Remedies Against the Malocchio (evil eye) for the Strega
In the light of the full moon, dig fennel
In the darkness of the new moon
Around your home, at all entrances
Plant fennels
In the fullness of the Solstice
Harvest Rue
In the darkness of the winter
Crush the leaves and seeds
Wear in a pouch around your neck always
According to Italian folk belief, il malocchio, the evil eye, or malocc’ for short, in the Abruzzi region of Italy, can afflict anyone at any time, in any place. One can never be too careful. The symptoms are a sudden fever or unexplained illness, especially in children, babies or pregnant women. Pregnant women had better hide themselves well, for the eye so evil can inflict damage even through the womb, sometimes killing the unborn child. The main reason for this omnipotent scourge? Jealousy. Yes, jealousy and envy, the twin sisters of evil.
Hence the Italian proverb: If envy were fever, the whole world would be in bed.
Though it is mostly inflicted by others, you can also bring the malocc’ on yourself. Ostentation is not allowed. It brings great harm. People are jealous and envious by nature. It is best to avoid any kind of behavior that encourages these feelings.
Even admiration can bring on the malocc’, since an eye so admiring can easily slip into envy. It is possible to curse someone without meaning to. Omnipresent, there is no place a person is safe from the malocc’. For this reason, “God bless you,” is uttered incessantly after praising someone. There is a need to demonstrate that no harm is intended as well as ward off any unintentional evil eye that may have been created simultaneously with the praise.
In the Italian belief system. It does not matter who has caused this malocc’ to occur. The belief is that the scourge of jealousy is so pervasive, there is no sense in understanding who caused it. Trying to find the source is seen as a waste of energy. The work at hand when one wants to clear oneself of the malocc’ is only concerned with restoring equilibrium. And the work of clearing away the malocchio belongs to the Streghe.
~Theresa C.Dintino
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