The digital revolution has brought about an information overload for those who are searching for information. It is hard to decipher what is truth, and what is fiction, but one thing that is certain- we are living in a time in which we experience and discover something new every day. We know more about the planet that we live on now than we did yesterday. Scientists are even exploring the idea of the multiverse and alternative universes. It is an exciting time to be alive!
But, some beliefs will forever be trapped in the mind, at least until science proves otherwise. Whether or not superstition is created in the mind or holds some truth, it may be only a matter of time until we discover something that bends the mind in places we couldn’t imagine before. Remember, all the greatest minds were seen as lunatics in their day, some were even imprisoned for the beliefs, or worse.
Come with me on a journey through superstition. Let’s start with a well-known invocation.
Celestial intervention. Angelic protection. I’m going to go ahead and guess that these are the not the ideas you associate with ABRACADABRA. Reading the word now, you see spandex-clad performers bouncing around on a smoky stage, lights flickering, high energy. Maybe you are reminded of a birthday party. Screaming children, sugar highs, magic tricks you have seen a million times, and the all-too-familiar phrase magically makes the stuffed bunny appear from the black, top hat. While those are fun memories, let’s give you another way to view this history-rich superstition.
A lot of people use the invocation, abracadabra, but few realize it has a long history of cabablistic charm. Let’s start with the inception of the word: In the second century BC, Gnostic physician Quintus Serenus Scammonicus comprised the word from the following Hebrew words:
Ab- Father
Ben- Son
Ruach A Cadsh- Holy Spirit
{An alternative derivation (Abraxas) derives from a Gnostic sect called the Basilideans. They believed that the word had tremendous power because it contained seven Greek letters that, in numerological sense, totaled 365. The word Abrasax, also spelled Abraxas, was the great mystery of the Gnostics.)
Originally, the invocation was used with charms or amulets. Repeated several times and generally inscribed on parchment with a cross, abracadabra was believed to have special powers against toothache, fever, and other ailments. Some believed it protected them from ill powers if used correctly. The word was repeated several times on the parchment with the last letter removed until the last line read only “A.”
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photo credit: http://www.themysticcorner.com/amulets.asp
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As the word decreased, so would the power of evil. Over a period of nine days, after the wearer was well again, they would remove the parchment amulet and throw it backwards into an eastwards-flowing stream before sunrise.
Fifteenth century magician, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, mentions the word abracadabra in his three-volume work De Occulta Philosophiae (The Occult Philosophy).
“Also Serenus Samonicus delivereth amongst the precepts of Physick, that if this name Abracadabra be written, as is here expressed, viz. diminishing letter after letter backward, from the last to the first, it will cure the Hemitritean Fever or any other, if the sheet of paper or parchment be hanged about the neck, and the disease will by little and little decline and pass away.”
There are variations, especially on amulets that are sold today. You can find amulets on the market that are empowered with ancient Qabalah holy ceremonies. Wearers claim that over the years, their depressive states are improved and they have an overall feeling of well-being. Holy amulet pendants, today, are also inscribed with sacred names from angels. Placed methodically on the pendant, it is believed that the amulet will bring about an actual physical experience.
Charms like the abracadabra amulet were widely worn in London during the 17th century, according to Daniel Defoe. The word held such power that even speaking it aloud brought about supposed supernatural forces. Marvin Meyer and Paul Mirecki, writers of Magic and Ritual in the Ancient World, argue that 'abracadabra' had some lexical meaning at some point that was lost through time. It is possible, they say, that the original meaning of the word was hidden or derived from a language that can no longer be understood. While there is no way to actually prove this, it is an interesting theory, but we’ll be getting off topic if we go there.
Additionally, notice that the decreasing word, as used on the amulets, forms the three points of a triangle. According to Agrippa, this represents the holy trinity. Others think it represents the mystical pyramid. Even the letters themselves were revered. Furthermore, the five “A’s” in abracadabra were believed to have magical importance (the five wounds of Christ). Think of the pentacle and the five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and Akasha or Spirit). There are 30 letters in the inscription. Agrippa minimizes the numbers in the following way: 30=3+0=3.
If you aren’t a numerologist, this might not have significance, but for someone who is familiar with it, here is another interesting observation: There are two B’s in the word, and as the second letter of the alphabet, it is viewed as duality. According to Greco-Roman beliefs, the Goddess Carmenta created the letter B as a symbol for expanding creation. But, what does this have to do with the incantation and the supposed effect it has on the wearer? The letter B represents the wearer, suggesting the duality of the soul, the balance of the internal being. The amulet, then, assists the wearer in moving from one state to another, from sick to well.
To read more about the numerological significance (and she provides plenty), check out Dayna Winters' article, “Abracadabra.”
People who hear the word today do not expect to be changed or affected supernaturally. 'Abracadabra', for most, only exists in the world of conjurers and stage performers. However, this invocation was once a powerful healer and widely accepted as such. With an obvious trend toward holistic healing and a growing market for amulets, if you are feeling down or unwell, maybe it’s worth a shot.
#keepitnerdy
Written by: Amber R. Hiles
#keepitnerdy
Written by: Amber R. Hiles
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