THE ORIGINAL MAGIC WORD: ABRACADABRA
Words and magic were, in the beginning, one and the same thing, and even today words retain much of their magical power.
— SIGMUND FREUD
One of the most common magic words used by magicians is ‘Abracadabra’. Although you have probably heard of this word, it is unlikely that you are aware of its true origins. Apart from ‘Abracadabra’, there are several other magic words that are popularly used by stage magicians. Like ‘Abracadabra’, however, the origins of these words are also a mystery to most people.
While ‘Abracadabra’ is commonly used by magicians, this word is said to have its origins in the ancient Roman world. Back then, ABRACADABRA was not used for performances but was believed to contain potent magical power within it.
Here are three powerful theories of its origin:
The word ‘Abracadabra’ is thought to be derived from Hebrew, ‘ab, ben, Ruach HaKodesh,’ which translates as ‘Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.’ Therefore, the word ‘Abracadabra’ is a calling of the Holy Trinity.
Another theory, this magic word is derived from another magic word known as ‘abraxas’. This word is special, as its letters, in Greek numerology, add up to 365, which is the number of days in a year.
Yet another theory for the origins of the word ‘Abracadabra’ is the Aramaic phrase ‘Avra kadavra’. In the Harry Potter series, ‘Avada kedavra’ functions as a killing curse. J. K. Rowling, who authored the books, is said to have drawn inspiration for this spell from the original Aramaic version of it. The original meaning of these magical words, according to Rowling, was ‘let the thing be destroyed,’ and it was used for curing illnesses.
In any case, ‘Abracadabra’ was used as a talisman throughout the ages. This talisman involved the word being written on a piece of parchment repeatedly, with a letter being removed each time until only one was left…A. The use of this ‘Abracadabra’ pyramid was used to protect one’s health and ward off bad energy.
Eventually, people stopped believing in the efficacy of ‘Abracadabra’ to heal or protect them, and this word became relegated to stage magicians performing magic tricks.
