of fact, in the mail right now is a bottle of holy water my mamma is sending me from NY all the way to Oregon, to make sure I have a supply in my new home to “clean up the energy” and protect my new home and to have on hand in case anyone in my house get’s thrown the “eye” or someone who lived here before might have had ‘the eye’ — because you can never be sure how it all works.

There are also specific stones associated with warding away the evil eye: lightning stone, bloodstones and star stones (which I am thinking are star sapphires). These stones are often carved into crosses. Of course medals worn of La Madonna, a variety of saints, crucifixes, and scapulars were also worn around the neck with personal invocations of protection. Not to mention, the use of garlic, fresh rue and thyme tucked in the bra or pocket, salt along the doorway, in the corners, and in bowls placed around the house are great protection. As well as playing specific rhythms on Italian frame drums to exorcise evil spirits from the body and space.

There is much more to write and talk about regarding these ailments, curses, hauntings, rituals and practices. This was just a little briefing, both from research and also from my own ancestral understandings— experiential and downloaded.

One of the things I am interested in is not only how these cultural treasures that seem to explain history of community support and resilience in Sicily, but also how they have been passed on and survived here—post immigration and assimilation. How we can both unpack, examine and reclaim, while honoring the vast differences of experiences and incarnations about both the evil eye and the cures of it— and re-membering it as a cultural animist practice. I also would like to explore how we, as the next generation of this very specific cultural body, choose to pass them on and/or share them with others. How do we experience, live and use this information/practice/wisdom? What are the new rules? Are there any? Are there requirements? Permission? Right relationship? What does that look like.

I am interested in really paying attention to how we are showing up in our communities rooted in our ancestral practices and rituals of protection: of the self and for each other.

And how we, as a collective, can reclaim these practices and rituals for the good of all, to heal, and to remember we have powers passed on to us, deep roots we can investigate, and ancestral memory we can count on. Ancestral memories that are emerging now, especially, uprising out of the soil and spiraling our from our cells.

All that said, I am in the process of creating an ancestral gift for you with all this in mind. Please know this is a lifetime of work, and not something I just picked up on.

I want to thank and credit Sabrina Magliccio for doing extensive research in article “Spells, Saints and Streghe” published by UC Northridge which inspired me to finally begin writing about this subject.

:OFFERING:

I am crafting 10 completely hand-made Mal’occhio ritual boxes, custom made for personal and collective protection concerns.

This of course is NOT the way we do the cure in person, or in my family . It is NOT going to give instruction on how to test or cure “the eye”.

Instead it’s my own personal Sicilian Folk Magic made from these Sicilian-American hands and coming from my lived experience growing up in an Italian American home and extended community. Each box is CUSTOM. When you purchase it, there will be directions on how to share with me 1. your ailments 2. your worries 3.who/what you feel you need protection from 4. The areas in which you want to work on being a better protector. The box will contain both protection for you and the reminder to say prayers of protection for others.

bottle of holy water (gathered and from my mamma of course)
a simple, hand made by me, olive wood rosary, to invoke protection
a hand made scapular style brevi to wear around your neck, close to your skin.
protection (Sicilian sea) salt blend (to bathe, cleanse space, or capture haunted energy in)
protection oil blend (for anointing)
protection incenses blend
a custom prayer card with a custom prayer written especially for you - born from a tarocchi card pull
prayer card from Sicily (from a sanctuary high on a mountain)
a bottle of hand made Allorino, a Sicilian style bay leaf liquor
a small traditional amulet
everything will have directions on how to use each piece.
Each box is lovingly prepared with authentic folk medicine and magic from me and my nonne.

May we all be protected and may we all protect. May we all recognize how to become better humans.

THESE WILL BE READY IN TIME FOR THE HOLY/HOLIDAYS/CHRISTMAS/EPIPHANY — so great as a gift!

Cost $125

Only 10 Available: Click below to secure your box! (I am consciously choosing not to post photos as to hold close the sacredness of these items.

Mal’occhio | a brief understanding (and offering)

:OFFERING: