Cyprus is a country that has lots of superstitions which are believed to indicate whether good fortune will arrive for an individual or home. There are some ways to improve your fortunes, even if a bad omen has come your way, you can counteract it with a charm. Olive leaves are used as a powerful good luck charm, bringing good luck and blessings and warding away the evil eye.
History Of The Olive Leaves Good Luck Charm
There is no clear information about how olive leaves came to be considered as good luck charm in Cyprus. However, the olive leaf has many powerful qualities and has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine. The Ancient Egyptians described the extract of olive leaf as “heavenly power” and in the Bible, the dove that returned to Noah had an olive leaf in its beak (Genesis, 8.11). There are veiled references to olive leaves in many places throughout the Bible but it’s not just Christianity which revered the tree. In the Quran it also receives attention on a number of occasions, being called the “blessed tree” (Sunan al-Darimi, 69:103).
Why The Olive Leaves Charm Brings Luck
There are different ways in which to use the olive leaf charm, and the method you choose determines how you attract good fortune. Olive leaves are frequented burnt in special containers; the smoke is then blown in your direction to get rid of the evil eye and improve your fortunes. Alternatively, when hung outside the front door on New Year’s Eve, the olive leaf is said to attract the blessings of St Basil, a benevolent figure.
How To Use The Olive Leaves Charm
To bring good fortune and banish bad luck at any time, Cypriot villagers burn olive leaves in a special smoke pot outside, known as a kapnistiri. This is more common in Turkish Cyprus, to the north. In the south, Cypriots place olive leaves in a wreath outside the door on New Year’s Eve.
How The Olive Leaves Charm Is Made
When the olive leaves are burnt outside, there than procuring a suitable pot for burning, no other preparations are necessary once the leaves are collected. For the wreaths, the olive leaves are wound together in a circle for hanging outside.
How To Make The Olive Leaves Charm At Home
To make the olive leaves wreath, it’s possible to either use swags which are curved and pinned into position or to use the leaves on their own.
Interesting And Fun Facts About The Olive Leaves Charm
• The olive leaf wreath is known as a abvrossilla
• Olive leaves are classified as a flavoring
• Olive leaves have been used since Greek and Roman times and have been linked to luck
