Evil Eye Bracelet: Meaning and Origins
The evil eye symbol. Chances are you’ve seen evil eye jewelry many times—from earrings to necklaces, and bracelets to amulets. The evil eye has played a key role in many cultures around the world. In fact, the evil eye originated from the Ancient Romans and Greeks some 3,000 years ago.
The evil eye has a deep meaning and a long history that is unknown to many. Here, we discuss everything you need to know about this famous symbol, including its influences and the meaning of each color.
What Is The Meaning Of The Evil Eye?
The evil eye is a curse believed to inflict pain or harm. It is bestowed from one person onto another. In other words, giving someone the evil eye means you intend for something bad to happen to the recipient. This belief continues to persist in modern life.
Where Did The Evil Eye Come From?
The evil eye, known as a quasi-universal symbol of protection, is believed to have originated in ancient Greece and Rome. The earliest known evidence of a belief in the evil eye dates back to the 6th century B.C. when it appeared on drinking vessels. The evil eye has also been mentioned by many great figures such as Plato, Hesiod, and Plutarch.
There were varying beliefs about how a person came to possess an evil eye during ancient times. Plutarch’s scientific explanation said the eye was a curse given to a person when they are unaware. He also said that evil eyes were a source of deadly rays that spring up from a person possessing the evil eye.
Others believed the evil eye curse appears when a person is swollen with pride from being praised too much. The person possessing the evil eye would then become enveloped in negative energy. This would lead to them suffering from bad luck and physical and mental illness.
Some also blamed the evil eye for diseases that did not have an obvious cause. They believed the diseases were a punishment from the gods on those who had become too proud of what they’d achieved.
How Did The Evil Eye Influence Other Cultures?
The evil eye is one of the strongest symbolic images in the world. The evil eye is also one of the most feared symbols in many regions, including West Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Central America.
In Islamic culture, the Prophet Muhammad warned against the curse of the evil eye in Book 26 of the Shahi Muslims. He also encouraged people afflicted with the curse to take a bath to envelop themselves in protective powers against evil forces.
In India, the eyes are considered the most powerful part of the body. As such, they have a strong fear of a malicious glare or an ‘evil’ look. The Hindus in India also fear that even ‘admirable’ eyes can hold ill will and cause the milk supply to dry up. Interestingly, Hindus believe the threat of the evil eye is strongest during times of change in life (i.e., puberty or marriage).
In Brazil, the evil eye is a superstition known locally as the ‘fat eye.’ They believe people who give out insincere compliments will get the evil eye and suffer from a string of bad luck.
In Europe, people believed witches bestowed the evil eye curse on those with a malevolent glare. They also believed people with rare eye colors or shapes were in possession of evil eyes. In Ireland, for example, individuals with squinty eyes were seen as evil eye sorcerers.
How To Protect Yourself Against The Evil Eye
As mentioned, giving someone the evil eye bestows a ‘curse’ upon them or yourself. By contrast, wearing evil eye amulets, evil eye charms, or evil eye bracelets is seen as the most surefire way to ward off evil spirits and ill intentions.
Evil eye amulets come in a variety of colors. The most popular color is deep blue, which symbolizes calm and relaxation, fate and karma protection, and a smooth flow of communication. We’ve listed the other evil eye colors below along with what they represent:
Orange Evil Eye – protection and happiness, motivation and commitment, playfulness and creativity
Dark Blue Evil Eye – calmness, fate protection, communication
Light Blue Evil Eye – general protection, peace and solitude, broadening perspectives
Dark Green Evil Eye – balance, happiness, freedom
Red Evil Eye – energy and enthusiasm, courage, protection from fears
Brown Evil Eye – convention and order,connection with nature, protection from elements
Purple Evil Eye – imagination, life re-balance, removes obstacles
Yellow Evil Eye – concentration, relief from exhaustion, protection for health
Grey Evil Eye – opens mind to new situations, protection from sorrow
Light Green Evil Eye – good health, contentment, success
White Evil Eye – focus and purity, removes clutter and obstacles
Pink Evil Eye – relaxation and contentment, calmness, protects friendships
In addition to wearing an evil eye amulet, ancient Greeks also carried incense or a cross to protect themselves from dark influences.
If these steps failed, the Greeks developed other remedies against the evil eye. Some villages burned bear fur while others hired gypsies to massage the forehead and cure the person afflicted with the curse.
Evil Eye In Jewelry
Over the years, the evil eye has become deeply embedded in pop culture and celebrity culture – so much so that many A-listers are seen wearing the symbol. The most popular way to use this symbol of protection remains to be through wearing an evil eye charm or evil eye talisman. However, more evil eye jewelry pieces have grown in popularity, including evil eye bracelets, evil eye pendants, and evil eye beads.
There are a variety of evil eye designs in the jewelry industry. In the Middle East, most evil eye talismans use the most basic design of the symbol, which is with blue and white circles to symbolize the human eye. This is the most classic interpretation. The color blue is associated with the evil eye as it is thought to represent calmness and serenity. It is also thought to bring about positive energy to the wearer.
In other cultures, jewelry pieces also feature the Hamsa. Known as ‘The Hand of Fatima’, the Hamsa is an equally powerful charm that is often a palm-shaped amulet with a blue eye in the middle. As with evil eye amulets, the Hamsa has talismanic power to ward off bad intentions.
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