Encyclopedia

Red Sea

A seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, significant in biblical and esoteric traditions for the Exodus narrative and often interpreted allegorically in alchemy as the transformative waters of the soul.

51 books · 823 mentions

Roger Bacon

A 13th-century English Franciscan friar and scholastic philosopher known for his emphasis on empiricism and his legendary reputation as a wizard or alchemist in later esoteric traditions.

46 books · 1114 mentions

Rhodes

A Greek island in the Aegean Sea, historically significant for its Colossus and its role as a maritime power and center for Hellenistic philosophy and science.

45 books · 923 mentions

Raymond Lully

A Majorcan philosopher and mystic whose combinatorial system of logic, the Ars Magna, influenced early modern science. Although he was not an alchemist, a vast corpus of pseudo-Lullian alchemical texts was attributed to him, making him a central figure in esotericism.

39 books · 1110 mentions

René Descartes

A French philosopher and mathematician regarded as the father of modern philosophy for his rationalist approach and the development of mind-body dualism.

37 books · 3555 mentions

Rational Soul

In Aristotelian and Neoplatonic thought, the highest part of the soul unique to humans that enables reasoning, intellect, and the apprehension of divine truths.

37 books · 679 mentions

Retrograde motion

The apparent backward motion of a planet in the sky, a phenomenon central to the development of both geocentric and heliocentric astronomical models.

37 books · 654 mentions

Refraction

The change in direction of a wave, such as light, passing from one medium to another, a fundamental concept in early modern optics and natural philosophy.

34 books · 1328 mentions

Rhazes

A Persian polymath and physician whose influential works in medicine and alchemy, such as the 'Secret of Secrets', were foundational to the development of Western science.

32 books · 857 mentions

Romulus

The legendary founder and first king of Rome, often appearing in early modern historical and political treatises on the origins of civilization.

27 books · 481 mentions

Robert Fludd

An English Paracelsian physician and occultist whose massive works attempted to synthesize all knowledge through the lens of Hermeticism and music.

25 books · 1651 mentions

Russia

A vast transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, frequently mentioned in early modern texts regarding its natural resources, political expansion, and unique religious traditions.

25 books · 455 mentions

Rudra

A major Vedic deity associated with the storm, hunt, and destruction, serving as an early form of the god Shiva in Hindu and Tantric traditions.

25 books · 388 mentions

Robert Boyle

An Anglo-Irish natural philosopher and chemist regarded as one of the founders of modern chemistry and a pioneer of the modern experimental scientific method.

23 books · 522 mentions

Raymond Lull

A Majorcan philosopher, logician, and mystic whose 'Ars Magna' sought to integrate all knowledge through a combinatorial system of symbols. He was widely, though often pseudepigraphically, associated with alchemy and the Hermetic tradition in the early modern era.

23 books · 399 mentions

Repentance

The act of expressing sincere regret for past sins accompanied by a commitment to change, a central tenet of Christian soteriology and spiritual practice.

23 books · 276 mentions

Ramon Llull

A Majorcan philosopher, logician, and mystic known for his 'Ars Magna,' a system of combinatory logic intended to prove Christian truths. His work deeply influenced Renaissance hermeticism, mnemonics, and the development of early computing concepts.

22 books · 1008 mentions

Rachel

A biblical matriarch and wife of Jacob, often interpreted in esoteric and kabbalistic traditions as a symbol of the contemplative life or the Shekhinah.

21 books · 484 mentions

Rama

A major deity in Hinduism and the protagonist of the Ramayana, recognized in Western esoteric encounters with Eastern texts as a figure of solar wisdom.

21 books · 416 mentions

Raphael

An archangel in Judeo-Christian tradition associated with healing and guidance, often invoked in Solomonic magic and alchemical texts as a celestial mediator.

20 books · 530 mentions

Rhine

A major European river that served as a vital geographic and cultural artery for the spread of Paracelsian medicine, alchemy, and the Rosicrucian manifestos.

20 books · 303 mentions

Regeneration

A spiritual and alchemical concept of rebirth or renewal, often linked to the Hermetic 'Palingenesis' or the Christian doctrine of being born again.

19 books · 474 mentions

Resurrection

The theological concept of rising from the dead, explored in esoteric contexts as both a literal event and a spiritual transformation or palingenesis.

18 books · 518 mentions

Rarefaction and Condensation

Physical processes in Aristotelian and early modern physics describing the expansion and contraction of matter, used to explain the transformation of elements.

17 books · 362 mentions

Right Ascension

The angular distance of a celestial body measured eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox, used to map stellar positions.

16 books · 493 mentions

Rosicrucianism

A spiritual and cultural movement of the 17th century that sought a universal reformation of mankind through alchemy, Kabbalah, and Christian mysticism.

16 books · 301 mentions

Redemption

The theological concept of deliverance from sin or error, often interpreted in esoteric traditions as the restoration of the soul to its primordial state.

16 books · 227 mentions

Regensburg

A historic city in Bavaria, Germany, which served as a significant political and religious center, hosting the Perpetual Diet and influencing early modern European diplomacy and theology.

