Compassion

The magic word learned from the brothers of San Juan de Dios is compassion.
—Gelasia Marquez, Finding Myself

Brahman

Lines taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

“Brahman was, at first, nothing else than the sacred word itself in the magic hymn and in the sacred myth; it was the magic word of power, the priests set in motion, which they attributed to the gods themselves and exalted above the gods, which they associated with the forces and the processes of nature, until it became identified—still in a mystic sense—with the ultimate principle of the world and nature itself.”

Out of Its Pages

An illustration from a 1908 issue of Harper's magazine. The caption reads: "A strange new light would shine out of its pages."

Most Dreadful Moans

A line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

To my amazement, he turned perfectly white, covered his face with his hands, and burst out with the most dreadful moans.

Attitude

'Attitude' is universal and it is the magic word. 'Magic' means a manifestation of order.
—Clever Zulu, Absolute Abundance

Pif and Paf

A line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

In British folklore, Pif and Paf are names of “the country where cats are made,” homeplace to the Breton fairies.

Discarding the Spell

"In the war of magic and religion, is magic ultimately the victor? Perhaps priest and magician were once one, but the priest, learning humility in the face of God, discarded the spell for prayer." -- Patti Smith, Just Kids (2010)

Of East and West

A line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

The knowledge of the East and the West is mine, and the secrets of the mysterious cults of Africa and India!

Alakazam

Alakazam’s power lies in its mystery. The word is the very definition of secret. It’s something beyond understanding, something we can never get to the bottom of, something so wondrous it should only be whispered, if uttered at all. Alakazam expresses something unobservable, hence its appropriateness for sleight-of-hand. It describes a contradiction—a paradox—hence its appropriateness for illusions demonstrating the impossible. It’s an ephemeral word, gone almost before it can be fully spoken: the initial ala is a distant echo by the time the zam takes a powder. It’s also an ethereal word, inherently otherworldly.

Alakazam retains an aura of mystery—and therefore magic—even as most other words have become mundane with usage.

Attempts to Change the World

Lines taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

"Unlike concrete poetry, these shapes are not clever linguistic games but attempts to change the world. Dismemberment of language produces enigma; but at the same time a performative act is being brought about. Language is simultaneously ruined and employed."

Gold

“You said the magic word ‘gold’ again, Ghend. I could sit here all day and listen to you talk about it.” —David Eddings, The Redemption of Althalus (2000)

(Photo by rhino8888)

Bing Bang Bam (Boom)

A line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

Bing bang bam is an expression of a quick sequence of events, sometimes followed by a boom to signify the culmination.

Puzzling Black Marks

An illustration from a 1908 issue of Harper's magazine. The caption reads: "The puzzling black marks on the white pages spoke to us."

A Combination

A line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:

"Maybe it’s a combination—of magic in the words, and naming.” —A.C. Lemieux, The Fairy Lair: A Magic Place (1998)

Oocha Coocha Bing Bang Bam, Alakazy Alakazam

Oocha Coocha Bing Bang Bam, Alakazy Alakazam is an incantation for making a serpent hiccup in the novel The Key to the Land of Dogs by Gareth M. Wilson (2004).

Eliminating the Word "Trick"

The Conjurer explains eliminating the word "trick" from one's vocabulary.

There's an ancient magic word within this painting by Geof Huth. The letters i, a, and o spell Iao, the name for the light that only the mind can perceive. Iao is the demiurgic god with the adorable name (i.e., Abraxas [from the Egyptian Abrak, 'bow down' or 'adore']) who features prominently on amulets. Iao "bears the cock's head, which is the emblem of Aesculapius, the god of healing. ... The serpent (the emblem of mystery, of eternity, of wisdom, the prophet of gnosis) walks without feet, and therefore Iao is serpent-legged" (Paul Carus).