Abracadabra!

These days, when we hear the word abracadabra itAbracadabra is actually a little more versatile than this
will probably have just been uttered by a stagethough, and has also been used in amulet form as
musician. The word abracadabra, however, is very oldprotection against evil spirits and the evil eye.
and nobody knows for sure where or when itAs to the origins of abracadabra, there are many
originated.theories about that too. Some people believe that it is
The first known mention of the word was in a poemKabalistic in origin, perhaps derived from the Hebraic
written by Serenus Sammonicus in 2nd Century AD.words Ab, Ben and ruach Cadesh (Father, Son and
Serenus Sammonicus was the physician to theHoly Ghost). Other people say that it comes from the
Roman Emperor Caracalla and the poem was calledAramaic avra kehdabra (I will create as I speak). Still
De Medicina Praecepta, and in it Serenus prescribesothers say that it is Chaldean or that it hails from a
the wearing an amulet around the neck as a cure forGnostic sect in Alexandria called the Basilidians. There
sickness. The prescribed amulet consisted of a pieceare, of course, other beliefs as well, but I think it is true
of parchment that had abracadabra written on it. Theto say that no one will ever know for certain where
word was written several times with each repetitionthe real roots of the word lie; they are buried too deep
being situated below its predecessor, and losing lettersin history and have grown obscure over the centuries.
in each repetition, until only an 'A' remained of the word.One thing is sure though: there is a lot more to
The resultant amulet took the form of a triangle andabracadabra, than just as a finishing line for the man
the idea was that the triangular formation of the magicon the stage with his magic wand and the deck of
word would act like a funnel and draw sickness out ofcards.
the wearer's body.