Poetic Earth

To know the truth, you’d have to go back to the beginning—to where it all started.

In my mother’s womb.
That’s where she prayed for me.

Back then, there weren’t any ultrasound appointments or gender reveals. I was created during a time when my existence was left in complete wonder.

Is it a girl?
Am I having a boy?
Is my baby healthy?
When will they arrive?

All questions that raced through my mother’s head. So to calm her nerves, she sang, and she prayed.

Well, I was birthed a girl—obviously—and growing up, I knew I wasn’t like the other children I went to school with. I wore clothes that didn’t match and carried an awareness about me that other children seemed aloof to.

My Greek mother barely spoke English and really did not fit in with the other American moms. Between cultural and religious differences, we were kind of the oddballs, where my dad, an American from Mississippi, fit in smoothly and made friends easily.

Sometimes I would come home from school or a neighborhood BBQ feeling not like myself. Most kids would go play or rest it off. But if I ever felt a headache, dizziness, or weariness, my mother swore it was the Mati and would begin her prayers. Her telltale sign was always looking at me, beginning her prayers, and—if she was immediately interrupted—she was then certain that it was the Mati.

Having the Mati placed on me left me feeling drained and exhausted, as if I had just walked through a foggy desert. Her thumb, pointer, and middle fingers would bend and press together, creating a pointer that hovered over my body and essence in the motion of a cross, as the words would spill from her mouth.

Up, down, side to side. Up, down, side to side she would go.

Every time she began to yawn or tears would glaze her eyes, she would fight through—and many times, start the prayer over again—until she could get it out clearly, concisely, and make it concrete.

Again, not something your typical American mom in the 90s was doing.

The prayed words from my mother felt like a blanket of light and protection layered over me, soaking up the unwanted energies like a spiritual filter—cleansing my mind, body, and spirit. I could feel the dark, dense, and cloudy energy stir within me, then slowly exit my body and dissipate into nothingness.

During recuperation, I would rest, isolating myself a bit from the world. My mother has done this many times for me, even into my adulthood.

The other day, I was scrolling along my socials feed when I saw a young girl holding an evil eye pendulum, asking what it means in the community group. I couldn’t help but share a few short words about my experience with the Mati:

“Protective and wards off negative energies. We call it “Mati” in Greek. There is a prayer to take off the physical ailments of the mati once it’s been placed on an individual.”

Many know the evil eye as Nazar Boncuğu (Turkish) or Mal de ojo (Spanish), but there are other names for it as well—Mauvais œil (French) and Ayin Ha’ra (Hebrew).

The concept of Vaskania itself is ancient, thought to trace back as far as the 6th century BC. Many cultures believe in the evil eye, and in Greek religion, it is even recognized by the Orthodox Church. It is believed that prayers and fasting can counteract its influence. There is a specific prayer, called Vaskania (βασκανία), that was recommended by one of the greatest modern-day saints of the Orthodox Church—Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian.

This below is the prayer my mother reads to me when I am feeling under the powerful spell of the evil eye. She reads it in Greek so I will leave the English translation below.

"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Holy God, Holy Strong , Holy and Immortal have mercy on us (thrice).
All Holy Trinity have mercy on us. Lord, forgive our sins. Master, pardon our transgressions. Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for the glory of Your name.
Lord have mercy (thrice)
Our Father Who are in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
By the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen.
O Virgin Mother of God, hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb; for you gave birth to the Saviour of our souls.
O Baptist of Christ, be mindful of us all, that we may be delivered from our iniquities: for unto you is given grace to pray for us.
You strived to live a life trully inspired by God, you became a holy vessel of the Paraclete, bearer of God, Arsenios, and you were given the grace to perform miracles, offering to everyone your quick help, our holy Father, we plead you, pray to Jesus Christ our Lord to grant us His grand mercy.
Come, let us worship and bow down before God our King.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ God our King.
Come, let us worship and bow down before Him, Christ our King and God."

I know, I know—it’s a long prayer!
How can one get through it in one breath and without stumbling?

Most of the time, it takes my mother a couple renditions before her words become powerful enough to break through the negative barrier residing inside me. But that’s the key: using your words and energy as power.

Because they are.

In everything we do, we do it using energy. It’s literally inevitable. And that is exactly how someone may place the evil eye upon you.

There are so many different forms of energy exerted when conversing and interacting with people in social settings. At work, for example—a coworker may be jealous of the way you present yourself and accomplish your duties. That jealous energy can manifest into the evil eye and cause the symptoms we talked about: dizziness, exhaustion, headaches, feeling drained, and cloudiness. It can even cause harm depending on how deep their emotions are felt. The deeper the emotions, the more energy is projected.

Another example? Simply going to church or to the farmer’s market. You have great conversations with those you meet and greet, and then when you get home, the haziness and confusion settle in. You have no idea why you’re feeling this way after such a great day.

The evil eye isn’t always malicious.
Jealousy doesn’t have just one form.
And lust can turn sour if not acted upon.

Someone may think you’re beautiful, and their adornment can become overpowering—thus leading to the effects and influence of the evil eye. It has the ability to manifest through both positive and negative energetic emotions.

So how can you protect yourself at all times?

Some may think you can’t—and that’s true. I won’t lie. There are always cracks in any foundation. It may seem daunting to have to protect your spirit often, but it really isn’t.

When you wake up each day, don’t you brush your teeth?
Don’t you eat, to be able to have the energy to process physically and mentally?
Don’t you shower the day off and give yourself a reset?

If you’ve said yes to any of these questions, I have some important news for you:

You can pray for yourself during any of these activities!

That’s what I do.

Of course, my mother still consciously prays over me—both in person and from afar. I don’t think she’ll ever stop doing that. I literally texted her about this post, and her response was, “Do you need me to pray for you?” She is relentless—haha!

But I’ve come up with my own ritual now.
Something that’s my own.

A protection prayer for myself, my family, and my home.

I recite it as I light incense or while I’m cleaning the house. I say it in the shower or when I touch the evil eye pendulum that hangs over my dresser. It’s a simple chant that can be remembered and bring power to energy.

Protection Prayer

I am protected.
My family is protected.
My home is protected.

As I say these words
(or: As I light this tool—incense, resin, or sacred herbs),
please protect me from any and all negative forces, seen and unseen,
and light the most aligned path before me.

Shield my spirit from those who wish to harm me,
my family,
or my home.

May this moment be one of clarity, cleansing, and strength.
May peace settle in every corner of my being.
Amen.
(or: So it is. / Ευλογημένο να είναι.)

I’ve always loved singing, writing, and creating—so this felt right to me.
I do respect the Church, the saints, and the Fathers who dedicate so much time and energy to the faith in the Greek Orthodox Church. Some things are better left alone in their prestigious, ancient wisdom.

And some things—well, some like to shake things up a bit.

So take from the old, start with the modern, or create your own ritual.
Wherever you decide to go, know this: you have full control over your peace.

Ask yourself:
“Have I ever experienced the effects of the evil eye?
What are my protection rituals or ancestral practices?”

Your answers matter.
Your path is yours.
And your energy is your power.

Blessed be.