15 books · 297 mentions

Retrogradation

The apparent backward motion of a planet through the zodiac, a phenomenon central to the development of both geocentric and heliocentric astronomical models.

15 books · 267 mentions

Rahu

In Hindu astrology (Jyotisha), the north lunar node and a shadow planet responsible for eclipses and representing worldly desire and chaos.

15 books · 218 mentions

Rarefaction

The reduction of a medium's density, the opposite of condensation; a key concept in early modern natural philosophy regarding the behavior of air and matter.

14 books · 361 mentions

Rhetoric

One of the three liberal arts of the Trivium, focusing on the art of persuasion and eloquent speech, essential to humanist education and classical philosophy.

14 books · 210 mentions

Regulus of Antimony

The metallic form of antimony obtained by reducing its sulfide ore, often appearing with a star-like crystalline pattern on its surface. It was highly significant in the alchemy of Basil Valentine and Isaac Newton as a key ingredient in the quest for the philosopher's stone.

13 books · 444 mentions

Rectification

In alchemy, the process of purifying a liquid by repeated distillation; in astrology, the procedure used to determine the exact time of a birth.

13 books · 305 mentions

Ravenna

An Italian city that served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire and later the Exarchate, significant for its Byzantine architecture and as a center of legal study during the Renaissance.

12 books · 187 mentions

Roman Empire

The post-Republican period of ancient Rome, whose legal, political, and cultural legacy formed the foundational framework for Western European civilization and the Holy Roman Empire.

12 books · 182 mentions

Retrograde motion (Vakra)

11 books · 205 mentions

Republic of Letters

A long-distance intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries that fostered communication among the scholars of Europe and the Americas. It emphasized the shared pursuit of knowledge across national and religious boundaries through correspondence and printed journals.

11 books · 165 mentions

Rebecca

A biblical matriarch, the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau, frequently discussed in Kabbalistic and theological commentaries. She is often interpreted allegorically in esoteric texts as representing specific virtues or stages of spiritual development.

11 books · 117 mentions

Rhadamanthus

A mythological judge of the dead in the underworld, often discussed in Neoplatonic texts regarding the fate of the soul and divine justice.

10 books · 234 mentions

Reverberation

An alchemical process involving the heating of a substance in a furnace where the flame is reflected or 'reverberated' back onto the material. It was used for calcination and the purification of metals, symbolizing the intense spiritual refinement of the soul in esoteric thought.

10 books · 227 mentions

Rimini

An Italian city on the Adriatic coast that served as a major center of humanism and architecture under the patronage of the Malatesta family during the Renaissance.

10 books · 226 mentions

Reverberatory furnace

A type of metallurgical or alchemical furnace that isolates the material being processed from contact with the fuel, reflecting heat from the roof onto the substance. It was crucial in early modern chemistry and alchemy for controlled heating and smelting.

10 books · 199 mentions

Retrograde

The condition of a celestial body moving in a direction opposite to that of other bodies within its system, often interpreted as an ill omen in astrology.

10 books · 162 mentions

Resignation (Gelassenheit)

A central concept in German mysticism, particularly in the works of Jacob Böhme, describing the soul's total surrender of self-will to the divine will.

10 books · 151 mentions

Royal court

10 books · 150 mentions

Raphael (Angel)

An archangel in the Abrahamic traditions, often associated with healing, travel, and the guidance of the soul. In Western esotericism and grimoires, he is frequently invoked as the ruler of the planet Mercury or the element of Air.

10 books · 137 mentions

Reminiscence

10 books · 118 mentions

Robert Hooke

An English polymath and experimental philosopher whose work in microscopy, mechanics, and astronomy was foundational to the Scientific Revolution and the Royal Society.

9 books · 221 mentions

Reuben

The eldest son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In mystical and Swedenborgian interpretations, he often symbolizes faith in the understanding or the first stage of spiritual regeneration.

9 books · 205 mentions

Regulus

The brightest star in the constellation Leo, historically significant in alchemy as a symbol of the 'Royal Star' and the 'Cor Leonis' (Heart of the Lion).

9 books · 173 mentions

Resurrection of the dead

9 books · 145 mentions

Red Tincture

9 books · 134 mentions

Rostock

A prominent Hanseatic city in northern Germany and home to one of the oldest universities, significant for Renaissance medicine and alchemy.

9 books · 133 mentions

River Lethe

One of the rivers of the underworld in Greek mythology, whose waters caused those who drank them to forget their past lives. It is frequently used in Neoplatonic allegories concerning the soul's descent into the material world.

9 books · 125 mentions

Rhea

A Titaness in Greek mythology, the mother of the Olympian gods, often identified with the Earth Mother or Cybele. In Neoplatonic and Orphic traditions, she represents the generative power of the divine and the soul of the world.

9 books · 110 mentions

Royal Society

Founded in 1660, the oldest national scientific institution in the world, which played a pivotal role in the development of the experimental method and modern science.

9 books · 98 mentions

Reincarnation

9 books · 89 mentions