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Author Topic: The Sounds of Magic  (Read 2341 times)

Altair

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The Sounds of Magic
« on: August 29, 2013, 12:34:11 pm »
Poof!
Presto!
Alakazam!
Abracadabra!
[Open/close] Sesame!

Over the last week I've found myself fascinated by these words/sounds; it started with "poof," when I realized that for nearly everyone, it immediately denotes one and only one thing: a puff of smoke associated with some sudden mystical occurrence. (Aside from the derogatory slang for a gay man, that is.)

These terms have been debased by overuse in tawdry showmanship...but do they have deeper origins? What are those origins? Did they ever have real meaning or real power? And what connotations do they have for you?

For example, I have newfound respect for "abracadabra" after reading the Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abracadabra

...and I've fallen in love with the proposed Hebrew etymology and how it translates.
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The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Elizabeth G.

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2013, 12:43:32 pm »
Quote from: Altair;120413
These terms have been debased by overuse in tawdry showmanship...but do they have deeper origins? What are those origins? Did they ever have real meaning or real power? And what connotations do they have for you?

 
According to Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, "open sesame" refers to the legendary power of sesame to discover hidden treasers, reveal secret passageways, and open locked doors.
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Altair

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2013, 01:06:30 pm »
Quote from: Elizabeth G.;120415
According to Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, "open sesame" refers to the legendary power of sesame to discover hidden treasers, reveal secret passageways, and open locked doors.


Interesting! My guess (pure conjecture) would have been that it was a formation from "says me"--implying the application of will and the power of the spoken word
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The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Viv

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2013, 02:02:23 pm »
Quote from: Altair;120413
Poof!
Presto!
Alakazam!
Abracadabra!
[Open/close] Sesame!

Over the last week I've found myself fascinated by these words/sounds; it started with "poof," when I realized that for nearly everyone, it immediately denotes one and only one thing: a puff of smoke associated with some sudden mystical occurrence. (Aside from the derogatory slang for a gay man, that is.)

These terms have been debased by overuse in tawdry showmanship...but do they have deeper origins? What are those origins? Did they ever have real meaning or real power? And what connotations do they have for you?

For example, I have newfound respect for "abracadabra" after reading the Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abracadabra

...and I've fallen in love with the proposed Hebrew etymology and how it translates.

 
I actually became preoccupied with Abracadabra after becoming a fan of the show "The Dresden Files". I believe he had a piece of parchment with the inverted word in triangular form hanging in his home/office. I used to have links galore to info on it but a computer crash wiped that all away. Here's a link I found not too long ago that has some interesting ideas though: http://www.isisinvestigations.com/paranormal_glossary_Abracadabra.html
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Altair

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2013, 03:12:13 pm »
Quote from: windshadow;120424
I actually became preoccupied with Abracadabra after becoming a fan of the show "The Dresden Files". I believe he had a piece of parchment with the inverted word in triangular form hanging in his home/office. I used to have links galore to info on it but a computer crash wiped that all away. Here's a link I found not too long ago that has some interesting ideas though: http://www.isisinvestigations.com/paranormal_glossary_Abracadabra.html

 
Thanks for the link; that's really quite exhaustive, esp. in its numerological analysis of the word in its triangular amulet form.
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The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

yewberry

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2013, 04:53:06 pm »
Quote from: Altair;120419
Interesting! My guess (pure conjecture) would have been that it was a formation from "says me"--implying the application of will and the power of the spoken word


I always assumed it was a cultural bastardization of some sort.

And as for "abracadabra", I can't be the only one who immediately (and pretty much exclusively) thinks of this when the heard the word...right?  RIGHT?

[video=youtube;JoMBlywH1UI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoMBlywH1UI[/video]


Brina
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Altair

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2013, 08:55:46 am »
Quote from: yewberry;120434
I always assumed it was a cultural bastardization of some sort.

And as for "abracadabra", I can't be the only one who immediately (and pretty much exclusively) thinks of this when the heard the word...right?  RIGHT?

[video=youtube;JoMBlywH1UI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoMBlywH1UI[/video]


Brina

 
Never seen that before! But every time I return to this thread, this insufferable tune gets stuck in my head:

[video=youtube;fH850qp85Zk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH850qp85Zk[/video]

Of course, since I started the thread, I have no one to blame but myself.
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The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

MadZealot

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2013, 09:06:47 am »
Quote from: Altair;120469
this insufferable tune

 
Great.

Now I get to go to bed with that worm in my ear.  

Wonderful.
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Neteruhemta RaShuGeb

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2013, 10:19:33 am »
Quote from: MadZealot;120470
Great.

Now I get to go to bed with that worm in my ear.  

Wonderful.

 
.....I want to reach out an grab ya

*runs away*
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MadZealot

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2013, 08:01:12 pm »
Quote from: Neteruhemta RaShuSet;120473
.....I want to reach out an grab ya

*runs away*


:thup:

Points for that.
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Bear-craft

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2013, 07:35:47 pm »
Quote from: windshadow;120424
http://www.isisinvestigations.com/paranormal_glossary_Abracadabra.html

 
Wow, that's really cool. Thanks for sharing.
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Victoria

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Re: The Sounds of Magic
« Reply #11 on: December 16, 2013, 03:12:40 pm »
Quote from: Neteruhemta RaShuSet;120473
.....I want to reach out an grab ya

*runs away*


This entire topic reminds me of the song by Jason Mraz. It's called, Everything is Sound. He is by the way open about being pagan.
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