This is a specific Sain (a blessing, exorcism, and a charm) to remove the influence of the Evil Eye from you, your home, and family. I’ve tried to make this as simple and easy to understand in hopes that this makes the practice accessible for others. If you would like to learn more about the practice of Saining in Scotland, please check out my more in-depth article here.

A bheil sibh deiseil? Are you ready?

Firstly, you will gather Juniper, Rowan, or Pine (all traditional Saining plants) without the use of any metals while reciting the Ave Maria in Latin (or in Scottish Gaelic, Failte, a Mhoire). You can bundle the herb like I have or use just one sprig. Let it dry.

Then, you will take your herb, burn it, and recite the following prayer:

An eye will see you,
Tongue will speak of you,
Heart will think of you
The Man of Heaven
Blesses you
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Four caused your hurt–
Man and wife,
Young man and maiden.
Who is to frustrate that?
The three Persons of the most Holy Trinity,
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Once the prayer is repeated, mark the sign of the cross ❌ and say “Sain”.

Now, take the burning herb deosil (sunwise) around the house starting from the highest floor down to the backdoor. If saining people, go sunwise around them also. You can keep repeating the prayer as you go sunwise.

NOTE: This does not make you an expert in Saining. I’m sharing ONE Saining charm, not the entire understanding and history of Saining. Furthermore, Saining is a pre-Christian practice, however, many of those pre-Christian prayers were lost, or syncretised with local Catholicism, and thus adapted into the prayers we have now. If you’d like to learn more about Scottish Folk Catholicism, I recommend reading Ortha nan Gaidheal – Carmina Gadelica.