Ex Penna

The Witches of East End: Season 1 Spells


While I don't approve of the word order of these spells (being a student of Classical Latin, myself), I did really enjoy the inclusion of Latin in a series about witchcraft.  In a time where the words and the actions of a spell are constantly being called unimportant (they are, in fact, quite important!), it's refreshing to see someone showing a return to fundamentals, even if it is in fiction.

But that return to fundamentals is precisely why we use Latin in magic.  Latin was the root of all Romance languages and much of its grammar and vocabulary have filtered down into English usage.  Over such a long period of time, it has traveled, changed naturally, been corrupted, and added upon until the child is nothing like such a long-lost relative.  When you use an ancient language in your spellwork, you are getting back to the core of language itself, the purity of expression where you can more fully communicate with the world around you.  Again we see that occultists seek to unlock the secrets of nature by working as closely as we can to a level it understands.

The same can be said of the use of Hebrew in spellwork.  The shapes of the Hebrew letters were said to have been taken from the shape of star constellations, making it a celestial language spoken by terrestrial people.  Here mankind reaches up and invokes something greater than himself, the eternity of the universe.  It is no wonder that Hebrew is the language so often found on traditional protection talismans.

Take a moment today to think about the connections you hold between language and magic then try making the next spell you cast be one in an ancient language.