hermeticism
State of impermeability
Hermeticism is an esoteric philosophical and spiritual tradition rooted in writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure blending the Greek god Hermes with the Egyptian god Thoth.
The tradition emphasizes hidden knowledge, the correspondence between macrocosm and microcosm, and the transformation of the soul.
Hermeticism influenced Renaissance magic, alchemy, and later occult movements.
The adjective hermetic, meaning airtight or sealed, derives from the tradition's association with secret knowledge—though it now appears more often in practical contexts than mystical ones.
Victorian occult fraternity
- FreemasonryFraternal order with lodges
- TheosophyOccult philosophical system
- KabbalahJewish esoteric tradition
- NeoplatonismPlotinus's systematic mystical metaphysics
Gnosticism · occultism · ceremonial magic · Agrippa · Bruno · Dee
Legendary substance enabling transmutation
- transmutationComplete change of form
- elixirMythical healing draught
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
- calcinationThermal decomposition via heat
coagulation · sublimation · distillation · conjunction · fermentation · alembic · crucible · tincture
Formal admission ceremony
- mysterySomething unexplained or unknown
- arcanaEsoteric specialized knowledge
- secretsConcealed information
- hidden knowledgeInformation deliberately kept concealed
revelation · illumination · divine wisdom · sophia · sacred · adept · neophyte · grades
Exchanged written communication
- mentalismDoctrine of primacy of thought
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- polarityState of opposing forces
- rhythmPatterned stress and silence
causation · gender · macrocosm · microcosm · unity · nous · logos · pneuma
Religious awakening of self
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- apotheosisPeak or deification
- divinizationElevation to deity status
- refinementElegance of manner
ascent · henosis · perfection · liberation · awakening
Golden Dawn
Victorian occult fraternity
- FreemasonryFraternal order with lodges
- TheosophyOccult philosophical system
- KabbalahJewish esoteric tradition
Neoplatonism · Gnosticism · occultism · ceremonial magic · Agrippa · Bruno · Dee
philosopher's stone
Legendary substance enabling transmutation
- transmutationComplete change of form
- elixirMythical healing draught
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
calcination · coagulation · sublimation · distillation · conjunction · fermentation · alembic · crucible · tincture · mercury
initiation
Formal admission ceremony
- mysterySomething unexplained or unknown
- arcanaEsoteric specialized knowledge
- secretsConcealed information
hidden knowledge · revelation · illumination · divine wisdom · sophia · sacred · adept · neophyte · grades · veiled
correspondence
Exchanged written communication
- mentalismDoctrine of primacy of thought
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- polarityState of opposing forces
rhythm · causation · gender · macrocosm · microcosm · unity · nous · logos · pneuma · world soul
Asclepius
Ancient medicine deity
- ThothEgyptian god of wisdom
spiritual rebirth
Religious awakening of self
- regenerationBiological self-repair process
- apotheosisPeak or deification
- divinizationElevation to deity status
refinement · ascent · henosis · perfection · liberation · awakening
- alchemyphilosopher's stone, transmutation, elixir, elixir of life, magnum opus
- Italian LiteratureDante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Dante Alighieri
- occultwitchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, black magic, tarot
- occult textsgrimoires, grimoire, Kabbalah, Book of Shadows, Necronomicon
- occultismesotericism, black magic, necromancy, Kabbalah, theosophy
- occult booksgrimoire, grimoires, spellbook, spellbooks, Book of the Dead
hermeticismopenness
Quality of being accessible
permeability · porosity · accessibility · penetrability · transparency
hermeticismtransparency
State of being see-through
clarity · plainness · explicitness · lucidity · accessibility
hermeticismempiricism
Knowledge through observation
rationalism · positivism · naturalism · materialism · secularism
alchemy, hermetic, alchemist, Hermes, alchemical, alchemize, alchemists, alchemized, alchemizing