|
Odin was called a wizard and magician. He could read the runes, which were used as an alphabet and for magic spells.
Words, spoken and written, could convey magic, spells, and power. Wizards and magicians are know for their magic words. Odin,as
a legendary magician and a world wanderer could be linked to the word magic of abracadabra. It seems clear that
the exact origin of abracadabra is not known, although there are many theories. There is no record of Odin using
the word, but there are some intriguing possibilities that he might have known it or similar palindromes and as part of the
possibilities of triangle magic.
Odin's symbol was the triangle. Abracadabra
was usually written in a triangular form as a spell and cure for illness. It can be written without end: abracadabraabracadabraabracadabraabracadabraabracadabraabracada
A palindrome is an apt symbol for infinity or eternity.
The triangular form of abracadabra as a magic formula and
curative was by no means a unique example. In the book Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells, besides abracadabra
there are many other examples given. The triangular shape indicated that the beginning of the cure at the top was wide but
it narrowed as the spell went on and the disease or affliction lessened until it was but a single letter at the bottom.
One such example was called Ten
Thuran, Ten Aphroditen:
"This spell is attached to the door to provide protection to a house and its inhabitants. It opens with :
'The door, Aphrodite,' then the goddess's name is repeated, reduced one letter at a time...the letters are arranged to depict
a cross" (Lecouteux).
This spell is a good example of
the transition of paganism to Christianity. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, is usually called the goddess of love,
beauty, pleasure and procreation, but there must have been more attributes not mentioned here for her to be the protectress of
a house and its inhabitants.
Aphrodite was the same goddess that the Romans called Venus.
"Aphrodite( also known as Venus) is the Lady of Cythera
and the Lady of Cyprus. She is the goddess of love, beauty and sexual rapture, and the protectress of sailors."
Obviously,
the pagan goddess of sexual pleasure was not consistent with the more austere view of sexuality by Christianity, but by adding
the form of the cross, it seems to suggest that this spell is somehow Christian in nature.
This brings up the question or riddle, When
is a house not a home? and the subject of sexually transmitted diseases.
Abracadabra is not only
a palindrome but it is also an example of symmetry. Symmetry is found in nature and in manmade works such as is found in
paintings and music.
The book The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved says:
"The spirit of music is rhythm...the regular periodic
repetition of identical parts in the whole constitutes the essence of symmetry...In terms of overall design, if we use the
letters A, B, and C to describe entire sections of a movement, then the pattern of a rondo as a whole, for instance, can be
expressed as ABACA or ABACABA, where the translational symmetry is apparent (Livio, 18).
The Norse used what today would be called a variation of
the Borromean triangle as one of their symbols. the Valknut or Walknot. The term Borromean is from an Italian family of more
recent origin but the concept is the same.
The term Borromean as applied to mathematics indicate three interlocking rings
which seem to be one thing but cannot be exactly what they appear to be.
Borromean Rings
These triangles are joined or knotted together. The Walknot means
"knot of the slain" and is of two different types which look very similar. A mathematical definition of knot is "a closed, non-self-intersecting curve that is embedded in three dimensions and cannot be untangled
to produce a simple loop..."
If
by definition a knot cannot be untangled, then it is a closed system, and in the case of the Gordian knot, since it cannot
be undone by unraveling, the only logical way to undo it is to cut it which is against the rules.
The Walknot was a symbol of Odin
and his slain warriors who were with him in Valhalla. The oxymoron of the "living dead" might be symbolized by this about
knots:
"Klein
proved that knots cannot exist in an even-dimensional space ![]() =4" src="http://mathworld.wolfram.com/images/equations/Knot/Inline2.gif" border="0">. It has since been shown that a knot
cannot exist in any dimension ![]() =4" src="http://mathworld.wolfram.com/images/equations/Knot/Inline3.gif" border="0">"
One of these knot symbols looks like three triangles interlocked.
The other looks like several triangles interlocked, and the way they are drawn causes some to see the figure as if it were
moving, an optical illusion. It is a fitting symbol for Odin, since he is both a trickster and a shape shifter.
Odin's
palace or castle is called Valhalla. Val or wal means slain, so if the words Valhalla and Walknot are reduced
to hall, (palace or castle), then the castle and knot are connected inextricably like the Walknot. The basic meaning of the
symbol in relation to all those feasting in Valhalla is that their hearts were all together, united in spirit and purpose.
The slain
warriors appear to one thing and yet another. The warriors feast in Odin's Hall, dead yet alive, though this cannot be
in the ninth world.
Valknut Also known as Hrungnirs heart, heart of the slain and Heart of Vala and borromean triangles
The origin of the word abracadabra is considered uncertain, but all sources seem to agree that it is
mystical and religious. Some sources believe it is linked to the phrase body of Abraham. Cadabra looks and sounds like the English
word cadaver. Within
the word English word cadaver, is the Spanish word cada, which means each, all, or every one. Part of the word, abra, from the infinitive
abrir, meaning to open in Spanish, is derived from the Latin. If the word is reduced from its original form, it becomes the word Abrac.
Reducing and diminishing a word from a long form to a shorter form was used in magic spells.
Origin of abracadabra
Abracadabra, formed in Triangle, or Pyramid
Abra means I Will Create
As the triangle
was one of the symbols of Odin, it was considered a symbol for spells and incantations, its power inherent in the symbol itself and
with magic words.
