Encyclopedia

Galen

A prominent Greek physician and philosopher in the Roman Empire whose theories on the four humors influenced Western medical science until the 19th century.

146 books · 6228 mentions

Geber

The Latinized name of Jabir ibn Hayyan, the legendary 8th-century Islamic polymath whose corpus formed the basis of medieval and Renaissance alchemy in Europe.

77 books · 2754 mentions

Great Britain

An island in the North Atlantic that became a central hub for scientific and esoteric inquiry during the 17th century, hosting figures like Francis Bacon and Robert Fludd.

76 books · 1436 mentions

Ganesha

The elephant-headed deity in the Hindu pantheon, revered as the remover of obstacles and the patron of arts, sciences, and intellect.

54 books · 826 mentions

God

The supreme being and creator in monotheistic traditions, often identified in Hermetic and Neoplatonic texts as the Monad or the One. In alchemical philosophy, God is the source of the Light of Nature and the ultimate architect of the macrocosm.

43 books · 915 mentions

Gaul

A historical region of Western Europe inhabited by Celtic tribes, often referenced in occult literature regarding the traditions of the Druids and ancient natural magic.

40 books · 903 mentions

Galileo Galilei

An Italian astronomer and physicist whose observational discoveries and support for heliocentrism fundamentally challenged Aristotelian cosmology and sparked the Scientific Revolution.

39 books · 999 mentions

Geneva

A Swiss city that became a major center of the Protestant Reformation and a hub for scientific and theological publishing in the early modern period.

35 books · 860 mentions

Gemini

The third sign of the zodiac, symbolized by the twins Castor and Pollux and associated with the planet Mercury and the element of air.

34 books · 689 mentions

Garga

An ancient Indian sage and legendary astronomer-astrologer, credited with foundational texts on divination and the observation of planetary omens.

33 books · 1072 mentions

Girolamo Cardano

An Italian polymath of the Renaissance who made significant contributions to mathematics, medicine, and natural philosophy, while also writing extensively on astrology and the occult.

30 books · 704 mentions

Gomorrah

A biblical city destroyed by divine wrath, frequently used in early modern literature as a symbol of vice and the consequences of moral decay.

29 books · 610 mentions

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

A German polymath and philosopher who developed the system of monadology and independently co-invented differential and integral calculus.

29 books · 541 mentions

Geomancy

A method of divination that interprets patterns formed by tossing handfuls of soil, rocks, or sand, widely practiced in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

28 books · 541 mentions

Gnomon

The part of a sundial that casts a shadow, used historically as a fundamental tool in geometry and astronomy to determine the time and the position of celestial bodies. It appears frequently in early modern treatises on practical geometry and celestial mechanics.

26 books · 576 mentions

Gabriel

An archangel in Abrahamic traditions who serves as a divine messenger and is often associated with the moon and the element of water in Western occultism. In kabbalistic and magical texts, Gabriel is invoked for revelations and protection.

26 books · 368 mentions

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola

A Renaissance nobleman and philosopher famous for his 'Oration on the Dignity of Man' and his attempt to synthesize Platonism, Aristotelianism, and Kabbalah. He is a central figure in the development of Christian Kabbalah and Renaissance humanism.

23 books · 657 mentions

Giambattista della Porta

An Italian polymath and playwright known for his work on natural magic, optics, and physiognomy, most notably his influential Magia Naturalis.

23 books · 624 mentions

Gregory

Likely referring to Pope Gregory I (the Great), an influential Church Father whose theological writings shaped medieval Western thought and liturgy.

23 books · 380 mentions

Genoa

A prominent Italian port city and maritime republic known for its commercial power and its role in the exchange of goods and ideas across the Mediterranean.

22 books · 346 mentions

Gehenna

Originally a valley near Jerusalem, it evolved in Jewish and Christian eschatology into a name for the place of spiritual punishment or purgation. In Kabbalistic and hermetic texts, it represents a state of purification by fire or the lower spiritual realms.

21 books · 429 mentions

Generation and Corruption

The Aristotelian framework for understanding the process of things coming into existence and their subsequent decay or destruction in the sublunary world.

21 books · 285 mentions

Golden Age

A mythological period of primordial peace and abundance; Renaissance thinkers often invoked this concept to describe a lost ideal state of humanity.

20 books · 372 mentions

Geometry

A branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, and solids, considered a foundational liberal art in the Western tradition.

20 books · 243 mentions

Galilee

A region in northern Israel central to the New Testament narratives and early Christian theology, often discussed in early modern biblical commentaries and geographical works.

19 books · 681 mentions

Garden of Eden

The biblical terrestrial paradise where the first humans resided, frequently interpreted in esoteric traditions as a state of primordial spiritual perfection or an allegorical site of hidden wisdom.

17 books · 465 mentions

Green Lion

A potent alchemical symbol representing raw matter, vitriol, or the acidic solvent used to dissolve gold and initiate the process of transmutation.

17 books · 407 mentions

Gideon

A biblical judge and military leader whose victory over the Midianites was frequently interpreted allegorically in Christian and Kabbalistic texts.

