The Mystery of the Seven Vowels: In Theory and Practice

by Joscelyn Godwin

The seven vowels, which we use every day in speech, are truly mysterious things. Analysis shows that vowels depend on the phenomenon of harmonics, which is at the very basis of music, while our sensitivity to them proves that the human ear is naturally attuned to harmony. When we hear vowels, we are hearing the laws of harmony, which are ultimately the laws of number that are said the govern the universe. There is also an esoteric tradition that links the vowels to the seven plants of astrology and the gods that rule them. The mythological background includes such topics as the vowel-names of IAO, IAHWE, and other gods; the invocations of planets used in Egyptian temples and in Greek magical incantations; the power of wordless song to illuminate and heal, and even--if the reports of occultists are true--to aid the soul after it has left the body. This is the first book on the subject ever to appear in English, and it is unusual in bringing together a number of fields not usually linguistics, harmony, musicology, mythology, the history of religions, esoteric and occult philosophy, vocal exercises and meditational practices. The author discusses systems relating the vowels to planets, tones and colors; he writes of ancient and modern vowel-songs, the names of the gods, and the use of vowels in Gnosticism and ancient magic. The treatment is scholarly, but the book is also practical, giving a number of different paths for discovering one's own tones through the vowels, and exploring their power to center, to uplift, and to heal.

Genres: Music, Esoterica

107 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Composer, musicologist and translator, known for his work on ancient music, paganism and music in the occult.

Reviews

[Will · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why did I read a book exploring the mystical nature of the seven vowels? Why did I think exploring the esoteric nature of "sevenness" would be at all coherent? Shouldn't I have been put off by the way it claims to have a unified theory of the harmonics of planetary orbits, vowel sounds, and Gnosticism?

I guess I read it because academic texts on esoterica hold out the promise of maybe finding some weird eternal truth, and I was intrigued. It's certainly not disprovable! Maybe I missed the point and should read it again. Maybe the truth will be revealed upon the seventh reading.

[Stefanie Dettmers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read, offering a lot of interesting insights and food for thought - although the various systems of the use of vowels and their relationships to the planets of our solar system, musical notes and colours lead nowhere. I think we have to free ourselves from our self imposed human limitations when thinking about the ancient art of using and toning sacred vowels. And we definately need to rid ourselves of the belief there could have been only 7 vowels. Our modern perception is nowhere near of being capable to understand the language, the environment and abilities our ancestors had thousands of years ago. It couldn't have been more different from our reality. I still think that the intuitive use of toning / overtoning might restore us to our old capabilities. There's lots of evidence to proof who beneficial toning is for the human body. The voice indeed can work magic!

I loved the information on the use of vowels in antique (gnostic, jewish, pagan...) magic gems and papyrii! And the cover is this book is so stunning - I'd love to frame it and put it on the wall of my studio!

[Edward F Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh

Fascinating, like the other Joscelyn Godwin books I’ve read. I learned about spirit vowels in Richard L Haight’s book “Unshakable Awareness”. JG’s book added some historical context and suggestions for my exploration of this practice.

[Serina Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad this book exists. Some of it is over my head but it is mostly fascinating.

[Andrew McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought provoking. Decided to read after the poet Robert Bly mentioned it in an interview in the Paris Review. The author explores a range of topics concerning vowels, music, history, acoustics, religion, etc. The sometimes academic tone (eg, references to people or eras not fully explained) was challenging at times, as was the general lack of a coherent thesis. Still interesting and reminded me of how music once had a more spiritual or ritualistic role in various cultures, and thus made me ponder (as a musician myself) what I might do about it. I enjoyed the section on practical exercises to conjure the vowels at the end. Apparently the writer compiled many of these topics in English for the first time.

[Spider Goddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is full of well researched information, and the author ties together various theories with an excellent commentary and understanding of them all. The exercises at the end of the book are also quite fabulous. However, I felt Godwin was rather tentative in sharing his own theories. I wish he had been less objective and more assertive.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jocelyn Godwin's work.