Classic magic words

In ceremonial magic, a magical formula or a word of power is a word that is believed to have specific supernatural effects.[1] They are words whose meaning illustrates principles and degrees of understanding that are often difficult to relay using other forms of speech or writing. It is a concise means to communicate very abstract information through the medium of a word or phrase.

These words often have no intrinsic meaning in and of themselves. However, when deconstructed, each individual letter may refer to some universal concept found in the system in which the formula appears. Additionally, in grouping certain letters together one is able to display meaningful sequences that are considered to be of value to the spiritual system that utilizes them (e.g., spiritual hierarchies, historiographic data, or psychological stages).

A formula's potency is understood and made usable by the magician only through prolonged meditation on its levels of meaning. Once these have been internalized by the magician, that person can then utilize the formula to maximum effect.

Since most of these permutative arrangements have their origin in Hermetic Qabalah, many of the formulae listed below can be best understood by using various techniques of Hebrew Kabbalah such as gematria (or isopsephy), temurah, and notariqon to analyze them.

Formulae

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Lecouteux (2015), p. [page needed].
  2. ^ Sammonicus (1786), p. 4.
  3. ^ Shah (2010).
  4. ^ Chisholm (1911).
  5. ^ a b c Crowley (1997), "Liber Samekh".
  6. ^ a b c d e Crowley (1997), p. 169.
  7. ^ Liddell & Scott (2010), p. 4.
  8. ^ Skinner (1996), p. 79.
  9. ^ Mesler (2019), p. 88.
  10. ^ Crowley (1997), p. 155.
  11. ^ a b Crowley (1997), p. 168.
  12. ^ a b Crowley (2016).
  13. ^ Crowley (1997), pp. 170–73.
  14. ^ Crowley (1997), pp. 158–165.
  15. ^ Crowley (1986), pp. 16–23.
  16. ^ a b Regardie (1971), v. III, p. 308.
  17. ^ Nema (1995), p. 107.
  18. ^ King (1973), p. [page needed].
  19. ^ Kraig (1989), p. 168.
  20. ^ Crowley (1980), pp. 12–13.
  21. ^ Utterance 600 in the Pyramid Texts, quoted at http://www.philae.nu/akhet/NetjeruA.html#Atum Archived 2008-12-20 at the Wayback Machine retrieved November 9, 2006
  22. ^ Crowley (1986), Sepher Sephiroth, entry for 120.
  23. ^ Crowley (1997), Pt. III, ch. 5.
  24. ^ Crowley (1974), p. 104.
  25. ^ Karpenko & Norris (2002), pp. 1002–1004.
  26. ^ Crowley, Eight Lectures on Yoga, "First Lecture"

Works cited

  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abracadabra" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1974). Book of Thoth: (Egyptian Tarot). Red Wheel Weiser. ISBN 978-0877282686.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1980). The Book of Lies. ISBN 978-0-87728-516-8.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1986). 777 And Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley. Weiser Books. ISBN 978-0877286707.
  • Crowley, Aleister (1997). Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4, Parts I-IV (Second revised ed.). Boston: Weiser. ISBN 0877289190.
  • Crowley, Aleister (2016). Liber XV : Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae Canon Missae. Gothenburg. ISBN 978-8393928453.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Karpenko, Vladimír; Norris, John A. (2002). "Vitriol in the History of Chemistry". Chemické listy. 96 (12): 997–1005.
  • King, Francis, ed. (1973). The Secret Rituals of the O.T.O (1st ed.). Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0877281440.
  • Kraig, Donald Michael (1989). Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 0-87542-324-8.
  • Lecouteux, C. (2015). Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells: From Abraxas to Zoar. Inner Traditions/Bear. ISBN 978-1-62055-375-6.
  • Liddell, H. G.; Scott, Robert (2010). An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon: Founded Upon the Seventh Edition of Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon. Benediction Classics. ISBN 978-1-84902-626-0.
  • Lycourinos, Damon (2017). "Sexuality, Magic(k) and the Ritual Body: A Phenomenology of Embodiment and Participation in a Modern Magical Ritual". Journal of Ritual Studies. 31 (2): 61–77. JSTOR 44988498.
  • Mesler, Katelyn (2019). "The Latin Encounter with Hebrew Magic". In Page, Sophie; Rider, Catherine (eds.). The Routledge History of Medieval Magic. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
  • Nema (1995). Maat Magic: a Guide to Self-Initiation. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-827-5.
  • Regardie, Israel (1971). The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order of. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 0-87542-664-6.
  • Sammonicus, Quintus Serenus (1786). Quinti Sereni Samonici De medicina praecepta salvberrima. In bibliopolio I.G. Mülleriano.
  • Shah, Sonia (10 July 2010). "The Tenacious Buzz of Malaria". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  • Skinner, Stephen, ed. (1996). The Magical Diaries of Aleister Crowley: Tunisia 1923. Samuel Weiser. ISBN 0-87728-856-9.

Other sources[edit]

Further reading