Il malocchio is believed to be a common cause of distress, physical, spiritual and emotional that often needs addressing. The cure to il malocchio is a ritual performed by someone knowledgeable in magic. In the Italian tradition this is the Streghe.
The Strega checks for the presence of il malocchio by pouring olive oil into water. If the oil behaves the way it is supposed to when entering water, remaining in separate globules, there is no malocchio but if it blends in and diffuses, il malocchio is indeed detected
If il malocchio is detected, these words are repeated with cutting movements, or the literal closing and opening of scissors above the water and oil.
Ciglia Cigliamo
Coltello Tagliano
Manamelo a mare
This ritual is repeated until the oil behaves as oil should when it enters water. Then the person is cured.
The Strega—the wisewoman in the Italian tradition—knows the additional secret chant that is said low, under the breath, a knowledge passed secretly to her by her mentor on Christmas Eve.
The separation of oil and water is the preferred state of affairs. That kind of tension is required to keep the balance. When they are blurred, the person has lost balance. The Strega works with her spells and incantations until oil behaves as it should behave when it enters water, until the tension is restored. Maintaining energetic equilibrium, which exists only with this tension, is the work of the Streghe.
My great-grandmother passed before I was born, therefore I never had this skill passed to me. However, in the African tradition I am initiated into, I have been schooled in the art of “sweeps.” These are cleansing rituals with a similar intention to the oil in water. There are many ways to perform these sweeps but they too are aimed at restoring energetic balance to the person or place concerned. It is important to understand that a “curse” or negative energy can only attach itself to you if you are running a similar vibration. So check on your own energetic patterns and vibrations often to see what is there. And clean your inner house well—with baths, smudge, flower essence— when you find something you don’t want in your space.
~Theresa C. Dintino
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