 Magic was practiced by both the literate priestly hierarchy and by illiterate farmers and herdsmen, and the principle of "heka" underlay all ritual activity, both in the temples and in private settings.The main principle of "heka" is centered on the power of words to bring things into being.Karenga explains the pivotal power of words and their vital ontological role as the primary tool used by the creator to bring the manifest world into being.