Encyclopedia

England

A key center for the development of early modern science and esotericism, home to influential figures such as John Dee, Robert Fludd, and Elias Ashmole.

136 books · 2898 mentions

East

One of the four cardinal directions, traditionally associated in esoteric cosmology with the rising sun, the element of air, and the source of spiritual illumination (Ex Oriente Lux).

120 books · 1846 mentions

Europe

The continent that served as the primary theater for the development of Western esotericism, the Renaissance, and the Scientific Revolution.

90 books · 1881 mentions

Euclid

Ancient Greek mathematician known as the 'Father of Geometry,' whose Elements served as the foundational textbook for mathematical and spatial reasoning in Western natural philosophy.

82 books · 3236 mentions

Ethiopia

Historically used to refer to sub-Saharan Africa, often depicted in esoteric lore as a land of ancient wisdom and the home of the legendary Prester John.

80 books · 1624 mentions

Elijah

A Hebrew prophet who, in esoteric and mystical traditions, is often associated with the 'Elias Artista' figure expected to usher in a new age of alchemical and spiritual revelation.

80 books · 1623 mentions

Eve

The first woman in the Abrahamic creation narrative, whose role in the Fall and subsequent mystical interpretations is central to Kabbalistic and Boehmenist theology.

74 books · 1751 mentions

Epicurus

An ancient Greek philosopher whose atomistic physics and materialist ethics were frequently debated and often criticized by early modern theologians and natural philosophers.

67 books · 1619 mentions

Ezekiel

A Hebrew prophet whose vision of the Merkabah (the divine chariot) became a foundational text for Jewish mysticism and later Christian Kabbalistic interpretations.

64 books · 1307 mentions

Empedocles

A Pre-Socratic philosopher who proposed the four-element theory (earth, air, fire, water) and the forces of Love and Strife, which became foundational to Western alchemy.

56 books · 1172 mentions

Ephesus

An ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, famous for the Temple of Artemis and its role as a major center for early Christianity and Neoplatonic thought.

53 books · 981 mentions

Enoch

A biblical patriarch said to have walked with God and been taken to heaven, central to the 'Enochian' tradition of magic and apocalyptic literature.

52 books · 1302 mentions

Empyrean heaven

In medieval and Renaissance cosmology, the highest part of heaven, believed to be the dwelling place of God and the angels, composed of pure light or fire.

38 books · 780 mentions

Eusebius

Likely Eusebius of Caesarea, a Greek historian of Christianity whose works provided historical context for early church history and the preservation of ancient fragments.

36 books · 1031 mentions

Euripides

One of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, known for his psychological realism and influence on Renaissance humanism. His plays were frequently used by Neoplatonists to illustrate moral philosophy and the complexities of the human soul.

33 books · 627 mentions

Elisha

A biblical prophet and disciple of Elijah, known for his miracles and often cited in mystical contexts as a figure of divine power.

33 books · 522 mentions

Edinburgh

The capital city of Scotland, which served as a significant center for theological debate and later the Scottish Enlightenment.

31 books · 501 mentions

Eden

The biblical garden of paradise where the first humans resided before the Fall, often interpreted in esoteric traditions as a state of primordial spiritual perfection.

30 books · 882 mentions

Elixir

A medicinal or alchemical preparation believed to prolong life indefinitely or transform base metals into gold. It is often synonymous with the Philosophers' Stone or the 'Universal Medicine' in Hermetic literature.

29 books · 712 mentions

Ecliptic

The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere, serving as the basis for the zodiac and astronomical coordinate systems.

28 books · 727 mentions

Ezra

A biblical scribe and priest central to the restoration of Jerusalem, frequently cited in esoteric and Kabbalistic texts as a recipient of divine secrets and the restorer of the lost Law.

28 books · 482 mentions

Esau

The eldest son of Isaac and Rebekah in the Hebrew Bible, often discussed in esoteric texts regarding the themes of birthright and predestination.

28 books · 471 mentions

Exaltation

In astrology, a state where a planet's influence is strengthened by being in a specific zodiac sign; in alchemy, the refinement of a substance to a higher state.

28 books · 444 mentions

Efficient Cause

One of Aristotle's four causes, referring to the primary source of change or rest; in natural philosophy, the agent that brings something into being.

27 books · 610 mentions

Euphrates River

One of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia, central to the development of ancient civilizations and frequently mentioned in biblical and classical geography. It often appears in esoteric works discussing the location of Paradise or the Tower of Babel.

24 books · 410 mentions

Epicycle

A geometric model used in Ptolemaic astronomy to explain the retrograde motion and varying speeds of planets by having them move in small circles whose centers move along larger circles called deferents.

23 books · 946 mentions

Exaltation and Debilitation

Astrological concepts referring to the specific zodiacal positions where a planet reaches its highest (exaltation) or lowest (debilitation) functional strength.

