As many of you know it hasn’t always been safe to be a witch. Even today I know some of you write to me with problems and have to keep your practice a secret. For that reason and many others witches have used alternate forms of writing for many many years. They use these alternate forms of writing to help hand down traditions that perhaps they want to have a stronger presence than just oral tradition. They also use them to keep written spells or chants a secret to help preserve their energy. One of these methods is commonly referred to as the Witches’ Alphabet.
The Witches Alphabet is also known as the Theban Alphabet, Honorian Alphabet or the Runes of Honorius. In 1518 it was first published in Johannes Trithemius’s Polygraphia. This is the oldest known publication of the Witch’s Alphabet.
Trithemius was very active in the German Renaissance working as an occultist, cryptogropher and chronicler. He attributed his written documentation of the alphabet to Honorius of Thebes. This is where the history gets a bit unclear as it’s said that Honorius is a mythical occultist of the middle ages. Many theories are out there that include one that he may have been someone running under a different name at the time. Perhaps we will never know.
Today you will find that many of us use the alphabet in magickal spells and charms to increase the energy. I personally was taught that when you have something that your ancestors used or ancient energy workers used the energy will be contained in the action you are taking. So for instance, if I make a charm of protection using this alphabet in addition to my energy I may draw upon the energy of my elders on the other side as well.
The copy above is from Polygraphia. You will note that there is no letter J, W or U. This isn’t an error. The Theban alphabet is based largely upon latin as is our alphabet. Latin does not include those letters and as such the Theban alphabet does not.
I hope this helps!
Have a magickal day!
Much Love and many Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong