Encyclopedia

Venus

In Western esotericism and alchemy, the Roman goddess representing love and beauty, often associated with the planet Venus and the metal copper in the planetary-metallic correspondence system.

83 books · 1712 mentions

Vienna

The capital of the Holy Roman Empire and a significant hub for the patronage of alchemy, medicine, and the occult sciences under the Habsburg dynasty.

69 books · 1332 mentions

Vishnu

The preserver god in the Hindu Trimurti, often discussed in early modern comparative theology and Orientalist studies as a figure of divine immanence and protection.

64 books · 1281 mentions

Virgin Mary

The mother of Jesus, who in Western esotericism is often associated with the Anima Mundi and the purified Materia Prima, representing spiritual transformation.

59 books · 1458 mentions

Vulcan

The Roman god of fire and metalworking, often used in alchemical literature as a personification of the transformative power of fire and the art of the forge.

51 books · 1061 mentions

Varahamihira

An ancient Indian astronomer and mathematician whose works were foundational to Jyotisha and the study of the celestial spheres.

36 books · 2453 mentions

Vitruvius

A Roman architect and engineer whose treatise De architectura became the foundational text for Renaissance architectural theory and the study of harmonic proportions. His work influenced the concept of the Vitruvian Man, connecting human geometry to the order of the universe.

34 books · 1188 mentions

Varro

A prolific Roman scholar and polymath whose extensive writings on history, agriculture, and language were foundational for Renaissance humanism and antiquarianism.

33 books · 617 mentions

Vitriol

A term for various sulfate minerals, most notably iron sulfate, used in alchemy as a powerful solvent and often encoded in the acronym V.I.T.R.I.O.L.

31 books · 617 mentions

Varanasi

One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and a major center of Hindu pilgrimage, learning, and Tantric practice on the banks of the Ganges.

30 books · 981 mentions

Vital Spirit

A subtle substance or force believed in early modern physiology and alchemy to animate the body and mediate between the soul and material organs.

27 books · 633 mentions

Virgo

The sixth sign of the zodiac and its corresponding constellation, traditionally associated with the element of Earth and the planet Mercury in Western astrology.

27 books · 510 mentions

Vacuum

The concept of a space devoid of matter, a central point of contention in early modern physics between Aristotelian plenists and proponents of atomism.

27 books · 495 mentions

Vital spirits

In early modern physiology, the subtle substances believed to circulate through the body to sustain life, motion, and sensory perception.

25 books · 462 mentions

Varuna

A Vedic deity associated initially with the sky and later with the oceans and the administration of cosmic law.

25 books · 452 mentions

Verona

An ancient city in northern Italy that became a significant center for Renaissance architecture and humanism. It is frequently mentioned in the works of Palladio and in historical commentaries on classical antiquity and the arts.

25 books · 400 mentions

Venerable Bede

An Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar whose extensive writings on history, time-reckoning, and theology made him one of the most influential figures in the medieval intellectual tradition.

25 books · 322 mentions

Venus

The second planet from the Sun, historically associated in Western esotericism and alchemy with the metal copper, the goddess of love, and the qualities of harmony and beauty.

24 books · 544 mentions

Vatican

The administrative and spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, historically significant as a patron of Renaissance art, architecture, and the preservation of classical and theological manuscripts.

24 books · 341 mentions

Vyasa

A revered sage in Hindu tradition, credited as the compiler of the Vedas and the author of the Mahabharata and the Yoga-Bhashya commentary.

20 books · 453 mentions

Vashistha

A legendary Hindu sage and one of the Saptarishis, credited with the authorship of several Vedic hymns and central to Indian astrological and philosophical traditions.

18 books · 351 mentions

Vegetative Soul

In Aristotelian and Neoplatonic psychology, the lowest level of the soul responsible for the basic biological functions of nutrition, growth, and reproduction.

18 books · 222 mentions

Virgin's Milk

An alchemical term referring to a specific mercurial solvent or a white precipitate formed during the chemical wedding of substances.

17 books · 421 mentions

Virtue

A quality of moral excellence or a specific power inherent in a thing, such as the 'occult virtues' of plants and minerals discussed in natural magic.

