Utilization of amulets and talismans in curing traumatic conditions is perhaps one of the most fascinating segments in folk medicine in BiH. Since the old days, the amulets were brought to the level of almost universal panacea in curing all forms of mental but also certain physical ailments. Beneficial power of one or more prayers mixed into the content of the amulet or talisman, which replaced pagan bajalice (spell) and oaths, is based on the same principle of directing wishes or pleas for freeing the body from the negative influence of some entity, which found a home in the host due to a transgression of a certain taboo.
Namely, according to Islamic mythology when Allah created Adam and Eve, he had to place an invisible curtain between them and the Jinn (demons), so that the monstrous appearance of the Jinn wouldn’t frighten them and awaken shudders every day. Similarly, he made it so that people will be more or less protected from evil spirits, and he ordained them to sleep and rest during the night, so that the Jinn may have the freedom to move. That myth created a lot of taboo with which literally all contact with Jinn was avoided, because of their detrimental influence on the human body and psyche.
From the most familiar taboos among the Bosnian folk the ones tied to sunset are mentioned, when demons exit from their hideouts and gain power, which will last until sunrise i.e. dawn. That’s why people avoided to go outside in the evening, to pass by walnut trees, places where wood is being chopped, where dirty water is being thrown, etc.
If it happens that an individual accidentally or on purpose disregards some of the numerous taboos, he can become a target of the demons and risk possession i.e. entrance of the Jinn in the human body. The most obvious symptom of presence of an evil spirit inside a man is the appearance of inexplicable fear. Namely, suddenly the person starts feeling a more intensive restlessness and fright from night, closed space, certain animals, food, etc.
Talisman’s used against fear
With the development and spread of writing, the cognition that vows and curses, if written down on paper, take on their material form and exist longer, and with that last longer as well, unlike uttered formulas whose effect is immediate but disperses quickly. Although it has been recorded that our Bogomil forefathers used certain holly texts when creating amulets used for curing and protection, only with the beginning of the Ottoman occupation and advent of Islam did this practice see an expansion in BiH.
As far as we can comprehend from pretty modest literature and data, the Ottomans were under direct influence of Persian-Arabic magical beliefs, combined with certain Islamic teachings. But, what is especially interesting is that the Ottomans are as a Mongolian people known for shamanistic practices and retention of numerous animalistic beliefs. This is why Turkish magic abounds in various syncretic elements and this peculiarity is especially visible in the form of the talismans. While Arabic-Persian talismans follow a standard form of construction, according to which the amulet possesses a holly text and magical square (vefk), with Turkish talismans the form is based on what I would call “shamanistic diagrams” i.e. they abound with graphical representations of spiritual beings through one or more lines.
According to magical principles the Jinn, main culprits of all mental diseases, can succumb to the will of an individual with the help of ancient seals and invocations. Controlling those negative spiritual strengths the wizard can consciously inflict great evil on an individual or even a group of people. When he wants to block a person i.e. make him unsuccessful in certain or all segments of life, the magi ritually directs one or more Jinn towards him, they will possess him and with their destructive influence they will awaken inside of him various phobias from which he will be completely blocked: unsure of himself, scared, prone to jitters, lack confidence and hysterical.
Allegedly, with very decisive magical gestures fear can be “awoken” in any human. Individual Bosnian stravarke, such as deceased Fatima Dizdarević, explain how one can cause phobia from graves and the dead, namely, it is enough to discretely throw some dirt from a grave onto someone, without them noticing it. But, similarly if someone is scared of the above mentioned then it is recommended for them to look at their own reflection in the water which was used to bathe the deceased person.
All spiritual authorities in BiH are of the opinion that fear can be placed on someone with the help of various forms of divinations, among which the most famous techniques are those of directing an evil spirit through spells. Specifically, we’re talking about numerous phobias and the most frequent of all is the sudden fear of the dark – achluophobia – and this issue is usually solved by writing the following talisman (1) which the diseased carries with him at all times, until the uneasy feeling subsides.
With the help of magical rituals one can, allegedly, influence a person in such a way that he/she will start to feel an inexplicable fear towards a certain individual or it can happen that a man is scared of a woman or vice versa – sexophobia. In that case a Bosnian Imam creates the following talisman, which the diseased will, like in the first example, carry with him at all times.
It is evident that the craze for amulets from Imam’s did not stop in the 21st century and every so often we can read in the printed media or internet portals that some famous persons, especially from the show business, visited one of numerous Imam’s, seeking help for their issues. Besides the mentioned famous persons, regular people also visit these spiritual healers, trying to get a positive resolution to an unpleasant situation in which they find themselves in. When we’re talking about curing fear then the inscriptions for passing exams are most sought after, when one wants to neutralise jitters and blockages.
(1) (Babilonsko oko, H.M.Čajlaković)
