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The Evil Eye—An Ancient Superstition

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Abstract

This paper describes and discusses the ancient superstition of the Evil Eye. The author describes his own personal childhood introduction to the subject of the Evil Eye which years later instigated his scholarly inquiry. The history of this very geographically widespread folk belief is elaborated upon, along with common manifestations as they appear in a number of different countries and cultures. Some of the methods used to thwart the negative effects of the Evil Eye are enumerated. Relevant psychodynamics and common expressions of the Evil Eye superstition are elucidated upon.

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References

  • Ancient Hebrew Commentary. Midrash, Jalkut Hiob, 908:Lev. R, 17-3, Ca Second Century, CE.

  • Baba M., 107-b, First Century CE.

  • Berger, A. S. (1977). Notes on the symbolism of the eye. Opthalmology Digest, 10.

  • Berger, A. S. (2011). The Evil Eye—A Cautious Look. Journal of Religion and Health

  • Cicero explains that invidere, to look too closely at: Hence, invidia, envy or Evil Eye, the instigator of most deadly sins. (See Reference No. 5, p. 7.)

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  • Reiter, R. (1981). 1913 Zur Augensymbolic. International Zeitschrift fur Artzliche Psychoanalyse. 1:159-61 as quoted in Dundes, A. The Evil Eye, a Casebook. Univ. of WI, p. 264.

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  • Ibid, p. 484.

  • Rolleston, J. D., Gordon, C. F., & Lee, B. (1961). The Evil Eye. Hebrew Medical Journal, 34, 292.

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  • The Evil Eye, The classic account of an ancient superstition. Frederick Thomas Elworthy, London, 1895, Dover Edition, 2004, p. 8.

  • Ibid, p. 15.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University School of Medicine, 1302 Midwood Place, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA

    Allan S. Berger

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  1. Allan S. Berger
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Correspondence to Allan S. Berger.

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Author’s Note: My father, favorite uncle and three cousins—of blessed memory—were ophthalmologists. Healing the eye was the essence of their lives. Although my own discipline is the brain, I feel that in writing this paper about the eye, I am honoring their memory.

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Berger, A.S. The Evil Eye—An Ancient Superstition. J Relig Health 51, 1098–1103 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9493-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-011-9493-5

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