"The oregano and the gorse and the one-fired garlic of the wort herb is a great spell."
The evil eye. Basque Country. The eyes. The heat. The look, the one single look that "enters" a body and makes it sick. Which does not count, person, age, time, space, place. Which has no mercy. They say that the younger, the more beautiful, the more susceptible someone is to the "eye".
Much has been said about the Basque Country for centuries now. From the Middle East, the west and the east of Africa and Asia, but also in the whole of Europe and especially in its south which is embraced by the Mediterranean Sea. This text "suffered" several people, who were asked to speak through their knowledge and experience on this very special subject. But, they did it with joy and interest and we thank them.
A great priest, a great university doctor, a great researcher, a great chemist, and a great swindler. We didn't talk to anyone, but most of them would surely have a story to tell us. Especially those who did not believe in the eye at all, but one day they loved untangling, because it instantly "brought" them back to life, after an also instantaneous illness. We didn't even talk to a Basque, that is, to the one who looks, because probably no one would accept - admit the characterization.
SYMPTOMS OF DAMAGE
If one gets his hands on a paper with the "adverse effects" of even the most common painkiller, his question will be solved.
Malaise, headache, gastric upset, dizziness, fever, CNS stimulation, somnolence, fatigue, hypertension, hypotension.
We could write about twenty series with symptoms.
FATHERS AND METHODS OF WASHING
Many old ways, Christian, popular, pagan, but also many ways of washing with oil, with salt, with a towel, with coals.
But let's unfold this story...
THE STORY
Maria Kanava, Philologist - Researcher and Doctoral candidate of the Sorbonne University, researched it a lot. He translated ancient texts, read and narrated:
"Plutarch in his 'Ethics' converses with Metrius Florus, Soclarus, Patrocles and Gaius about the gazing, the bascano (vascaino =to look at, allure, seduce, I am envious, envious. Some claim that bascaino is produced from they "burn it", i.e. they kill it through the eyes). Medirios Floros has observed that some even seeing children harms them, as they become ill and as time passes their health may deteriorate. In fact, he names specific people who look, the Thebans, who live around the Pontus. They alone with their look, breath or smell can make any living moving thing melt and sicken. And this was first ascertained by their servants, and it is recorded. And all this is done with the eyes, since the glance is busy and spreads around with a breath of light like fire which causes man to suffer much because of its power. So man can feel pleasure or disgust for what he sees around him and return this feeling through the eyes back, damaging them...".
LOVE AND BASCANIA
Maria Kanava: "Metrios Floros even makes a reference to love, pointing out that even there the first and foremost reason is the look and whoever falls in love melts with what he sees and as if pouring into what he sees. In this way they seduce, charm each other. However, he considers it questionable how anyone can suffer from the look, more than if someone else touches and hurts them with the hands of another person. But what comes out of the eyes of men, whether it be light or breath, makes the lovers melt together, melt and perish with mingled bitterness and pleasure. So it is as if people are seduced by the eyes and bow down to whoever sees them.'
THE GREEDY BIRD THAT "TATCHES" THE EYE
Maria Kanava: "The dialogue continues and they say that the evil eye goes away if the beggar sees the Haradrios (a very gluttonous bird), pale yellow in color, so named because it probably lived in ravines. They even thought that those suffering from jaundice could be cured if they saw the haradrio, but the bird then died. Such was the nature of the bird that it drew the disease outwards, like a stream from the eyes, but immediately afterwards died. Maybe that's why modern witches say that they "took the eye" of the one they witched and start to feel suddenly unwell.
WHAT CAUSES BROKENNESS
Maria Kanava: In the continuation of the dialogue, and as they try to analyze how it is possible to cause physical harm to someone from a single glance, the following observation is made:“all passions that remain in the souls for a long time, form evil habits. These, in fact, when they happen to receive the power of nature (meaning they are activated through the senses that we have by nature, such as that of vision) often involuntarily turn against the familiar and usual passions.
All the passions that remain in the souls for a long time, form evil habits.
If we look at cowards, they fear even those who save them. If we see the angry ones, they again take even the most meek and friends out of their clothes. And it is impossible for the chaste to refrain from physical pleasures. And all this because the habit is difficult to give up by the one who has it. Those who look are moved in exactly the same way. That is, out of habit which has become their second nature and they act not as they want but as they are used to. And just as the sphere moves in a circle and in every direction because it is so by nature due to its cylindrical shape, so the envious man unleashes a Basque look in every direction without checking whether it will fall even on his own children or himself... ". Thus, if envy penetrates the soul, it also fills the body with a bad mood which the body manifests outwardly, and by getting used to this envious state, you now become a coward."
