From time immemorial, Russian people believed that the word is the basis of the universe. Word can heal, it can kill.
But special, sacred meaning in Russia was attached to words that were not just spoken publicly or loudly shouted, but pronounced in a barely audible whisper. The latter was believed to have an effect much stronger than shouting.
What is the reason for this whispering effect, scientists have not fully figured out. Most likely, the strength of his influence is explained by the invasion of a person's personal space, as well as by the fact that the whisperer, as a rule, is in control of the situation. And if at the same time you still take a person by the hand, an element of hypnosis will appear and suggestibility will increase.
In Ancient Russia, the Magi read incantations illegibly and very quietly, because according to legends, loudly expressed wishes and requests can be heard by evil people or spirits and jinx them, harm.
Some researchers in the etymology of the word "magician" see not only the Slavic word "volshba" (vъlšьba) - sorcery, but also believe that part of the root "she" comes from "shput" (šьръtъ), that is, a wizard is a whispering sorcerer.
Official science does not confirm this. But she says that the word "shpat" itself has an onomatopoeic origin and is present in almost all Slavic languages.
The peculiarity of the "magic" whisper was the correctly chosen words, creating a rhythm that affected the subconscious of a person. It was believed that the main thing in a whisper is hissing and whistling sounds.
Only an absolutely healthy person could whisper, while the patient risked worsening his health thereby. Strong "whispers" could be uttered only by those priests who had all their teeth intact.
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There were spells for all occasions: from prayers to the gods to conspiracies for health, for dryness, for wealth. There were also "black" whispers, which were pronounced after the enemy ("You leave me, you take away everything bad with you") or after a couple that they want to separate ("Together you will not be, do not sleep, do not eat bread and salt, on each other how animals growl … "). There were whispers for bailout, for disease, for animals. For example, for dogs - so as not to bark and attack. There were whispers aimed at revenge ("Your business is in your body").
In pagan incantations, people turned to the gods: to Perun, Veles or Semargl Svarozhich, to spirits; to natural phenomena and the elements, for example, to the dawn, to the wind, to stones, to trees ("Oh, birch, beauty! Help me! Send me love and happiness!..").
The most powerful healer was considered the mythical Mother of Cheese-Earth.
After the spread of Christianity in Russia and the prohibition of sorcery, only healers and whispering grandmothers whispered. Even during the years of harsh Soviet atheism, this custom did not disappear, and in the villages they still went to the grandmothers for help.
Over the millennium of Orthodoxy, appeals to God and the Mother of God were intertwined into pagan incantations, which could immediately be called Makosh (in Slavic mythology, she was responsible for fate and crafts). The meaning of the whispers has not changed - they are still requests for health, wealth, love, prosperity and the calling of troubles on the heads of enemies. And they began to finish the whispers in the same way as the Orthodox prayers: "Amen!" or "Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
Until now, healers observe a certain ritual before they begin to whisper: they fast, do not drink alcohol, and during the spell they keep their fingers crossed or dress in a special way.
It is interesting that the word "shp'tnik", that is, "earpiece" or "slanderer", also originated from the word "shp". In Russia, denunciations were pronounced in a whisper in the ear - for fear that strangers would hear and condemn. Perhaps the whisper in this case also acted as a suggestion.
What do we, enlightened people, say in a whisper in the modern world? In a quiet, insinuating voice, we speak words of love and affection, we confess our feelings. Threat words spoken in a whisper during an argument make the opponent realize that the opponent is determined. We still whisper in a whisper, embarrassed by our low deed, and sometimes, in difficult times, we whisper the truth.