I thought I’d share some Indian cultural healing that has been a part of my life since I was a child. In India, there is a cultural belief in an energy called “Nazar” which naturally accumulates in people over time. Nazar is the product of the world’s inequality- only some people do well which inevitably creates jealousy or ill-feelings in others without their control. For example, if our best friend won an award, we would naturally feel both happiness for him/her and a bit of jealousy or disappointment in ourselves. Indians believe it is these negative feelings that all people experience that get transferred to those who are doing well, thus maintaining the world’s karmic equilibrium. As a result, everyone periodically has their Nazar removed here through a variety of techniques, all of which include waving an object around one’s head in a circular motion. Objects that I’ve personally had waved around my head include: an egg, a pan with a flaming newspaper, and most recently, a live, black chicken. The object supposedly takes in the Nazar–poor chicken!