The Words Are Life

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

We speak and the words are life, they are material and substantive.
—Molefi Kete Asante

For new items about magic words and symbols posted every two or three days, see us over at our Spotted in the Wild blog.

A Weird Magic Drummed In His Blood

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

There was magic in the words, a weird magic that beat through Matt’s head and drummed in his blood.

In other news, after long years of studying both the mystical Tree of Life and color symbolism, we're honored to be a part of this new release.

Just a reminder: the new home to our ongoing research into magic words and symbols is here:

http://mysteryarts.typepad.com/magicwords/

Hocus Into Pocus

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

The formula is a distillation of the intention: “May that which we call Hocus be changed into Pocus.”

Begone!

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

“Persian poets say that Satan is sustained by his memory of the sound of God’s voice when he said ‘Begone!’"

Designed to Hoodwink the Public

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

“It smacked of impenetrable mumbo jumbo, designed to hoodwink the public.” —Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton (2004)

Voilà

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

“Voilà!” she repeated, perhaps with a hint more insistence, when the magician failed to take her cue.

Once Upon a Time

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

“The audience has come to the theatre to believe, to respond to the magical words, ‘Once upon a time.’”

Read, Aim, Fire

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

“‘Ready, aim, fire’ is [a] mantra.” —Howard Kaminsky and Alexandra Penney, Magic Words at Work (2004)

Once an Open Sesame

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

“[S]eal (and otter) skins, once an open sesame to the teas and silks of China . . .” —Roy Nickerson, Sea Otters (1998)

Odin

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

“In desperation, Samuel grasped the ring pin tightly in his hands, closed his eyes and shouted, ‘Odin, Odin, Odin.’"

(For a picture of Odin and a note about the "Odic Force," see this page from our book entitled Jinx Companion.)

Now You See It, Now You Don't

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

The magic trigger in now you see it, now you don’t is actually in the silence between the two phrases.

(See our previous note about "now you see it, now you don't.")

An Air of Authentic Secret Knowledge

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

Medieval conjurors first began using exotic words to “give their performances an air of authentic secret knowledge.”

Savoring Even the Tiny Silence

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

"She would utter them slowly, savoring even the tiny silence between the two syllables, and the almost inaudible t."

Rune

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

“The very word rune conjures up magical associations in the word hoard of Old English and Germanic languages.”

Legba

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

In Vodou, green bananas and bones are offerings to Legba, the supernatural Master of Passageways and opener of doors.

Rata-pata-scata-fata

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

Of Caribbean origin, Rata-pata-scata-fata is “an old-time Virgin Islands way of talking nonsense—Caribbean gobbledygook.

Reverse the Spell

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

“'And to reverse this amazing effect,’ I boomed in my biggest stage voice, ‘you simply reverse the spell.’"

The Breath of Witches

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

More predominant in old Gaelic folklore, the breath of witches or wise-women was said to have magical properties.

(See also our previous post about magic on the breath.)

(Photo by chiaralily)

Alakazoo, four-leaf clover

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

“Alakazoo, four-leaf clover, back we fly, your turn is over.” —Deborah Hautzig, Little Witch’s Big Night (1984)

Alla-kazooey, alla-kazammy

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

“[H]e waved the wand over the cloth-covered cage several times, ‘Alla-kazooey, alla-kazammy, hey . . . presto!’"