23 books · 600 mentions

Elizabeth I

23 books · 534 mentions

Equator

The imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface equidistant from the poles, essential for early modern astronomical calculations and navigation.

23 books · 521 mentions

Emerald Tablet

A foundational Hermetic text, traditionally attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, which outlines the principles of alchemy and the relationship between the macrocosm and microcosm.

21 books · 461 mentions

East Indies

A historical term used by Europeans to refer to the lands of South and Southeast Asia, significant for the spice trade and colonial expansion.

21 books · 344 mentions

Epictetus

A Greek Stoic philosopher whose teachings on ethics and self-discipline significantly influenced early modern Christian thought and natural philosophy.

21 books · 300 mentions

Equilibrium

A state of physical or spiritual balance, often discussed in early modern mechanics and Swedenborgian theology as the necessary tension between opposing forces.

19 books · 535 mentions

Earthly Paradise

The biblical Garden of Eden, often sought by early modern explorers and mystics as a physical location or a state of primordial perfection.

19 books · 329 mentions

Errata

A term referring to errors in printed texts or deviations in nature, often discussed in the context of the fallibility of human knowledge and textual transmission.

18 books · 419 mentions

Edom

An ancient biblical kingdom often used symbolically in Kabbalistic literature to represent the realm of judgment or the external 'shells' of reality.

18 books · 347 mentions

Erasmus

A Dutch philosopher and Christian humanist who was one of the greatest scholars of the northern Renaissance. His critical editions of the New Testament and satirical works like 'The Praise of Folly' were central to the intellectual debates of the Reformation era.

18 books · 327 mentions

Excommunication

An institutional censure used by the Church to deprive a member of spiritual privileges, often a focal point in debates over heresy and authority.

18 books · 324 mentions

Emanuel Swedenborg

A Swedish scientist, philosopher, and Christian mystic who claimed to have received revelations from the spiritual world, leading to the foundation of the New Church.

17 books · 511 mentions

Eleusis

An ancient Greek site near Athens, home to the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were central to the study of ancient initiatory rites in early modern esotericism.

17 books · 371 mentions

Ecliptic

The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere as seen from Earth, serving as the basis for the zodiac and astronomical coordinates.

16 books · 353 mentions

Eudoxus

An ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician whose theory of homocentric spheres significantly influenced early cosmological models and Platonic thought.

16 books · 319 mentions

Ether

In ancient and medieval cosmology, the fifth element or quintessence that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere and composes the celestial bodies.

16 books · 227 mentions

Elysian Fields

In Greek mythology and later Western literature, a conception of the afterlife or a paradise reserved for the heroic and the virtuous, often representing spiritual bliss in esoteric contexts.

16 books · 208 mentions

Elysian fields

16 books · 193 mentions

Eccentricity

A parameter in astronomy that describes the deviation of a celestial orbit from a perfect circle, vital for explaining non-uniform planetary motion.

15 books · 482 mentions

Erasistratus

A Greek anatomist and royal physician in the 3rd century BC who co-founded the school of anatomy in Alexandria and studied the circulatory and nervous systems.

14 books · 275 mentions

Eratosthenes

A Greek polymath and librarian at Alexandria known for calculating the Earth's circumference and developing the 'Sieve of Eratosthenes' for identifying prime numbers.

14 books · 261 mentions

Emperor Charles V

Ruler of the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish Empire, whose reign dominated the political landscape of 16th-century Europe during the Reformation.

14 books · 209 mentions

Essence

The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of a thing that determines its character, a core concern in scholastic metaphysics and alchemical theory regarding the quinta essentia.

14 books · 141 mentions

Epiphanius

A 4th-century Church Father and bishop of Salamis known for his 'Panarion', a comprehensive refutation of various heresies and sects.

13 books · 509 mentions

Elis

An ancient district in the western Peloponnese of Greece, famous as the location of the sanctuary of Olympia and the site of the ancient Olympic Games.

13 books · 222 mentions

Entelechy

An Aristotelian term denoting the full realization or actuality of a potentiality, often used to describe the soul as the vitalizing principle of the body.

13 books · 216 mentions

Etymology

The study of the origins and historical development of words, often used in Hermetic traditions to uncover hidden or 'true' meanings within language.

13 books · 187 mentions

Eighth Sphere

In the Ptolemaic geocentric model, the sphere of the fixed stars that lies beyond the seven planetary spheres. It was often associated with the firmament and considered the boundary between the physical cosmos and the divine empyrean.

13 books · 177 mentions

Ether

13 books · 139 mentions

Esdras

A biblical scribe and priest, also known as Ezra. In Western esotericism, the apocryphal books attributed to him were highly valued for their prophetic visions and hidden wisdom regarding the end of the world.

12 books · 121 mentions

Emanation

A cosmological theory, prominent in Neoplatonism and Kabbalah, which posits that all reality flows out from a single, transcendent source or 'The One.'

11 books · 196 mentions