Historical roots of the great voice

[Biophilia]

How far back does the explicit practice go? Sorry if this has been discussed before; I really did try to find such a discussion via the search function. I'm curious if there is any sources prior to the occult revival (HOTGD et al) that imply its use beyond the more folkloric attribution of mages/wizards having a powerful voice.
Thoughts?

[Shinichi]

Look up Heka, the Ancient Egyptian magic of incantation. The Japanese have a similar tradition called Kotodama, and if you read the European folk and fairy tales, there are many many stories of Druids and similar shamanistic practitioners who used incantations and word magic. Not to mention Jewish Kabbalah, which is where the modern "Western Mystery Tradition" got the concept, for the most part.



~:Shin:~

[Desecrated]

The voice has always been an important part of religion. I can't think of a single religion that doesn't use chants, prayer, hymns, singing or loud speaking of some forms.
All forms of shamanism have traces of it. But it's hard to say exactly how old oral traditions are.

Galdr is the old icelandic form of magic. Galdr basically means "to crow" like a roaster, it's a very high-pitched screaming form of incantations. In finland the Tietäjä used a similar high pitched frenzy for healing. The sami has a method called Jojk. And in norway you have the kven.
All of these are pre-christian and most likely came from Turkey or Mesopotamia. Göbekli Tepe in Turkey is at least 11000 years old.

Kesh Temple Hymn is the earliest religious text in the world. It's Sumerian and believed to be from 2600 BC.

Heka is probably from 2300–2100 BC. But it share some similarities to Prehistoric religions.
Thankfully there is some really good books about heka and both the pyramid text and coffin texts are easy to get and don't cost a fortune, So I would also suggest looking into that.

Wikipedia also mentions:

"The Atharva Veda, a collection of charms, and the Rigveda, a collection of hymns or incantations

Hittite ritual texts

The Greek Magical Papyri

Mesopotamian incantations were composed to counter anything from witchcraft (Maqlû) to field pests (Zu-buru-dabbeda)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incantation

[Biophilia]

Thanks for that!
I'm not familiar with kotodama, but I have recently read a good bit on heka. More specifically on Greco-Egyptian magical practice (a la Stephen Skinner's excellent work on the subject). I guess I'm more specifically asking about the particular methodology employed by contemporary ceremonial magicians: the deep vibratory method of vocalization. Skinner highlighted the influence of Greek sacred root vowels, which I think kind of naturally lend themselves to manifesting a similar kind of sound. However, I'd be curious to see if there exists historical sources actually instructing the magician to speak in such an affected manner, as I've yet to come across any.

You seem better read on the subject; have you come across any?

[Shinichi]

Have you not read Agrippa?

http://esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agripp1d.htm#chap69

There's also the Pythagorean Tradition, which mostly focuses on numbers, but also explores the Mysteries of Music and Sound. M. P. Hall is a modern writer, but he is here writing about much older concepts and their occult mysteries:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta19.htm



~:Shin:~

[Desecrated]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[Biophilia]

I have read Agrippa, though its been years (so thanks for the nudge Shin!).
But I again want to clarify that I do understand the historical emphasis on words and spoken word, but am in looking for precedent of the manner of speech employed by many modern magicians.

To use something you said as an example example, Desecrated:
what source led to the preference for deep sonorous speech (i.e. the Vibratory Formula) in modern ceremonial magic over speaking in a crowing manner such as in Galdur?

I'm, sorry if I come across as irritating by uselessly splitting hairs, but I'm really just trying to refine my question to get the precise and relevant answer I'm looking for.

Do we, for example, have evidence that Chaldean, Egyptian, Jewish, or Christian magicians used such a technique?

[corvidus]

what source led to the preference for deep sonorous speech (i.e. the Vibratory Formula) in modern ceremonial magic over speaking in a crowing manner such as in Galdur?

I can't speak as to the source which leads to these things, but I know from my own experiences that the tone of voice I use depends on what I'm trying to achieve.

When I'm meditating and reciting 'mantras', to achieve a state of peace and tranquility, I prefer the lower and 'deep sonorous speech'. But when I sing, it sounds very much like a strange and high pitched 'crowing'