There are no book instructions for learning how to do them. Written records are scanty and disallowed since the secret is passed on face to face for a reason.
The Italian custom is that The Eyes can only be taught to another on Christmas Eve exactly at midnight. There is no ritual involved or special clothing just a conveyance of the prayers and the correct way to say them.
Many practitioners use olive oil along with the prayers. Others just recite the prayers and make the symbolic motions which are always done on the recipient's forehead.
There is no withholding here as to what the symbolic motions are, the only reason being, that divulging it would violate the Christmas Eve rule. It must be kept secret until that moment.
Oddly, distance does not play a role. The forehead symbols are mentally performed with a gesture of the hand. They can be done over the telephone as well. No photo is needed or mental image of the person or contact.
Believing in Mal Occhio Is Not Required
Remarkably, a person does not have to believe in The Eyes. Many Italian Americans spoof at the idea of such an ancient remedy for a headache. They simply do not believe in them. A great deal of non-Italians share the same belief.
Someone can request that The Eyes are done for someone else who has a bad headache. They are then done without the knowledge of the afflicted person. Surprisingly, it works!
The most rewarding part of doing them for a non-believer is to have them suddenly announce a few minutes after they are done: my headache is gone.
Witches Can Remove Mal Occhio
Although a bloodline witch can remove them, he or she cannot remove their own curse.
For a more complete discussion of "bloodline Witch" see, "The Elucidation Of Witchcraft."
Witches are subject to rules. As such, they are classified under the category of intentional Mal Occhio.
A witch is not permitted to charge any type fee or accept gifts for removing spells nor is anyone else.
Fattore Is Not a Fairytale
Although the rituals involved with removal of The Eyes and the ways in which they are inflicted sound as if they are innocuous and medieval, do not take the Fattore (curse) lightly. Thousands of years have never dispelled or disproved Mal Occhio. (See part one for their historical reference). The proof lies in the fact that it is still widely practiced and believed in the old and the new world in the current time.
Something as simple as Friday the 13th sends shivers up the spines of most people. For a witch, however, it is a lucky day.
For those who do not believe, reflect back to the times when someone paid a great compliment such as: you really look good today, that dress/suit makes you stand out.
A short time later, a glass of wine, coffee, soda, somehow spills all over that beautiful dress or suit. It’s cheaper to make a fist and place the thumb between the fore and middle fingers during the compliment.