"About
ABRACADABRA: As a spell or cure, it was usually written as a triangle, the full word written out on the topmost line
of 11 lines, leaving off the last letter in each descending line until only the A is left on the last line. In
the Middle Ages the word was believed to cure fevers...The idea is evidently that as the word shrinks away to nothing, so
will the fever. Abracadabra resembles, and may be descended from, a Jewish cure for fever. Another possibility is that Abracadabra
is connected with Abraxas, a god who appears on magical charms. Abracax (is) a demon with snakes for feet, associated
with Abracadabra" (Cavendish, 48).
Abraxus
Some who study the Kabala believe that abracadabra
is from the Aramaic language: "We are not completely sure, but many scholars believe the magic word 'Abracadabra'
derives from the Aramaic Avrah KaDabra, meaning "I create as I speak." If this etymology is correct, Abracadabra really
is a magic word; it is a performative speech act, just like the ten utterances of creation in the Genesis account."
In terms of opening the body of Abraham, a Latin phrase
rorate caeli desuper is used in Christian hyms. The body opened is as the earth opens to receive the body. Rorate caeli desuper means: "Let the earth be opened, and bud forth
a Savior."
In more modern usage, Abracadabant
means "marvelous or stunning; from abracadabra, a magic word used as a spell in the United States [Barrere]" (Kacirk,
13).
A palindrome is a word, phrase or sentence that can be read either backwards or forwards and having the same meaning
either way.
One such palindrome is Caulacau and,
like Abracadabra, can be written without end, creating the idea of eternity: caulacaucaulacaucaulacaucaulacaucaulacaucaulacau The
word caul is from the Latin word calautica. This is part of the membrane that encloses
a child in the womb. Occasionally, part of this membrane still covers the child's face at birth. This is considered a
lucky omen in general and a protection against drowning specifically. In the word Caulacau, the two syllables cau are evenly divided by the letters
"la". The la being equivalent to "=", such that caul=caul, or as some say "It is what it is".
Among those who study the Kabala are those who believe that abracadabra
is from the Aramaic language: "We are not completely sure, but many scholars believe the magic word 'Abracadabra'
derives from the Aramaic Avrah KaDabra, meaning "I create as I speak." If this etymology is correct, Abracadabra really
is a magic word; it is a performative speech act, just like the ten utterances of creation in the Genesis account".
The Bible says that as soon as God said the word, whatever that word might be, that thing came
into existence.
"I create as is the spoken word”—an implied comparison of the healer’s
magical powers with those of the biblical God who created the world by
speech alone.
The crystal ball is a symbol of foretelling the future by what was
believed to have been seen in it.
In Scandanavia, a crystal ball was found with the inscribed letters of a word
that meant "You are our father". This word, ABLANAQANALBA, was a palindrome much like avracadavra.
The phrase "You are our father" might mean
the same as the phrase "The body of Abraham". The Roman crystal ball with a Greek palindrome carved on the crystal was
found in a Danish grave. "The Årslev grave from the end of the 300s was found in 1820 at Årslev
Kirkebakke on Funen. In it two skeletons lay beside each other, but
only one of the deceased had grave goods. Perhaps the person without the
grave goods was a slave. The unique grave furnishings probably belonged
to a woman. She was accompanied by other things: bronze dishes and
buckets, a silver spoon, a crystal ball and an exclusive set of
jewellery.
The small ball of rock crystal has a carved inscription with a
palindrome - ABLANAQANALBA. The magical use of letters like this
palindrome and repetitions of strings of letters was one of the remedies
prescribed by the Roman Emperor Caracalla’s personal physician Serenus.
The spell ablana/analba is known from several amulets from the
Mediterranean area and is related to the cult of the god Abrasax. The
meaning of the text is ‘You are our father’" (https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtefactPorn/comments/2mdg0n/roman_crystal_ball_with_greek_palindrome_ca_300/)
A Mysterious Crystal Ball
Some might point out that the message on the crystal ball was
meant to be derived from Christian symbolism. While that may be true, consider the Transfiguration in the New Testament: "In these accounts, Jesus and three of his apostles, Peter, James and John, go
to a mountain (the Mount of Transfiguration) to pray. On the mountain, Jesus begins to shine with bright rays of light. Then
the prophets Moses and Elijah appear next to him and he speaks with them. Jesus is then called "Son" by a voice in the
sky, assumed to be God the Father, as in the Baptism of Jesus. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfiguration_of_Jesus) Jesus was
together with three of his disciples and he also made up a third with Moses and Elijah. This was a mystical meeting among
those whose hearts were all together.
The Transfiguration of Jesus
A children's Bible song sung in modern times called Father Abraham
has these words: "Father Abraham had many sons Had many sons had Father Abraham I
am one of them And so are you..." (http://childbiblesongs.com/song-27-father-abraham.shtml). In this song, the Biblical idea that Abraham would have more descendants
than the sands of the sea is expressed in the sense that every one of the believers would be a child of Abraham
as well as a child of God. Christians apply this idea to themselves as they believe themselves to be spiritual Israelites, sons of Abraham by
adoption.
For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--
In the Bible, the Word was Logos. New Testament scholars reading John 1:1, interpret the Word as referring to Jesus, who according to his
geneology was a descendant of Abraham. His body was opened with a spear in his side at Golgotha.
|
