Encyclopedia

Paul (Apostle)

A foundational figure of Christianity whose epistles and mystical experiences, such as his ascent to the third heaven, were frequently analyzed in esoteric and theological treatises.

49 books · 1025 mentions

Syracuse

A historic city in Sicily known as the home of Archimedes and a significant center of Greek culture and scientific advancement in the ancient Mediterranean.

49 books · 940 mentions

Capricorn

The tenth sign of the zodiac, associated in early modern astrology with the winter solstice, the planet Saturn, and the element of earth.

49 books · 883 mentions

Bohemia

A historical region in Central Europe that served as a vibrant hub for alchemical patronage, religious reform, and the Rosicrucian movement in the early 17th century.

49 books · 765 mentions

Flavius Josephus

A first-century Romano-Jewish historian whose works provide crucial historical context for the Second Temple period and early Christian history.

49 books · 715 mentions

Satan

The primary adversary in Abrahamic theology, personified in esoteric texts as the source of temptation and the fall from divine grace. In mystical works like those of Jacob Boehme, he represents the manifestation of self-will in opposition to the divine light.

48 books · 1073 mentions

Hesiod

An ancient Greek poet whose works, such as the Theogony, provided a foundational mythological framework for the origins of the gods and the cosmos.

48 books · 995 mentions

Munich

A German city that became a center for the Counter-Reformation and later a hub for scientific and esoteric societies in the 18th and 19th centuries.

48 books · 877 mentions

Jammu

A historic city and region in the northern Indian subcontinent, significant in the context of Kashmiri Shaivism and the transmission of Tantric manuscripts.

47 books · 2160 mentions

Zodiac

The belt of the heavens divided into twelve signs, serving as the primary coordinate system for early modern astronomy and astrology. It was central to the macrocosm-microcosm theory, linking celestial movements to human physiology and terrestrial events.

47 books · 866 mentions

Assyria

An ancient Mesopotamian kingdom and empire often cited in esoteric texts as a source of primordial wisdom, astrology, and theurgy.

47 books · 848 mentions

Scythia

An ancient region in Eurasia inhabited by nomadic peoples, often cited in early modern texts as a land of mystery, barbarism, or ancient wisdom.

47 books · 787 mentions

Diana

Roman goddess of the hunt and the moon, frequently used in alchemical allegories to represent the lunar principle, silver, or the 'white' stage of the Great Work.

47 books · 690 mentions

Projection

The final stage of the alchemical Great Work, where the Philosopher's Stone is applied to a base metal to effect its transmutation into gold. It also refers to the external application of a universal medicine or the manifestation of spiritual power.

46 books · 1391 mentions

Parmenides

A pre-Socratic Greek philosopher whose ontological theories on the nature of being and the unity of the universe heavily influenced Neoplatonism and later Hermetic thought.

46 books · 1163 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

Necromancy

A form of divination involving communication with the dead, often condemned in theological texts but explored in grimoires and natural philosophy as a branch of black magic.

46 books · 985 mentions

The Temple

Usually referring to the Temple in Jerusalem, this site serves as a primary symbol of divine presence, sacred architecture, and spiritual order in Western esoteric and theological traditions. It is often invoked in mystical visions, Solomonic wisdom, and the symbolic geography of the Holy Land.

46 books · 949 mentions

St. John

Typically referring to John the Evangelist or John the Baptist, figures of immense importance in Christian mysticism and esoteric traditions. The Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation are foundational texts for Western Hermeticism.

46 books · 949 mentions

Lebanon

A mountainous region in the Levant frequently mentioned in biblical and esoteric texts, particularly for its cedars and their symbolic association with spiritual incorruptibility.

46 books · 918 mentions

Cologne

A major German city and center of learning, noted for its university and its association with figures like Albertus Magnus and the development of printing.

46 books · 818 mentions

Chaos (Prime Matter)

46 books · 726 mentions

Nicolaus Copernicus

The Renaissance astronomer who proposed the heliocentric system, placing the Sun at the center of the universe and initiating a paradigm shift in science.

45 books · 2587 mentions

Johannes Kepler

A key figure in the 17th-century scientific revolution, best known for his laws of planetary motion and his attempts to find mathematical harmony in the cosmos.

45 books · 1962 mentions

Paul (the Apostle)

A pivotal figure in early Christianity whose epistles provided the theological framework for much of Western mysticism, particularly regarding the distinction between the spirit and the letter.

45 books · 1003 mentions

Basel

A Swiss city that served as a major center for Renaissance humanism and printing, notably producing early editions of Paracelsian and Hermetic works.

45 books · 999 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

Kabbalah

A school of Jewish mysticism and esoteric thought that seeks to define the relationship between the unchanging, eternal Ein Sof and the mortal, finite universe.

