Abrahadabra
Encyclopedia
Abrahadabra is a word that first publicly appeared in The Book of the Law
, the central sacred text of Thelema
. Its author, Aleister Crowley
, described it as "the Word of the Aeon
, which signifieth The Great Work
accomplished." This is in reference to his belief that the writing of Liber Legis (another name for "The Book of the Law") heralded a new Aeon for mankind that was ruled by the god Ra-Hoor-Khuit (a form of Horus
). Abrahadabra is, therefore, the "magical formula
" of this new age. It is not to be confused with the Word of the Law of the Aeon, which is Thelema, meaning Will
.
with an H, which the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
in their Neophyte ritual linked with Breath and Life as well as with the god Horus. Aleister Crowley had taken the place of Horus or the Hierus officer in the Golden Dawn's Neophyte ritual, which means that he personally gave the response explaining the meaning of the letter H.
Crowley explains in his essay "Gematria" that he changed the magick word to include 'H' because of qabalistic methods. He appears to say that this happened before his January 1901 meeting with Oscar Eckenstein
, one of his teachers. At this meeting Eckenstein ordered Crowley to put aside magick for the moment, and to practice meditation or concentration. In "Gematria", Crowley says he took great interest in Abrahadabra, and its qabalistic number 418, at the time someone ordered him to "abandon the study of magic and the Qabalah".
The word Abrahadabra appears repeatedly in the 1904 invocation of Horus that preceded the writing of Liber Legis and led to the founding of Thelema. It also appears in a May 1901 diary that Crowley published in The Equinox
.
The essay "Gematria" gives Hindu
, Christian
, and "Unsectarian" versions of the problem that Crowley intended this magick word to answer. He also gives a qabalistic equivalent for each phrasing, and a brief symbolic answer for each. The unsectarian version reads, "I am the finite square; I wish to be one with the infinite circle." Its equivalent refers to "the Cross of Extension" and "the infinite Rose." Crowley's numerological explanation of ABRAHADABRA focuses mainly on this last formulation and the answer to it.
Abrahadabra is also referred to as the "Word of Double Power". More specifically, it represents the uniting of the Microcosm
with the Macrocosm
—represented by the pentagram
and the hexagram, the rose and the cross
, the circle and the square, the 5 and the 6, etc.—also called the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of one's Holy Guardian Angel
. In Commentaries (1996), Crowley says that the word is a symbol of the “establishment of the pillar or phallus
of the Macrocosm...in the void of the Microcosm.”
, the word Abrahadabra can be examined using the qabalistic method of gematria
, which is a form of numerology, whereby correspondences are made based on numerical values.
The Book of the Law
Liber AL vel Legis is the central sacred text of Thelema, written by Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in the year 1904. Its full title is Liber AL vel Legis, sub figura CCXX, as delivered by XCIII=418 to DCLXVI, and it is commonly referred to as The Book of the Law.Liber AL vel Legis contains three...
, the central sacred text of Thelema
Thelema
Thelema is a religious philosophy that was established, defined and developed by the early 20th century British writer and ceremonial magician, Aleister Crowley. He believed himself to be the prophet of a new age, the Æon of Horus, based upon a religious experience that he had in Egypt in 1904...
. Its author, Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
, described it as "the Word of the Aeon
Aeon (Thelema)
In the religion of Thelema, it is believed that the history of humanity can be divided into a series of Aeons, each of which was accompanied by its own forms of "magical and religious expression"...
, which signifieth The Great Work
Great Work
The term Great Work is a term used in Hermeticism and in certain occult traditions and religions such as Thelema.-In Hermeticism:...
accomplished." This is in reference to his belief that the writing of Liber Legis (another name for "The Book of the Law") heralded a new Aeon for mankind that was ruled by the god Ra-Hoor-Khuit (a form of Horus
Horus
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
). Abrahadabra is, therefore, the "magical formula
Magical formula
A magical formula or spell is generally a word whose meaning illustrates principles and degrees of understanding that are often difficult to relay using other forms of speech or writing. It is a concise means to communicate very abstract information through the medium of a word or phrase...
" of this new age. It is not to be confused with the Word of the Law of the Aeon, which is Thelema, meaning Will
True Will
True Will is a term found within the mystical system of Thelema, a religion founded in 1904 with Aleister Crowley's writing of The Book of the Law. It is defined at times as a person's grand destiny in life, and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony...
.
Description
Crowley replaced the C in AbracadabraAbracadabra
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...
with an H, which the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical order active in Great Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which practiced theurgy and spiritual development...
in their Neophyte ritual linked with Breath and Life as well as with the god Horus. Aleister Crowley had taken the place of Horus or the Hierus officer in the Golden Dawn's Neophyte ritual, which means that he personally gave the response explaining the meaning of the letter H.
Crowley explains in his essay "Gematria" that he changed the magick word to include 'H' because of qabalistic methods. He appears to say that this happened before his January 1901 meeting with Oscar Eckenstein
Oscar Eckenstein
Oscar Johannes Ludwig Eckenstein was an English rock climber and mountaineer, and a pioneer in the sport of bouldering...
, one of his teachers. At this meeting Eckenstein ordered Crowley to put aside magick for the moment, and to practice meditation or concentration. In "Gematria", Crowley says he took great interest in Abrahadabra, and its qabalistic number 418, at the time someone ordered him to "abandon the study of magic and the Qabalah".
