The word alchemy comes from the Arabic al-kīmiyaˀ or al-khīmiyaˀ (الكيمياء or الخيمياء), which is probably formed from the article al- and the Greek word chumeia (χυμεία) meaning "cast together", "pour together", "weld", "alloy", etc. (from khumatos, "that which is poured out, an ingot"). A decree of Diocletian, written about 300 CE in Greek, speaks against "the ancient writings of the Egyptians, which treat of the khēmia ...

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Alchemy, Alchemy - Overview, Alchemy - Alchemy as a proto-science, Alchemy - The changing goals of alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy and astrology, Alchemy - Alchemy in the age of science, Alchemy - Alchemy as a subject of historical research, Alchemy - Etymology, Alchemy - History, Alchemy - Alchemy in Ancient Egypt, Alchemy - Chinese alchemy, Alchemy - Indian alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Greek world, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Roman Empire, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Islamic world, Alchemy - Alchemy in Medieval Europe, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Modern Age and Renaissance, Alchemy - The decline of Western alchemy, Alchemy - Modern 'alchemy', Alchemy - Alchemy in art and entertainment, Alchemy - Literature, Alchemy - Music, Alchemy - Other alchemical pages, Alchemy - Related and alternative philosophies, Alchemy - Scientific connections, Alchemy - Substances of the alchemists, Alchemy - Other resources

Read more here: » Alchemy: Encyclopedia II - Alchemy - Etymology

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Alchemy, Alchemy - Overview, Alchemy - Alchemy as a proto-science, Alchemy - The changing goals of alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy and astrology, Alchemy - Alchemy in the age of science, Alchemy - Alchemy as a subject of historical research, Alchemy - Etymology, Alchemy - History, Alchemy - Alchemy in Ancient Egypt, Alchemy - Chinese alchemy, Alchemy - Indian alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Greek world, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Roman Empire, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Islamic world, Alchemy - Alchemy in Medieval Europe, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Modern Age and Renaissance, Alchemy - The decline of Western alchemy, Alchemy - Modern 'alchemy', Alchemy - Alchemy in art and entertainment, Alchemy - Literature, Alchemy - Music, Alchemy - Other alchemical pages, Alchemy - Related and alternative philosophies, Alchemy - Scientific connections, Alchemy - Substances of the alchemists, Alchemy - Other resources

Read more here: » Alchemy: Encyclopedia II - Alchemy - Alchemy in art and entertainment

Alchemy encompasses several philosophical traditions spanning some four millennia and three continents. These traditions' general penchant for cryptic and symbolic language makes it hard to trace their mutual influences and "genetic" relationships. One can distinguish at least two major strands, which appear to be largely independent, at least in their earlier stages: Chinese alchemy, centered in China and its zone of cultural influence; and Western alchemy, whose center has shifted over the millennia between Egypt, Greece and Rome, t ...

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Alchemy, Alchemy - Overview, Alchemy - Alchemy as a proto-science, Alchemy - The changing goals of alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy and astrology, Alchemy - Alchemy in the age of science, Alchemy - Alchemy as a subject of historical research, Alchemy - Etymology, Alchemy - History, Alchemy - Alchemy in Ancient Egypt, Alchemy - Chinese alchemy, Alchemy - Indian alchemy, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Greek world, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Roman Empire, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Islamic world, Alchemy - Alchemy in Medieval Europe, Alchemy - Alchemy in the Modern Age and Renaissance, Alchemy - The decline of Western alchemy, Alchemy - Modern 'alchemy', Alchemy - Alchemy in art and entertainment, Alchemy - Literature, Alchemy - Music, Alchemy - Other alchemical pages, Alchemy - Related and alternative philosophies, Alchemy - Scientific connections, Alchemy - Substances of the alchemists, Alchemy - Other resources

Read more here: » Alchemy: Encyclopedia II - Alchemy - History

Alchemy is an early protoscientific and philosophical discipline combining the elements of chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, and art. Alchemy has been practiced in ancient Egypt, India, and China, in Classical Greece and Rome, in the Islamic Empire, and then in Europe up to the 19th century — in a complex network of schools and philosophical systems spanning at least 2500 years. The alchemists did not follow what is now known as the scientific method, and much of the "knowledge" they p ...