WHO IS THE BASCAN, THE ONE WHO SEES
"Baskanos or baskantira =condom against baskania (talisman, talisman...). The Romans called Baskania fascinum.
Maria Kanava: "Alexander Aphrodisius tells us on the same subject:And the eyes are made as follows:as malice is stirred up in them, due to excessive envy, it issues like some poisonous and corrupting ray from the pupil of their eyes. And this, entering through the eyes of the envious, turns their soul and nature into dyscrasia, their juices into putrefaction and leads their bodies to disease.
So the bad energy emitted by the eyes comes from the malice and malice of the soul. This is a result of what the eyes have seen and is externalized with particle flows through the breath and/or the words of the person who is chewing. So Theocritus says:þos mὴ vaskanthẶ de, trọs ἀς ἐμὸν ἔπτισα κόλον (=in order not to be broken I spat three times on my korfo) perhaps to drive away with the air these flows of particles that are directed towards him while spitting is considered a means of mockery , of aversion and contempt for something directed towards him and within him. In addition to spitting on the neck, people devised other ways to drive it away. Amulets are one of them, which, however, do not act of their own accord, but from the impression they cause on the one who looks at them, that is, that is where the envious glances of the pious eye can be concentrated. And as Varron says, the so-called vaskania and provaskania were hung around the children's necks to prevent vaskania. Also, the artisans had various satirical props outside their workshops, such as painted male genitalia and others of that kind, which attract - in a way - the Basque and drugged look".
CHURCH AND BASCANIA
Protopresbyter father Emmanuel Vamiedakis, who has been teaching love all his life, says that the church does not deny the Basque. "Baskania is deeply rooted in the Greek tradition from ancient times as well as in the traditions of other peoples, e.g. Egyptians and Jews as mentioned in the Old Testament. In the Bible we read:"Do not associate with a Basque man", that is, "do not eat with a Basque man", and the Apostle Paul refers to the New Testament about the Basque:"O foolish Galatians, do not be persuaded by the truth", he addresses the Galatians and asks them "who blinded you and you do not admit the truth?".
Our Church does not deny the existence of Basqueness.
Our Church does not deny the existence of Basqueness. He simply does not consider it prevention and superstition and attributes it to the intervention of the evil spirit, he considers it the work of the devil as a result of envy. In fact, her wishes speak of a "wandering eye", a word that comes from the Holy Bible and means the envious person. Also, the Church considers the folk ways of tearing away eyes as valid those who invoke them and whose principle is the invocation for the help of divine grace, and the use of the honorable cross as a talisman and a weapon against the wicked.
THE CROSS AND SANCTIFICATION
Father Emmanuel Vamiedakis: "According to the fathers of the Church, the use of sanctification and the cross, the trophy of Christ against the devil, have the status of a prison. We have the Cross as a bulwark against tyranny and the half-hearted.
What every person needs to have on him is to wear his cross and have a strong faith which is also his weapon against all evil. Basil the Great has written a wish against the Basques. The fathers of the church attribute the baskania to the intervention of the evil spirit, the work of the devil, identifying it with envy. They also consider it bad for the person who causes it.
The church, wanting to help its members, behaves very condescendingly and included in its wishes the relevant words but also gave them the correct meaning. The power of Basqueness is a common belief of all peoples and religions. The Christian church accepts it and has established wishes and talismans to prevent it."
MEDICAL SCIENCE AND MATIAMS
Doctor Christos Lionis, Professor of General Medicine and Primary Health Care at the Medical School of the University of Crete and Visiting Professor at Linkoping University in Sweden, truly loves people. We asked him what Basqueness is. "Baskania, the eyes, is a topic that has been discussed a lot in the literature and has received many and different approaches. You will allow me to refer to this matter as a doctor and also as a professor, without this implying that my positions represent the entirety of the science I serve.
