Abracadabra
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"The famous abracadabra, a cabalistic word which was believed to have curative powers and when worn as an amulet was supposed to ward off evil was depicted in the form of a triangle reversed. It is one of the mystery words which played such an important part in the secret rites of the early mystics. Its root is abraxas the Greek letters of which as numerals amounted to 365. It was thus adopted by the Egyptian Gnostic Basilides to signify the Supreme Deity as ruler of the 365 heavens of his system. Another authority speaks of it as "one of the numerous mystery words coined to express mathematically the unspeakable name of the Supreme Spirit . . . and accepted as the mystic equivalent of Mithras."--Life Symbols As Related To Sex Symbolism (1924) by Elizabeth E. Goldsmith |
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Abracadabra is an incantation used as a magic word in stage magic tricks, and historically was believed to have healing powers when inscribed on an amulet. The word is thought to have its origin in the Aramaic language, but numerous, conflicting folk etymologies are associated with it.
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