What is the Evil Eye?

Let’s read on & learn some things about it!

According to the wiki :

“The evil eye is a curse believed to be cast by a malevolent glare, usually given to a person when they are unaware. Many cultures believe that receiving the evil eye will cause misfortune or injury. Talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called “evil eyes”…  Charms and decorations with eye-like symbols known as nazars, which are used to repel the evil eye are a common sight across Greece, Turkey, Albania, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Southern Italy (Naples), the Levant, and Afghanistan.”

I remember looking at some of my dad’s Mason books after he died (and feeling pretty sure the Mason police were going to get me for it) and seeing some freaky eye-iconography. No explanations of what the heck Masons are or what they do, but plenty of those weird pyramids with the ever watching eye on top…

OH THE FREAKY EYES ON DOLLAR BILLZZZ!!!

Since it seems like basically every culture on earth has a link to this, it doesn’t feel like inappropriate cultural appropriation for me to love these eyes. At least, I hope not!

You may notice that most of the icons are BLUE eyes…I’ve always heard that people with blue eyes are more susceptible to getting cursed by an evil eye. Good thing I got my Pop’s Cajun blooded brown eyes! WHEW!

What it boils down to, for me, is that I find the iconography appealing aesthetically.

And it sure can’t hurt to try to ward off evil!

Here is my collection so far–feel free to add to it! 🙂

Aaaaaaand for those of you who love some Walker Texas Ranger, now you can have the theme song stuck in your head! The eyes of the Ranger are upon you! (not unlike God and Santa Claus, eh?!) 🙂 It seems to fit well with the whole ‘evil eye’ thing.

Do you collect evil eyes or other good luck talismans?

Stay tuned for more of my strange collections!

EDIT (for Jesse 🙂 ): Funnily enough, I bought the three eyed guy in the Cayman islands, where tourists apparently go to buy watches and jewelry. My mom and I scoffed at the cruise folk with us who were foaming at the mouth to buy these things. And then we did the very same thing! Mom got a rad Swarovski bracelet and I bought 2 Swatches! The little dude came with the watch and he is a “vinyl collectible”–not a TOY. I was corrected by the salesman haha! Check out Kidrobot for more weird figures. Tara McPherson is the designer for the one I have!