Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

ABRACADABRA

ABRACADABRA

A Kabbalistic Charm, possibly derived from the initials of the Hebraic words Ab, Ben and Ruach a Cadesch ('Father, Son and Holy Ghost').

Some sources, however, claim the term is derived from the name Abraxas, a Gnostic deity whose name meant "hurt me not."

The word, when Chanted or when its letters are arranged in an inverted pyramid and worn around the neck as a Talisman for nine days, is said to possess the magickal power to ward off illness and cure fevers.

Abracadabra appears as a name of God used in a Consecration of the ritual sword in the Grimoire called the Grimorium Verum. It is a name used in the Consecration of the ritual sword in the Greater Key of Solomon. It is described by Eliphas Levi as name which is the basis of a "magic triangle of pagan theosophists" which supposedly represented the sum of all magic in the world in his book Transcendental Magic. It is a name word reported to be used in healing in Francis Barrett's The Magus.

Similar traditional magical words were Shabriri (for banishing the Demon of the same name) and Ochnotinos (for diminishing fever). The Gnostics used Ablanathalba, a palindrome, meaning "The Father hath given to us". With Aleister Crowley, however, Abrahadabra meant "The Great Work of the aeon of Horus".

see also: KABBALAH, GNOSTICISM; ABRAXAS

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc