The Evil Eye

The Evil Eye is one of the strongest symbolic images in the world. The evil eye meaning dates back almost 3,000 years to ancient Greece and Rome. Wearing an evil eye as an amulet is believed to provide protection against evil forces. The evil eye meaning has symbolism in almost every country in the world and in every religion, such as Judaism, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, and Christianity.

The evil eye is a look given to inflict harm, suffering, or some form of bad luck on the person that it is cast upon. Giving someone “the evil eye” is a look which clearly states that one intends for something bad to happen to the other person, either out of jealousy or pure malice. It is believed by many cultures that the look is powerful enough to bring about actual disaster for the unfortunate person that is the receiver of the glare.

In many cultures, excessive praise or receiving admiration beyond what is truly deserved can bring upon the scorn of the evil eye, which was believed to cause physical and mental illness. Ashkenazi Jews believe that excessive praise causes a vulnerability to the evil eye, and will repeat a Yiddish phrase, “Keyn aynhoreh!” meaning “no evil eye” in order to protect against it.

The evil eye is a popular trend in jewelry today and can be seen on many celebrities as a stylish jewelry statement.