The word Abrahadabra appears repeatedly in the 1904 invocation of Horus that preceded the writing of Liber Legis and led to the founding of Thelema. It also appears in a May 1901 diary that Crowley published in The Equinox
The Equinox
The Equinox is a series of publications in book form that serves as the official organ of the A.'.A.'., a magical order founded by Aleister Crowley...
.
The essay "Gematria" gives Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and "Unsectarian" versions of the problem that Crowley intended this magick word to answer. He also gives a qabalistic equivalent for each phrasing, and a brief symbolic answer for each. The unsectarian version reads, "I am the finite square; I wish to be one with the infinite circle." Its equivalent refers to "the Cross of Extension" and "the infinite Rose." Crowley's numerological explanation of ABRAHADABRA focuses mainly on this last formulation and the answer to it.
Abrahadabra is also referred to as the "Word of Double Power". More specifically, it represents the uniting of the Microcosm
Macrocosm and microcosm
Macrocosm and microcosm is an ancient Greek Neo-Platonic schema of seeing the same patterns reproduced in all levels of the cosmos, from the largest scale all the way down to the smallest scale...
with the Macrocosm
Macrocosm and microcosm
Macrocosm and microcosm is an ancient Greek Neo-Platonic schema of seeing the same patterns reproduced in all levels of the cosmos, from the largest scale all the way down to the smallest scale...
—represented by the pentagram
Pentagram
A pentagram is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes...
and the hexagram, the rose and the cross
Rosy Cross
The Rosy Cross is a symbol largely associated with the semi-mythical Christian Rosenkreuz, alchemist and founder of the Rosicrucian Order...
, the circle and the square, the 5 and the 6, etc.—also called the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of one's Holy Guardian Angel
Holy Guardian Angel
The term Holy Guardian Angel was possibly coined either by Abraham of Würzburg, a French Cabalist who wrote a book on ceremonial magick during the 15th century or Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, the founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, who later translated this manuscript and...
. In Commentaries (1996), Crowley says that the word is a symbol of the “establishment of the pillar or phallus
Phallus
A phallus is an erect penis, a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic...
of the Macrocosm...in the void of the Microcosm.”
Gematria
As with most things found in the mystical works of Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
, the word Abrahadabra can be examined using the qabalistic method of gematria
Gematria
Gematria or gimatria is a system of assigning numerical value to a word or phrase, in the belief that words or phrases with identical numerical values bear some relation to each other, or bear some relation to the number itself as it may apply to a person's age, the calendar year, or the like...
, which is a form of numerology, whereby correspondences are made based on numerical values.
- ABRAHADABRA = 418
- ABRAHADABRA has 11 letters
- ABRAHADABRA = 1+2+2+1+5+1+4+1+2+2+1 = 22
- The five letters in the word are: A, the Crown; B, the Wand; D, the Cup; H, the Sword; R, the Rosy Cross; and refer further to Amoun the Father, Thoth His messenger, and Isis, Horus, Osiris, the divine-human triad.
- Also 418 = ATh IAV, the Essence of IAO, translated from Hebrew as “Thou art IAO”
- 418= BVLShKIN, or Boleskine
- 418= RA HVVR, or Ra Hoor
- 418= הרו-רא-הא, a Hebrew spelling of Heru-Ra-HaHeru-ra-haHeru-ra-ha is a composite deity within Thelema, a religion that began in 1904 with Aleister Crowley and his Book of the Law. Heru-ra-ha is composed of Ra-Hoor-Khuit and Hoor-par-kraat...
- 418= AIFΑΣΣ, a Greek spelling of AiwassAiwassAiwass is the name of the being who Aleister Crowley claimed dictated The Book of the Law, the central sacred text of Thelema, to him on April 8, 9, and 10th in 1904.-The dictation:...
- 418= The sum of all integers between 13 and 31 inclusive.
- Abrahadabra is from Abrasax, Father Sun, which = 365
- 418 = 22 x 19 Manifestation
Other interpretations
In Aramaic this word roughly translates into "I will create as I speak."- Had is the keyword of Abrahadabra. Had is another name for HaditHaditHadit refers to a Thelemic version of the Egyptian god Horus. Hadit is the principal speaker of the second chapter of The Book of the Law .- Descriptions :...
, the second Speaker in Liber Legis ("The Book of the Law").
- "ABRAHADABRA is "The key of the rituals" because it expresses the Magical FormulaeMagical formulaA magical formula or spell is generally a word whose meaning illustrates principles and degrees of understanding that are often difficult to relay using other forms of speech or writing. It is a concise means to communicate very abstract information through the medium of a word or phrase...
of uniting various complementary ideas; especially the Five of the Microcosm with the Six of the Macrocosm."
- "Abrahadabra is the glyph of the blending of the 5 and the 6, the Rose and the Cross."
Quotes from Liber Legis
- "Abrahadabra; the reward of Ra Hoor Khut." (AL III:1)
- "This book shall be translated into all tongues: but always with the original in the writing of the Beast; for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. Let him not seek to try: but one cometh after him, whence I say not, who shall discover the Key of it all. Then this line drawn is a key: then this circle squared in its failure is a key also. And Abrahadabra. It shall be his child & that strangely. Let him not seek after this; for thereby alone can he fall from it." (AL III:47)
- "The ending of the words is the Word Abrahadabra." (AL III:75)
External links
- The Abrahadabra Institute, an alchemical perspective on Abrahadabra
- "The Abrahadabra Key", An essay by Ibisis.
- "Abrahadabra; some thoughts on the word", An essay by Mark Stavish