Including:

• Alchemy - Overview
• Alchemy - Alchemy as a proto-science
• Alchemy - The changing goals of alchemy
• Alchemy - Alchemy and astrology
• Alchemy - Alchemy in the age of science
• Alchemy - Alchemy as a subject of historical research
• Alchemy - Etymology
• Alchemy - History
• Alchemy - Alchemy in Ancient Egypt
• Alchemy - Chinese alchemy
• Alchemy - Indian alchemy
• Alchemy - Alchemy in the Greek world
• Alchemy - Alchemy in the Roman Empire
• Alchemy - Alchemy in the Islamic world
• Alchemy - Alchemy in Medieval Europe
• Alchemy - Alchemy in the Modern Age and Renaissance
• Alchemy - The decline of Western alchemy
• Alchemy - Modern 'alchemy'
• Alchemy - Alchemy in art and entertainment
• Alchemy - Literature
• Alchemy - Music
• Alchemy - Other alchemical pages
• Alchemy - Related and alternative philosophies
• Alchemy - Scientific connections
• Alchemy - Substances of the alchemists
• Alchemy - Other resources

Read more here: » Alchemy: Encyclopedia - Alchemy

Subtle bodies Causal plane: Causal body Mental plane: Mental body Astral plane: body, projection Etheric plane: Etheric body Physical plane: Physical body The 7 Worlds & the 7 Cosmic Planes The Seven-fold constitution of Man The Ten-fold constitution of Man Cosmology Sufi cosmology Tanazzulut Ray of Creation The Laws Three Centres Five Centres Plane (Dungeons & Dragons)   Inner Plane   ...

Including:

• Etheric plane - Etymology
• Etheric plane - Alchemy background
• Etheric plane - Rosicrucian and Esoteric Christianity conceptions
• Etheric plane - New scientific conception of the Aether ether

Read more here: » Etheric plane: Encyclopedia - Etheric plane

A symbol, in its basic sense, is a conventional representation of a concept or quantity; i.e., an idea, object, concept, quality, etc. In more psychological and philosophical terms, all concepts are symbolic in nature, and representations for these concepts are simply token artifacts that are allegorical to (but do not directly codify) a symbolic meaning, or symbolism. Spoken language, for example, consists of distinct auditory tokens for representing symbolic concepts (words), arranged in an order which further suggests ...

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• Symbol - Nature of symbols
• Symbol - Use of symbols
• Symbol - Etymology

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Esotericism refers to knowledge suitable only for the advanced, privileged, or initiated, as opposed to exoteric knowledge, which is public. It is used especially for mystical, occult and spiritual viewpoints. Esotericism - Etymology. Esoteric is an adjective originating in Hellenic Greece under the domain of the Roman Empire; it comes from the Greek esôterikos, from esôtero, the comparative form of esô: "within". Esoteric refers to anything that is inner and occult. It ...

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• Esotericism - Etymology
• Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism
• Esotericism - Nuances
• Esotericism - Scope
• Esotericism - Historical sketch
• Esotericism - Esoteric themes
• Esotericism - Traditions
• Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

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Chemistry (derived from the Arabic word kimia, alchemy, where al is Arabic for the) is the science of matter that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances and with the transformations that they undergo. In the study of matter, chemistry also investigates its interactions with energy and itself (see physics, biology). Because of the diversity of matter, which is mostly composed of different combinations of atoms, chemists often study how atoms of different chemical elements interact to fo ...