I begin with a reference to an excellent text by the Professor of Social Anthropology Ms. Evgenia Roussou, published in the Journal of Contemporary Religion (2014), which I fully subscribe to. In this direction, I would not like to examine the dichotomous question – whether or not baskania, the eyes, is a matter of science or metaphysics (supernature). This question seems to have occupied many articles in the past.. I will stay to the question of whether the study of this socio-psychological phenomenon is important, and what it has to offer to research, health services, therapy and the relationship between the doctor and his patient. You will allow me to consider the importance of the gaze more as a phenomenon, in which we should study people's beliefs and how these, as Ms. Roussou states, translate into practices and also into experience"
"MEDICAL CARE" INCLUDES SPIRITUAL NEEDS AND VALUES
Prof. Christos Lionis: "As doctors and therapists, we are very interested in patient-centered care, an extremely topical issue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A definition given by the Institute of Health in the USA defines patient-centered care, or better, person-centered care, as the totality of care that must correspond with the wishes, expectations, values and needs of the person. The term needs does not only refer to the biological needs resulting from the disease, but also to the spiritual (and religious) ones. This suggests that in order to offer effective care to the patient, we cannot, as health professionals, not take into account their expectations and wishes, and therefore their beliefs and perceptions about health and illness. It is so important to understand what the patient thinks about the disease and the mechanisms that cause it, what are the causes (identifiers) that lead to its appearance, but also how he interprets the symptoms he experiences. For if the doctor has not understood them, it will be difficult for him to be able effectively not only to advise and encourage his patient, but also to change the practices and behavior adopted by him.
In order to offer effective care to the patient, we cannot, as health professionals, not take into account his expectations and wishes, and therefore his beliefs and perceptions about health and illness.
It is important to consider what the doctor thinks about all the elements of traditional healing. A classic example is the use of healing herbs which until years ago were considered to be a 'magical' reference. In the same direction and the discussion about Basqueness based on the approach that it has a magical-religious dimension. But as we mentioned above, what I would like to discuss is the dimension of belief that affects the behavior of the person - patient, and which the doctor deserves to keep in mind. Therefore this is of great interest to research, health services and the patient relationship.
It is important for the doctor to know the spiritual needs of the person as well as the religious ones included in them. Regardless of one's personal religious beliefs, the doctor must strengthen his patient's spiritual and religious beliefs when dealing with a serious and progressive illness. To this end, there is an excellent term in the literature, "spiritual care", which is spiritual care and, together with modern therapeutic means, it has been documented that it works efficaciously.
THE HEADACHE OF THE BROKEN ONE
Prof. Christos Lionis: "Speaking of Basqueness, as I have undertaken, I will not refer to the question which is often formulated, whether i.e. it is explained by natural laws. It is true that many approaches to the interpretation of negative energy have been formulated, often empirical and unfounded. But I will focus on the fact that it is an experienced event, which, although recorded subjectively, is real and therefore not fake. As soon as the person shows symptoms, with the headache being more frequent - which seems to prevail in the south-eastern Mediterranean basin - and muscle weakness, what we call in Crete "commares", is a real event. And the person experiencing it tries to find explanations.
It is therefore important for the doctor to try to explain to his patient what these symptoms are due to. Many people, in the experience of each symptom, try to interpret its cause with answers of the type "it's nothing", "it just hurts your head, it will pass", and thus they do not help and of course do not reassure the patient who in order to reduce stress caused by the experience of the symptom, it is natural to try to explain what causes it. So depending on his culture, his traditional understandings, combined with religious/spiritual beliefs, several persons may attribute and interpret their symptoms to the negative energy that was the result of emission from a person to him or his family".
THE MAGICAL ROLE OF THE DOCTOR
Prof. Christos Lionis: "I want to make the reference to the magical role of the doctor, which a very important professor, Michael Balint, always talked about as the "Apostolic function of the doctor", i.e. the apostolic ministry of the doctor. Γιατί είναι προφανές ότι η επίδραση του γιατρού από μόνη της, ο λόγος του και όλη η αλληλεπίδραση του, φαίνεται να βοηθούν στη μείωση των συμπτωμάτων που βιώνει ο ασθενής, ακόμη και στη ρύθμιση χρόνιων προβλημάτων υγείας που έχουν βιολογικό υπόβαθρο. Καταλαβαίνετε λοιπόν την σε εισαγωγικά η «μαγική δύναμη» που έχει ο ίδιος ο γιατρός. Άρα λοιπόν η ιατρική επιστήμη πρέπει να εξετάσει σοβαρά, σε συνεργασία με ανθρωπολόγους, με φιλοσόφους, με κοινωνιολόγους και με θεολόγους το θέμα της βασκανίας για πολλούς λόγους και γι αυτούς που έχω αναφέρει.
Πρέπει ο γιατρός να χρησιμοποιεί αυτές τις πεποιθήσεις του ασθενή, με εξαιρετικό τρόπο, χωρίς να απορρίπτει το πρόσωπο που τις δηλώνει.
