LexiYoga

Black Tourmaline & Evil Eye

Written by Mira Saraf.

Early this year, under the influence of a lot of cold medication and painkillers, I wrote a note on Facebook about being thankful for all the good things my life had given me. I felt (and still feel), that it was easy to sit back and complain and drown myself in self-pity, but in truth I was wealthy with good fortune. I made all sorts of plans for how my life should turn out, where I wanted to live, when I should get married, what I wanted to do, and while they had all fallen through, the results had been even better than I ever could have planned.

black tourmaline

I had struggled to stay in New York, fighting till the end against fate, but as soon as my flight landed in Toronto, things fell neatly into place; luck fell into my lap without my even having to try. 2 years later, I had no regrets, no sadness of heart. I was thankful for the beautiful people in my life that had taught me lessons I could not have learned myself, thankful for the small gifts in life that I took for granted (roof over my head, education, food on the table, a steady job), and happy with the way everything was turning out.

The months that followed were some of the most tumultuous and difficult of my life, making that brief moment of feeling thankful incredibly challenging to put into perspective. I have always been very affected by the negative energy of others. From a young age I was taught never to flaunt my success in public, as the harmful energies of those who don't wish you well can bring misfortune. Over the years, my mother gave me item after item to protect me against negative influences, but somehow no matter what, if something really good happened to me and became public knowledge, something bad always followed. By parading my thankfulness and graciousness for life on the Internet for everyone to see, I had inevitably invited hostility into my life.

The evil eye concept exists in cultures across the world - Indian, Middle Eastern, Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Turkish and Egyptian among others. Although specific definitions vary, it is most often associated with envy. There are some accounts of it being linked with intentional malevolence, but this is not as prevalent. There are a multitude of protective measures, such as making the sign of a cross with your hands, prayers, kohl, or images. I personally have worn a gold ring, a silver bracelet, and a pendant among other things. That is, until I discovered the Rock Store.

I was taking a walk through the Annex Neighborhood when I stumbled upon the Rock Store. I don't know much about gemstones and the power they are supposed to possess, but I have always believed that the energies surrounding us have a significant impact on your life. I walked in to a plethora of stones in various stages of raw form, some polished and shiny, others looking like they had just been dug out of the earth. There were stones in here I had never even heard of. I asked the owner for some help in selecting a stone that would protect against negative energy. Without hesitation she suggested Black Tourmaline.

Black Tourmaline, found primarily in Africa, Brazil, Burma and the United States, is supposed to protect you from harm both physically and mentally by absorbing any sort of negativity. It is also said to have healing powers and balance you both physically and mentally. Rubbing it is also said to bring luck.

I selected a stone with a reddish brown streak on one side. I had it placed in a cage and hung on a string before smudging it by placing it over burning sage. The whole experience was brand new to me, but the owner felt it was important to remove any negative energy from previous customers who may have touched the stone. I was unsure how I felt about yet another Evil Eye shield (all of my previous ones have been discarded to bottoms of drawers and ends of closets) but I decided it was worth a try.

I've been wearing the stone for almost two months now and the change is both dramatic and imperceptible at the same time. While I still do not go out of my way to broadcast good fortune, people with strange energy affect me much less, I still sense it, but it rolls off me rather than impacting my life and mood. Yet it is unnoticeable because everything flows smoothly, the unforeseen bumps along the road have been minimized. The next months as I transition into a new life are going to be full of new challenges and battles, but at least the only negativity I will have to battle and conquer will be my own.

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