Blue, round bead with white and black. It resembles an eye. After all, it is called the prophet’s eye for a reason. It can be worn as a bracelet or necklace.
Over time, however, this pattern began to be printed on bags, wallets and pens. On everything that tourists staying in Middle Eastern countries buy.
. In every souvenir shop you can find talismans with this element. But what exactly is the prophet’s eye and what does it really mean? After all, tourists sometimes buy this amulet under the influence of fashion, without knowing its history and purpose.
However, the sellers are rubbing their hands, selling quite a large assortment with an eye, enjoying the successful business.
Ayin hara, ayin raa, or “evil look”, has been known in Middle Eastern culture for centuries. Hundreds of years ago in Central Asia it was believed that if someone suddenly fell ill or had no success in life, the blame was “bad eyesight”.
The knowledge about the mysterious evil energy that came straight from the person who wishes us evil spread throughout the Middle East to such an extent that Turkish warriors began to use Nazar Boncugu, or the eye of the prophet.
The talisman was supposed to give the warrior the protection of providence, and the eye, which belonged to the deity, was supposed to reflect all evil energy.
. There, in turn, it is believed that when someone is jealous of you, they can curse you with an “evil look” and send you bad luck. so as not to “enchant” them. This, in turn, is related to the commandment not to covet things that belong to your neighbor.
It is estimated that approximately 40% of the world’s cultures believe in some form of evil energy. The evil eye is mentioned in Roman and Greek texts, as well as the Koran and the Bible. His curse has a long history, dating back to 3000 BC. For many, it still remains an explanation for bad things happening to good people.
In various cultures, the evil eye is essentially a curse passed from one person to another, all through… a glance. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and this is where our good or bad intentions towards the world and other people come from.
People wear amulets to ward off bad energy and protect themselves from it, just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Today, the talisman is often blue, eye-shaped, and known as nazar, which translates from Arabic as “sight and attention.” As licensed clinical psychologist Avigail Lev of Mindbodygreen explains, “By wearing the eye of the prophet, individuals seek spiritual and psychological protection.”
There are also various customs associated with wearing the prophet’s eye in different cultures, performed in order to give the eye power.
In Moroccan custom, it is believed that if you hold the hand with the amulet on it with the palm facing outwards, you can deflect an insincere compliment or threat.
The Eye of Horus, the Eye of Udjat and the Eye of Wedjat were used in ancient Egypt as an amulet protecting the entire household against the evil eye. The amulet decorated doors, entrances and burial places, providing protection and health.
Since the evil eye is based on a belief system, it is important to remember to use this type of amulet with respect. Understanding and respecting the cultural significance of the evil eye is essential before using it as a talisman.
Before putting on the amulet, and from time to time during its use, people who believe in its power recommend cleansing it of accumulated bad energy.
To do this, add a pinch of coarse salt to the water in a glass vessel, which is believed to have the effect of absorbing negative energy in magic, and then place the amulet in the water with the salt. The filled vessel should be left in a place where the moonlight will fall on it at night.
Our ancestors believed in its power and it is supposed to cleanse the amulet of bad energy together with salt and water.
In the morning, according to superstitions, the amulet should be washed under running water and then it can be used, but the water and salt should be thrown away.
According to superstition, too. It is then considered that the amulet has served its purpose and absorbed the evil charm, so it should be replaced immediately.
The eye of the prophet can also be given to someone as a gift, but only if we buy it as a gift with the best intentions for the recipient.