The Mal de Ojo, is best known as the evil eye. To my understanding it's an illness, or as others would call it, a hex. This illness commonly affects children and on some occasion it affects women. To get Mal de Ojo, a child has been admired or envied by an adult, it is usually caused unintentionally. The child begins showing symptoms like fever, headache, and having a hard time sleeping. I was about eight years old when I was introduced to the practice of curing Mal de Ojo. All I remember was there was this strange lady (curandera) taking a normal egg and rubbing it over every inch of my body while mumbling words in Spanish. The practice lasted about fifteen minutes. I'll I remember thinking was what is she doing to me and why are my parents letting her touch me all over. I also remember feeling scared, anxious and unsure what was coming next. To this day I am still unsure if the Mal de Ojo is a true illness or not. I personally never practiced this ritual with my own children. One thing is for sure, I am afraid to question its authenticity. I would never say it's not true out loud and as far as I know I will never have to.
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