The Evil Eye

An Agnostic Point of View ;-)

As an Agnostic, I can’t easily dismiss superstitions much less any beliefs that seem to be shared among different cultures and regions. In Brazil, they call the Evil Eye the “Greek Eye.” Growing up with a Greek grandma was a very special treat for many reasons. One of those was having an in-home cure for any Evil Eyes cast our way. Our grandma had the power to put olive oil on water, pray over it and ask it if whatever was bothering us was a result of someone cursing us with the Evil Eye. Now although, she did the cross while doing it, many say that the Greek Christian church opposes such practices. I like to believe that this is because churches are political and want to continue playing the middle men between us and our deities. They don’t like this kind of DIY at-home direct connection with the divine. I, on the other hand, love it! The olive oil would dissolve in the water if we were cursed! She’d continue the ceremony and sprinkle some of it over our heads and have us drink from it, and whatever was ailing us would dissipate. We’d go to these people who can perform this ceremony either before or after going to a doctor to determine if something spiritual was causing any physical suffering or bad luck. I think it’s interesting that someone who can perform this ritual must pass it on to someone of the opposite gender before they die, and then can no longer perform it. This is similar to how Curanderas in Mexican cultures pass down their abilities to someone of an opposite gender in the next generation.

I am such a firm believer in the Evil Eye, that I have lived a life dedicated to trying to reduce any possible envy for whatever I have. I don’t try to earn much money or have any fancy possessions that may inspire jealousy in others. I do share some of my life on social media, but I actually try to hide the factors I’m proudest of because I don’t want to disrupt the balance and flow in my life. I have read that people who post pics of their food on social media before eating it enjoy it less. When we attract anyone’s attention, how do we know it doesn’t disrupt our balance? If you feel you deserve something more than I do, can that feeling manifest in my reality somehow? As superstitious as this seems, it actually happens when scientists observe subatomic behavior. Like characters on a reality show, the awareness of being observed actually alters the subatomic particles’ behavior! We don’t know how the daggers others shoot at us might impact the particles and waves that make up our reality. Not only do I try to deflect envy, but I try to be conscientious of how my views of others might impact them.

Sometimes, while admiring someone performing some task, they notice my attention in a way that visibly transforms them into becoming a bit self-conscious.  Or they become too drawn in by my attention, and in both situations, I feel like the polite thing to do is to look away because I've disturbed their behavior. If I were studying the behavior of subatomic particles, or animals in the wild, etc.  I would have to acknowledge that  their perception of my attention  immediately changes their normal behavior unresponsive to my presence. I have set them off course. I have unwillingly become a siren of sort, and that's not what I was trying to do. Perhaps these are delusions of grandeur? I'd think so, too.  However, once I was watching my cousin play pool and admiring how beautifully and masterfully she did it. I'm terrible at pool, but I love watching people who are good at it. I appreciate them all the more because I just can't :-D No matter how good a teacher I have, or how well they try to explain it, I  feel that  it's a magical ability I just don't have. It's one of the few games I'm thrilled to just watch and be okay with sucking at playing. Sometimes, when my competition is drunk enough, I'll put balls in the pockets using my hands when they're not looking. Of course I confess, but it's the only way I stand a chance!  My cousin stops, "I feel you looking at me, and I just can't!"  I was all the way on the other side of the room. I knew it. Likewise, I love dancing more at home than in public because then I know I’m dancing just for my relationship with the music. I hate the idea that people might think I am dancing for THEM and not the music. I feel like a witch who has been spied on in the forest while performing a secret ritual when I notice someone watching me dance.

Many religions, myths, or stories tell all about these creatures that throw someone off their journey. Even if only out of innocent admiration, they are reduced to a villain or obstacle of sorts.  Alas, I look away to allow the microscopic actions that control one's behavior to continue without a creepy  observer setting them off course. I also acknowledge the power of others’ attention in affecting our reality. We cannot see all the forces that influence our trajectories, so I try to be vigilant of the possibilities.