45 books · 879 mentions

Macedonia

An ancient kingdom and later Roman province, significant in intellectual history as the homeland of Alexander the Great and a crossroads of Hellenistic culture.

45 books · 860 mentions

Free Will

The philosophical and theological concept of the capacity of agents to choose between different possible courses of action, a central theme in debates between Hermeticists and Reformers.

45 books · 842 mentions

Strasbourg

A significant cultural and intellectual center in the Holy Roman Empire, known for its role in the early printing industry and as a meeting point for various mystical movements.

45 books · 840 mentions

Lyon

A major French city that served as a vital center for the printing of occult, alchemical, and medical texts during the 16th and 17th centuries.

45 books · 784 mentions

Alchemy

A philosophical and protoscientific tradition aimed at the transmutation of base metals into noble ones and the attainment of spiritual perfection.

45 books · 735 mentions

Foreign lands

In the context of early modern astronomy and astrology, regions outside one's native territory often associated with specific planetary influences or the movement of celestial bodies across different latitudes.

44 books · 1221 mentions

Hermetic Philosophy

A philosophical and religious tradition based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, emphasizing the pursuit of divine knowledge and the correspondence between the microcosm and macrocosm.

44 books · 934 mentions

Nebuchadnezzar

A powerful king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire whose dreams and interactions with the prophet Daniel are frequently analyzed in esoteric texts for their prophetic significance.

44 books · 861 mentions

Fifth Essence (Quintessence)

The purest and most subtle element, distinct from the four terrestrial elements, believed to compose celestial bodies and the Philosopher's Stone.

44 books · 854 mentions

Cain

The biblical firstborn son of Adam and Eve, often interpreted in esoteric traditions as a figure of earthly labor, the origins of the arts, or a symbol of the material soul.

44 books · 847 mentions

Cancer

The fourth sign of the zodiac and a constellation, traditionally associated with the element of water and the moon's domicile.

44 books · 827 mentions

Armenia

A region in the Caucasus often cited in early modern texts as the site of Mount Ararat and a land of ancient wisdom and specific mineralogical importance.

44 books · 694 mentions

Mount Olympus

The highest mountain in Greece, traditionally regarded as the home of the Olympian gods and a symbol of the divine or celestial heights in Western literature.

44 books · 683 mentions

Jesus

The central figure of Christianity, interpreted in esoteric traditions as the Logos or the Divine Man who bridges the human and divine spheres.

43 books · 2132 mentions

Prague

A central European city that served as a major hub for alchemy, astronomy, and occultism during the Renaissance, most notably under the patronage of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II.

43 books · 1072 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

Leo (Zodiac Sign)

43 books · 834 mentions

Apuleius of Madaura

43 books · 829 mentions

Saint Ambrose

A 4th-century Bishop of Milan and one of the four original Doctors of the Church, influential in the development of Western theology and liturgical music.

43 books · 795 mentions

Phoenicia

An ancient Semitic civilization credited in Hermetic and historical texts with the invention of the alphabet and as a source of early astronomical and navigational knowledge.

43 books · 752 mentions

Theosophy

A system of esoteric philosophy seeking direct knowledge of the divine through mystical insight, particularly associated with Jacob Böhme and the interpretation of nature as a divine revelation.

43 books · 716 mentions

Abel

The second son of Adam and Eve in the biblical narrative, often interpreted in esoteric and Boehmenist thought as a symbol of the spiritual, inward man.

43 books · 708 mentions

Coagulation

An alchemical process involving the solidification or thickening of a substance, often paired with 'dissolution' in the maxim 'Solve et Coagula'.

42 books · 825 mentions

Libra

The seventh sign of the zodiac, represented by the scales and associated with the autumnal equinox and the principle of balance. In astrological medicine, it governs the kidneys and signifies the equilibrium between opposing forces in the cosmos.

42 books · 817 mentions

Carthage

An ancient North African city-state and rival to Rome, frequently cited in historical and theological texts regarding its Punic culture and later role in early Christianity.

42 books · 809 mentions

Ascendant (Lagna)

In astrology, the degree of the zodiac rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth, considered the most important point in a natal chart.

42 books · 783 mentions

The Abyss

A term used in mystical traditions to describe the bottomless depth of the divine or the chaotic void preceding creation, notably the 'Ungrund' in Böhme's works.

42 books · 745 mentions

Muhammad

The founder of Islam, discussed in early modern Western texts in contexts ranging from polemical theology to the transmission of Arabic science.

42 books · 740 mentions

The Trinity

The Christian doctrine defining God as three coexisting persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—often interpreted through Neoplatonic and Hermetic lenses.

42 books · 631 mentions

Potable Gold

A legendary medicinal substance believed by alchemists to be a liquid form of gold capable of curing all diseases and granting longevity. It represented the ultimate refinement of the solar principle and the perfection of the human body through chemical means.

41 books · 1037 mentions