A person who has once been struck by negative energy will sooon take the advice of other persons who were in the same situation and acquire an amulet for the or some kind of charm to wear to repel the evil eye in the future. This sort of charm is called a repellent talisman or apotropaic charm.
The design of these charms varies from one area to another. Many take the form of an eye, a hand, a horseshoe, or combinations of two elements, such as the popular eye-in-hand and horseshoe-and-eyes. There are other, locally popular charms as well that derive from other iconographic and symbolic sources.
In Greece and Turkey, the most common form of apotropaic charm is the blue glass eye charm, which "mirrors back" the blue of the evil eye and thus"confounds" it. Turks make beautiful blue blown glass charms in the all-seeing eye and eye-in-hand patterns, as well as in regionally-specific forms.Among the ancient Egyptians the eye of the god Horus, called the wadjet or udjat eye, was worn for protection. Although found in many materials, by far the most numerous are those made of blue-glazed faience or steatite.
In India, cord charms strung with a blue bead are placed on newborn babies; when the cord decays and breaks and the blue bead is lost, the child is considered old enough to have escaped the dangers of the evil eye.
In the Middle East, turquoise blue faience beads ("donkey beads") are used to protect livestock from the evil eye. These beads can be seen dangling from a luck-bringing and apotropaic blue glazed wall plaque in the form of a horseshoe.
In addition to blue bead eye-charms, numerous other eye-design and hand-design amulets are used to repel the evil eye. One of the oldest forms of hand-talisman is the Roman hand of power, a bronze votary of a hand covered with symbolic images that was kept on the home altar to protect and bless the entire family.
In India, Israel, and the Arab countries the eye-in-hand charm is common. It may be carved of bone or cast in metal, with an engraved image of an eye in the palm or a cabachon-cut stone standing in for the eye.
In countries where Catholicism is the predominant religion, a Christianized version of the Roman hand of power is given traits of the eye-in-hand and the resultant image is called "the Most Powerful Hand of God" or mano poderosa.. In this apotropaic charm -- usually carried on the person in the form of a holy card or, as in Peru, as a protective package amulet, the symbolic images that cover the hand have been replaced by saints and a gaping crucifixtion wound reprents the eye in the palm.
The Middle East is home to the hamsa hand charm (also known as the hand of Fatima among Arabs and the hamesh hand among Jews). This hand-shaped apotropaic charm may be cast in silver and worn as jewelry, but larger ones, inscribed with paryers of protection are often made of blue-glazed ceramics and hung on a wall.
In North Africa, a cabachon cut eye-agate stone may be used in conjunction with the hamsa handdesign.
In America and England, jewelry-quality charms have been made from cat's eye shells. The eye-like shells are also carried in the pocket for personal protection.
Red is another color employed against the eye, mostly in regions where blue is not used.
In Mexico a large brown legume seed that resembles an eye, called ojo de venado ("deer's eye"), is hung from a red cord and outfitted with a fluffy red tassel and a holy print of a saint. It can be worn on the person, hung over the baby's crib, or dangled from the rear-view mirror of a car to ward off the evil eye.
Red cords around the neck or wrist protect babies in eastern Europe and also in India.
In Italy, where men's potency is threatened by the evil eye, gold or silver hand charms making the mano fico ("fig hand") and mano cornuta ("horned hand") gesture are used to repel the evil eye. These amulets are usually carved of blood red coral, and sometimes found in silver or gold. They are worn as necklaces, watch fobs, and pocket pieces by men and boys.
Corno (horn) or cornicelli (little horn) is the name for an Italian amulet that looks like a long, twisted animal horn, rather freeform in design, usually carved of blood coral, but also found in silver, gold, or blown glass. Due to its phallic shape, it is only used by males.
A naturally branched piece of red coral "twig" is sometimes worn in place of the corno, and it may be made into a pin rather than a hanging amulet and then may be worn by a woman or girl.
The use of a horseshoe to represent the lunar crescent is also ancient. Throughout Europe horseshoes are nailed to doors to prevent the evil eye from entering houses and barns. (The horseshoe charm has also acquired a second function, to "draw" luck to the bearer as a horseshoe-magnet might attract iron filings.)
You see there are many ways to ward off negative energy, and they all seem to be fashioned around the traditions of that particular part of the world.
What I use and supply others with for protection :
Because I was born in India and trained in many of the mystical arts of that area, I prefer to use a variety of enchanted herbs and other solid elements blended together as a special pouch to be carried or worn around the wrist, neck or ankle. The special pouch that I make and distribute to those who ask is based on those traditions.
If you think that you need protection from negative energy or an evil eve and would like a special protection pouch prepared for you please e-mail me and I will supply you with the simple details on how to obtain one from me.