17 books · 311 mentions

Giordano Bruno

An Italian Dominican friar and philosopher whose cosmological theories proposed an infinite universe and who became a martyr for free thought and Hermetic philosophy.

16 books · 985 mentions

Gematria

A Kabbalistic method of interpreting Hebrew scriptures by calculating the numerical value of words and finding connections between words of equal value.

16 books · 312 mentions

Ganges River

A trans-boundary river of Asia flowing through India and Bangladesh, revered as sacred in Hinduism and often mentioned in Western accounts of Eastern geography.

16 books · 242 mentions

Gabriel (Angel)

An archangel in Abrahamic religions who serves as a divine messenger, frequently appearing in occult and grimoire traditions as a planetary intelligence or celestial intermediary.

15 books · 288 mentions

Giovanni Boccaccio

A pivotal Italian Renaissance humanist and author of the Decameron, whose works on mythology and biography influenced early modern literature and scholarship.

14 books · 339 mentions

Gnomon (Shanku)

An astronomical instrument consisting of a vertical rod whose shadow is used to determine the sun's altitude, the time of day, and the cardinal directions. In Indian astronomy, the shanku is fundamental for calculating latitude and solar declination.

14 books · 325 mentions

Golden Fleece

In Greek mythology, the fleece of the winged ram Chrysomallos, sought by Jason and the Argonauts. In alchemical literature, it is a common allegory for the Philosopher's Stone or the successful completion of the Great Work.

14 books · 293 mentions

Gregory the Great

A 6th-century Pope and Doctor of the Church whose writings on morality and the unity of the church were foundational for medieval Western theology.

14 books · 214 mentions

Gorgias of Leontini

13 books · 387 mentions

George Ripley

A prominent 15th-century English alchemist and Augustinian canon, best known for his influential work 'The Compound of Alchymy'.

13 books · 303 mentions

Gascony

A historical province in southwestern France, noted in early modern texts for its distinct cultural identity and as the birthplace of several influential thinkers and soldiers.

13 books · 268 mentions

Gravity

The natural phenomenon by which mass is attracted to mass, a concept that transitioned from natural magic to classical mechanics through the work of Newton.

13 books · 223 mentions

Geometric Proportion

A relationship between four quantities where the ratio of the first to the second is equal to the ratio of the third to the fourth, central to classical harmony.

13 books · 207 mentions

Göttingen

A city in Lower Saxony, Germany, which became a major center of the Enlightenment and scientific research following the foundation of its university in 1734. It is frequently mentioned in records concerning secret societies like the Illuminati and the development of natural philosophy.

13 books · 194 mentions

Ganymede

In Greek mythology, a divine hero and cupbearer to the gods, often interpreted in Renaissance art and philosophy as an allegory for the soul's ascent to the divine.

13 books · 184 mentions

Generation

The process of coming into being or biological reproduction, central to alchemical and natural philosophical debates regarding the transition from potentiality to actuality.

13 books · 149 mentions

Glasgow

A major city in Scotland that became a significant center for trade, industry, and learning during the Scottish Enlightenment.

13 books · 138 mentions

Geometric Mean

A type of average indicating the central tendency of a set of numbers by using the product of their values, frequently applied in Renaissance architectural theory and cosmology. It was essential for determining proportions in the design of sacred spaces and understanding planetary distances.

13 books · 131 mentions

Gaza

An ancient city on the Mediterranean coast, historically one of the five cities of the Philistine pentapolis and a significant cultural crossroads in late antiquity. It appears in early modern texts as a site of biblical events and Hellenistic learning.

12 books · 268 mentions

Guangdong

A coastal province in South China, historically significant in early modern botanical and trade texts as a primary point of contact between European explorers and the Chinese Empire.

12 books · 216 mentions

Goetia

A branch of magic involving the invocation of spirits or demons, famously detailed in the first book of the 'Lesser Key of Solomon.'

12 books · 173 mentions

Guo Pu

A Chinese writer, scholar, and mystic of the Jin dynasty, renowned for his commentaries on ancient texts and his foundational role in the development of Feng Shui.

11 books · 263 mentions

Gauri

A manifestation of the Hindu goddess Parvati or Shakti, representing purity and austerity, frequently invoked in Tantric and astrological literature.

11 books · 180 mentions

Gellius

A Roman author and grammarian best known for his 'Attic Nights,' a compilation of notes on grammar, philosophy, and history widely read in the Renaissance.

11 books · 174 mentions

Gregory Nazianzen

A 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople and theologian, one of the Cappadocian Fathers, highly regarded for his synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian doctrine.

11 books · 133 mentions

God the Father

The first person of the Holy Trinity in Christian theology, often depicted in mystical and theosophical texts as the primordial source of all creation and the unmanifested deity.

10 books · 209 mentions

Ghatikas

10 books · 180 mentions

Grafting

A horticultural technique for joining plant tissues, frequently used as a metaphor in early modern natural philosophy and theology for the union of different natures.

10 books · 159 mentions

Gnosticism

A collection of ancient religious ideas and systems which originated in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects, emphasizing personal spiritual knowledge.

10 books · 154 mentions

Ghent

10 books · 139 mentions