Είναι αναγνωρισμένο ότι μια βιωμένη ανάγνωση και ερμηνεία των συμπτωμάτων που προτρέπουν σε πρακτικές λύσεις, θα πρέπει να της γνωρίζει ο γιατρός. Και πρέπει όπου μπορεί να μην τις αρνείται - γιατί η άρνηση μιας πεποίθησης από εκπαιδευμένους επαγγελματίες, μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε αντίθετα αποτελέσματα - αλλά να την αξιοποιήσει και να την χρησιμοποιήσει στην επιστημονική του γνώση για να προτρέψει τον ασθενή του σε μια αποτελεσματική αγωγή. Είναι σαν να λες σ’ έναν χριστιανό που έχει καρκίνο να μην προσεύχεται. Πρέπει ο γιατρός να χρησιμοποιεί αυτές τις πεποιθήσεις του ασθενή, με εξαιρετικό τρόπο, χωρίς να απορρίπτει το πρόσωπο που τις δηλώνει, χωρίς να το μειώνει και ουσιαστικά να τις αξιοποιεί ως συμπλήρωμα στην επίσημη, τεκμηριωμένη και καθιερωμένη επιστημονική του γνώση, ως μια προσέγγιση που θα οδηγήσει στη μείωση των συμπτωμάτων και στη βελτίωση της ποιότητας της ζωής».
ΜΠΟΡΕΙ ΤΟ ΜΑΤΙΑΣΜΑ ΝΑ ΣΕ ΑΡΡΩΣΤΗΣΕΙ;
Καθ. Χρήστος Λιονής: «Ένα πρόσωπο που θεωρεί ότι έχει βασκανία, καταφεύγει στο «ξεμάτιασμα», προχωράει σε παραδοσιακές πρακτικές ιεροτελεστίες, ενδεχομένως με κάποια προσωρινή ανακούφιση. Όπως για παράδειγμα η μυϊκή αδυναμία, μπορεί να είναι εκδήλωση ενός χρόνιου νοσήματος σε εξέλιξη. Αυτό συμβαίνει και στις περιπτώσεις που ο ασθενής χρησιμοποιεί θεραπευτικά φυτά ή και φάρμακα που παίρνει από μόνος του, κάτω από τις συμβουλές φίλων ή συγγενών. Έχει λοιπόν μεγάλη σημασία ο γιατρός να ρωτά, να ακούει και να μαθαίνει από τις πεποιθήσεις του ασθενή του. «Σε ακούω, σε καταλαβαίνω, σ’ ευχαριστώ που μου το λες, θα εξετάσουμε πως μπορούμε να το ερμηνεύσουμε και από πλευράς ιατρικής, θα ήθελα να μάθω για το τι πιστεύεις ότι βοηθά την υγεία σου για να μπορώ να επέμβω με την επιστήμη μου όπου χρειάζεται», θα μπορούσαν να είναι τα σχόλια του γιατρού. Μια τέτοια συνεργασία και σχέση αμοιβαίου σεβασμού ιατρού και ασθενή, ταιριάζει με τον ορισμό που σας προανέφερα, και με την έννοια αυτή θεωρώ ότι η ιατρική επιστήμη έχει πάρα πολλά να μάθει και από τη συζήτηση του θέματος αυτού».
ΤΟ ΞΕΜΑΤΙΑΣΜΑ
Η κα. Παρασκευή Λ. ξεματιάζει δεκαετίες τώρα, με το λάδι, λέγοντας μια ευχή, πάνω από ένα φλιτζάνι που έχει μέσα λίγο νερό. «Την ευχή, πρέπει να την πει γυναίκα σε άντρα και ο άντρας σε γυναίκα και δεν έχει καμία σημασία, η ώρα, η μέρα και η στιγμή. Το μάτι είναι ένα σατανικό πράγμα και υπάρχουν πολλές γητειές. Μάλιστα κάποιες αναφέρουν μέσα «κακά» ονόματα και λέξεις και δεν πρέπει να λέγονται.
Το ξεμάτιασμα με το λάδι γίνεται με ευχές της εκκλησίας και με το τροπάριο των Αγίων Αναργύρων. Ξενικά με «Το όνομα του Πατρός και του Υιού και του Αγίου πνεύματος, Άγιοι Ανάργυροι και θαυματουργοί, δωρεάν λάβετε δωρεάν δώσετε», αλλά και άλλες ευχές και λόγια ανάμεσα. Επαναλαμβάνεις την ευχή τρεις φορές και μετά με το δάκτυλο σου, στάζεις λάδι μέσα στο νερό. Αν το πρόσωπο που αναφέρεσαι είναι ματιασμένο, το λάδι διαλύεται μέσα στο νερό. Δεν φαίνεται καν, δεν μπορείς να το διακρίνεις.