16 books · 235 mentions

Vespasian

Roman Emperor and founder of the Flavian dynasty, known for his fiscal reforms and the initiation of the construction of the Colosseum.

15 books · 279 mentions

Village

A fundamental unit of social and geographical organization (Grama) often discussed in Sanskrit texts regarding local governance, ritual boundaries, and astrological influences.

14 books · 279 mentions

Valentin Weigel

A German theologian and mystic whose writings influenced the development of Theosophy and Rosicrucianism by emphasizing internal spiritual experience.

13 books · 398 mentions

Vitrification

The process of converting a substance into glass, often discussed in alchemical texts as a stage in the transmutation of metals or the creation of the Philosopher's Stone.

13 books · 228 mentions

Vatican Library

Established in 1475, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains a significant collection of historical texts, including many essential Hermetic manuscripts.

12 books · 218 mentions

Vindhya Mountains

A major mountain range in central India that historically served as the traditional boundary between northern India (Aryavarta) and southern India (Dakshinapatha).

12 books · 188 mentions

Vasistha

One of the oldest and most revered Vedic Rishis, credited with the authorship of the seventh mandala of the Rigveda.

11 books · 165 mentions

Villages

Small human settlements often discussed in historical and astrological texts in relation to local governance, agricultural cycles, and mundane astrological predictions.

11 books · 133 mentions

Vena cava

10 books · 414 mentions

Van Helmont

A Flemish physician, chemist, and mystic who bridged the gap between Paracelsian alchemy and modern chemistry, known for his theory of 'gas' and the 'archeus.' He is a central figure in the history of iatrochemistry and the study of spontaneous generation.

10 books · 300 mentions

Vargottama

A technical term in Vedic astrology describing a planet that occupies the same zodiac sign in both the birth chart and the ninth divisional chart.

10 books · 200 mentions

Valentinus

The most influential Gnostic theologian of the 2nd century, whose complex cosmological and mythological systems were debated by early Church Fathers and rediscovered in esoteric circles.

10 books · 196 mentions

Virginia

An early English colony in North America, often discussed in 17th-century natural histories and promotional literature as a site of new botanical and mineral discoveries.

10 books · 135 mentions

Vatican Apostolic Library

The library of the Holy See in Vatican City, established in the 15th century and housing one of the world's most important collections of esoteric manuscripts.

9 books · 224 mentions

Vicenza

A city in the Veneto region of Italy, famous as the home of the architect Andrea Palladio and a center of Renaissance culture and natural philosophy.

9 books · 214 mentions

Vernal Equinox

9 books · 179 mentions

Vesta

The Roman virgin goddess of the hearth and home; in esoteric and architectural texts, she often represents the central fire or the stability of the earth.

9 books · 158 mentions

Vyatipata

An inauspicious astronomical and astrological alignment in the Hindu calendar, specifically one of the 27 Nitya Yogas, often associated with negative omens.

9 books · 111 mentions

Vegetative power

9 books · 109 mentions

Venus (Copper)

In the alchemical tradition, the planet Venus is traditionally associated with the metal copper and the feminine principle. It represents one of the seven planetary metals and is often linked to the qualities of harmony and attraction in the Great Work.

8 books · 248 mentions

Vainglory

8 books · 169 mentions

Vortices

8 books · 156 mentions

Vineyard

A common biblical and mystical metaphor representing the Church, the soul, or the site of spiritual labor and cultivation.

8 books · 132 mentions

Vesalius

A 16th-century anatomist whose work 'De humani corporis fabrica' revolutionized the study of human anatomy through empirical observation.

8 books · 128 mentions

Vacuum (Void)

8 books · 103 mentions

Vortex

7 books · 185 mentions

Vivification

The process of imparting life or spiritual energy to inert matter, a central concept in both alchemical transmutation and early modern theories of generation.

7 books · 166 mentions

Versed sine

7 books · 158 mentions

Versailles

7 books · 156 mentions

Virgin Parchment

7 books · 148 mentions

Vesuvius

7 books · 142 mentions

Vanga

7 books · 140 mentions

Veins of the earth

7 books · 123 mentions

Visual pyramid

7 books · 120 mentions