Abracadabra and Eclipse Blessings

A sign in my garden

Image up kayak by Freepik

Though a matter of debate, some believe that the incantation ABRACADABRA originated in the ancient language of Aramaic, from the words “avra kadavra” translated as “I create as I speak.”  As early as the third century AD, there is historical evidence that abracadabra was included in a Roman physician’s magical healing ceremony for the treatment of malaria.

In our disenchanted modern world, ritual ceremonies, the potential power of abracadabra, or creating with our speech, is no longer acknowledged. We are only familiar with abracadabra as something a stage magician declares as they perform illusions of magic.  Moderns do not believe that magic is real.

Offering blessings is a form of creating with speech. In many cultures, blessings are ubiquitous and woven into the fabric of everyday life. They represent powerful and meaningful gestures that connect us to the sacred aspect of existence and confer spiritual benefit, guidance, and protection. They have the power to transform ordinary daily events into an occasion of communing with the sacred, such as when we routinely bless our food before eating.

There is a sense of expectancy building as the moment of the long-awaited total solar eclipse approaches, which will take place on Monday, April 8th, 2024.  Total solar eclipses are rare celestial events that occur when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth and obscures the Sun from view. From all accounts, witnessing a total solar eclipse is a profound, deeply emotional experience. It inspires a sense of awe, and re-connection with the Cosmos, reminding us that we are also made of stardust, and provides a direct experience of the enchanted nature of our world.

Eclipses offer a perfect opportunity for ritual, a symbolic blessing ceremony to honor and amplify the sacred power of this magical event. Last night I listened to the Visionary Activist Show, a radio show hosted by the mythic Caroline Casey, one of my very favorite astrologers. She proposed a simple practice in preparation for the eclipse that resonated deeply with me. It can be practiced both before and during the eclipse and draws on the real power of abracadabra, “I create as I speak, ” while mirroring the action of the eclipse itself.

The practice is to recite the blessing as follows: ” May this be eclipsed by this.  Fill in the blank for this.

Examples:

May hatred be eclipsed by kinship.

May fear be eclipsed by love.

May sorrow be eclipsed by joy.

May indifference be eclipsed by compassion.

May cruelty be eclipsed by kindness.

May disrespect be eclipsed by reverence,

May self-doubt be eclipsed by confidence.

The possibilities are endless and offer a beautiful simple strategy to direct our consciousness to dream into reality the world in which we wish to live.

Eclipses remind us that since the Sun and the Moon which are usually experienced as two separate bodies can join together as One, since darkness can fall in the middle of a bright day, and since stars can shine visibly in the afternoon, that miracles can and do happen.

Caroline Casey’s magical pre-eclipse radio show:

Here is a wide-ranging conversation on Jeffrey Mishlove’s show,  New Thinking Allowed about my new book Sacred Psychiatry.  My book contains many accessible strategies for re-enchanting our lives in Chapter One: Reclaiming  a Multi-Dimensional Sense of the Self.