Jill Mattson – Magic is a central theme in Egyptian life with “magical words” front and center. The Egyptians keep tedious records of what tiny effects were produced from words, subtle energies, sounds, colors, incense, shapes and
materials. The Egyptian priests acted like scientists – observing, refining and documenting subtle energy uses to expand their ingredients for magical spells. [1]
This knowledge was a highly prized hallmark of the Egyptian society. Egyptologist Gadalla connected words and a healer’s voice quality. “By pronouncing certain words or names of powers, in the proper manner and in the proper tone of voice, a priest/doctor could heal the sick.” [2]
The Egyptian priests/physicians were famous for their spells, achieving acclaim even in the historical writings of their enemies. In dynamic contrast, today, saying a spell would be ridiculed and compared to a silly child saying, “hocus pocus” or “abracadabra.”
Although modern man has lost the knowledge of the power of sound, words and music, he may be on the verge of discovering this through physics. Sound can project patterns on physical matter, as documented by Ernst Chaldini, Masura Emoto and Swiss physicist Hans Jenny.
The following are well known experiments in which sound created shapes in matter: Scientist Clarence Miller’s [3] photographs of unique shapes created by vowels Masuro Emoto’s photographs of freezing water crystals being shaped by words. Scientist Chaldini’s invention of putting sand on a plate and vibrating the plate with sounds to produce images in the sand. Swiss physicist Hans Jenny’s videos of sound creating shapes in sand and other materials
In Jenny’s videos a metal plate with sound on it was vibrated with sound, which went out to the edge and returned, intersecting other vibrational lines. Nodal points were created at intersection points. Where the vibrational energy was greatest the sand was pushed away. In the areas of least vibration the sand collected. In this way pictures were formed in the sand.
Scientists today show shapes created in matter by sound, perhaps representing a form of universal, archetypical communication. We can watch sound change the shape of matter. Words are sounds and influence the shape of matter as well. The Egyptians employed verbal spells and incantations, believing that sounds and words were sources of energy. The very letters carried a force.
Words can be dissected into smaller units of sounds. In soft materials different shapes are created from the subtle energy in vowels, phonemes and consonances. Intervals also create patterns when vibrating sand, although its pattern becomes increasingly more elaborate when the pitch is raised. Rhythm also adds variations in shapes.
References
[1] Scott, Cyril. Music Its Secret Influences throughout the Ages, Samuel Wisner: London, 1958, Pg.162.
[2] Gadalla, Moustafa. Egyptian Rhythm: The Heavenly Melodies, Tehuti Research Foundation: Greensboro, N.C., 2002, Pg. 182.
[3] Miller, Dayton, Clarence. The Science of Musical Sounds, Mc Millen Co.: N.Y., 1916.
SF Source Jill Mattson May 2025