Εγώ ξέρω, καταλαβαίνω, όταν ξεκινώ να ξεματιάζω κάποιον, αν το μάτι είναι από ζήλεια από κακία ή από θαυμασμό. Γιατί και κάποιος που αγαπά μπορεί να ματιάσει. Νιώθω πάντα ειδικά όταν ξεματιάζω κάποιον που είναι πολύ ευαίσθητος στο μάτιασμα, έναν θόρυβο την ώρα που ρίχνω το λάδι. Εκείνη τη στιγμή που ακουμπά το νερό και χάνεται, ακούγεται ένας ήχος, σαν αέρας. Όλος ο κόσμος μπορεί να ξεματιάσει, μόνο όμως με ευχές της εκκλησίας»
ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ ΝΑ ΔΙΑΛΥΕΤΑΙ ΤΟ ΛΑΔΙ ΣΤΟ ΝΕΡΟ;
Ο Νίκος Κουτσούκος, Χημικός Msc ασχολείται όλη του τη ζωή με το λάδι και είναι συνιδρυτής και Πρόεδρος του Σχολείου Ελιάς και Ελαιολάδου Καλαμάτας. Όταν τον ρωτήσαμε να μας πει αν μπορεί το λάδι να διαλυθεί μέσα στο νερό μας έγραψε:«Η συνύπαρξη νερού και λαδιού σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις και αναλογίες δίνουν διαφορετικές φάσεις για τα δυο υγρά. Η διαφορετική τιμή στο ειδικό βάρος και τα διαφορετικά ειδή διαμοριακών δυνάμεων που αναπτύσσονται μεταξύ τους, αποτελούν μια επαρκή εξήγηση για το φαινόμενο αυτό».
Σε απλά λόγια μας εξήγησε:«Δύο πράγματα για να μην αναμειγνύονται πρέπει να έχουν διαφορετικά ειδικά βάρη. Άρα το νερό και το λάδι δεν ανακατεύονται μεταξύ τους. Το πιο χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα που μπορώ να αναφέρω, είναι το καντήλι, που το νερό μένει πάντα κάτω και το λάδι πάνω. Αυτός είναι και ο λόγος που στις νοθείες λαδιού, το νερό είναι κάτι που δεν ερευνούμε. Ουσιαστικά αυτό που με ρωτάτε, δεν εξηγείται επιστημονικά και δεν υπάρχει στους νόμους της φυσικής. Θα δεχόμουνα μια ανάμιξη ίσως η οποία γίνεται σε ένα πολύ μεγάλο όγκο νερού με μια πολύ μικρή ποσότητα λαδιού, όχι όμως σε αυτές τις ποσότητες».
ΑΝΤΙΒΑΣΚΑΝΙΚΕΣ ΜΕΘΟΔΟΙ – ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΑΠΟΤΡΕΨΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΜΑΤΙΑΣΜΑ
Μας τα περιγράφει η Μαρία Καναβά:
«Από τα φυτά, αντιβασκανικά θεωρούνται οι άκανθοι, ο απήγανος, το βάκανο, το σκόρδο, η δάφνη κ.α. φυτά δηλαδή αποκρουστικά στην όψη ,στην αφή, στην οσμή ή στην γεύση. Εικόνες φαλλών, ως προστασία κατά του φθόνου, βρίσκονταν μέσα σε φυλακτά παιδιών, ή κάτω από το άρμα στρατηγών κατά τον θρίαμβό τους. Από τον Πολυδεύκη μαθαίνουμε, ότι οι χαλκουργοί συνήθιζαν να κρεμάνε ή να κολλάνε μπροστά από τα καμίνια τους βασκάνια, όπως και κέρατα ή κεφάλια ζώων. Ο τύραννος Πεισίστρατος είχε κρεμασμένη μπροστά από την ακρόπολη, ως προφυλακτήριο από την βασκανία, ομοίωμα ακρίδας, σύμφωνα με τον Ησύχιο»
To σφακέλωμα και παρόμοιες χειρονομίες συγκαταλέγεται στις μαγγανείες για την αποτροπή του ματιάσματος, σύμφωνα με τον Schmidt, ο οποίος θεωρεί ότι με αυτόν τον τρόπο αποτρέπει κανείς το βάσκανο μάτι και το περιφρονεί στον ύψιστο βαθμό.
Οι βοσκοί στην Κρήτη ακόμα και σήμερα, αν ματιαστούν τα ζώα τους παίρνουν "καλορίζικα' δηλαδή τα λουλούδια που κοσμούν την Μ. Παρασκευή το σώμα του Χριστού στον Επιτάφιο και με αυτά θυμιάζουν τα ζωντανά τους για να ξορκιστεί το κακό το μάτι ενώ στα χωράφια τους κρεμούν κεφάλια από τράγους ή κριάρια με κέρατα.»