Words of Power

The words of a chant or spell can instill the magician with feelings of power and by so doing, can help generate that power into reality. In themselves, words can be a means of emotional control over persons and events. The basis of successful spell-casting lies in the power and mystery of "the word." Jack Kornfield says, "In ancient cultures, shamans learned that to name that which you feared was a practical way to begin to have power over it."

In medieval times, it was believed that some words were so powerful that they should only be pronounced in extraordinary circumstances. Because of their power, they should only be used with appropriate care and preparation. The word Tetragrammaton, believed to be the unspeakable name of God, was such a word and is regarded as the most powerful word in ceremonial magic.

The pamphlet, Tryall of Witch-Craft (London, 1616) says, "Galen writeth that a certain Sorcerer, by uttering and muttering but one word, immediately killed or caused to die a serpent or scorpion; Benivenius in his De Abd. Morb. Caus., affirmeth, that some kind of people have been observed to do hurt, and to surprise others, by using certain sacred and holy words."

Eliphas Lévi said, "In magic, to have said is to have done; to affirm and will what aught to be is to create." These are the two essential elements of magic-the strong belief or desire, and the proper words. Finding these words is normally either an issue of trial and error or finding them to be previously effective, time-tested words.

According to the Book of Genesis, "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light...and God said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,'...And God said, 'Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear'...and God said 'Let the earth bring forth grass.'" All these things occurred because God said them. According to the Old Testament, God created the world by speaking words. In magic, precisely the same thing is being done: using powerful and appropriate words together with a focus of power.