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• Chemistry - Introduction
• Chemistry - Chemical phenomena
• Chemistry - Subdisciplines of chemistry
• Chemistry - Fundamental concepts
• Chemistry - Chemical Laws
• Chemistry - History of chemistry
• Chemistry - Etymology

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Hermes Trismegistus (Greek for "Hermes the thrice-greatest", Greek: Ερμης ο Τρισμεγιστος) or Mercurius ter Maximus in Latin, is the syncretism of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian Thoth. In Hellenistic Egypt, the god Hermes was given as epithet the Greek name of Thoth. He has also been identified with Enoch. Other similar syncretized gods include Serapis and Hermanubis. Hermes Trismegistus might also be explained in Euhemerist fashion as a man who was the son of the god, and in the Kabbalisti ...

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• Hermes Trismegistus - Origin
• Hermes Trismegistus - Hermetic revival
• Hermes Trismegistus - New Age revival
• Hermes Trismegistus - Fictional references
• Hermes Trismegistus - Source

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Necromancy (Latin necromantia, Greek νεκρομαντία nekromantía) is the alleged divination by which a person raises the spirits of the dead or, in some cases, merely their corpses. The word derives from the Greek νεκρός nekrós "dead" and μαντεία manteía "divination". It has a subsidiary meaning reflected in an alternative and archaic form of the word, nigromancy, (a folk etymology using Latin niger, "black") in which the magical force of "dark powers" is gained from or by acti ...

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• Necromancy - Necromancy in history
• Necromancy - Spread of necromancy
• Necromancy - Necromancy in fiction
• Necromancy - Necromancy in role-playing games
• Necromancy - Sources

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A woman is an adult female human, as contrasted with a man (an adult male), and a girl, (a female child). The term woman (irregular plural: women) is used to indicate biological sex distinctions, cultural gender role distinctions, or both. Woman - Etymology. The English term "man" (from Proto-Germanic mannaz "man, person") and words derived therefrom can designate any or even all of the human race regardless of their gender or age. This is indeed the oldest usage of "man". In Old Englis ...

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• Woman - Etymology
• Woman - Biology and sex
• Woman - Legal rights of women historically
• Woman - Biblical law
• Woman - Culture and gender roles
• Woman - Terms
• Woman - Slang
• Woman - Vulgar terms

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ˈ Art (or the creative arts) commonly refers to the act and process of making material works (or artworks) which, from concept to creation, hold a fidelity to the creative impulse —ie. 'art' is work distinct from creative work that is driven by necessity (ie. vocation), by biological drive (i.e. procreation), or (in art-purist contexts) by any undisciplined pursuit of recreation. The creative arts essentially denotes a collection of disciplines whose principal purpose (or sole purposeIncluding:

• Art - Etymology
• Art - Art forms
• Art - Defining art
• Art - Characteristics of art
• Art - Skill
• Art - Judgments of value
• Art - Communicating emotion
• Art - Creative impulse
• Art - Differences in defining art
• Art - Plato
• Art - Aristotle
• Art - Institutional definition
• Art - Related issues
• Art - Social criticism
• Art - Utility
• Art - History of art
• Art - Symbols

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Islam History of Islam Oneness of God Profession of Faith Prayer • Fasting Pilgrimage • Charity Muhammad Ali • Abu Bakr Companions of Muhammad Household of Muhammad Prophets of Islam Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia Jurisprudence Biographies of Muhammad Sunni • Shi'a • Sufi Art • Architecture Cities • Calendar Science • Philosophy Religious leaders Women in Islam Politi ...

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• Sufism - Etymology
• Sufism - History of Sufism
• Sufism - Origins
• Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism
• Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism
• Sufism - Propagation of Sufism
• Sufism - Modern Sufism
• Sufism - Influences
• Sufism - Basic beliefs
• Sufism - Sufi Concepts
• Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties
• Sufism - Sufi cosmology
• Sufism - Sufi practices
• Sufism - Muraqaba
• Sufism - Dhikr
• Sufism - Qawwali
• Sufism - Sama
• Sufism - Orders of Sufism
• Sufism - Traditional orders
• Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups
• Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism
• Sufism - Sources

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As discussed in more detail below, the Tarot is usually a deck of 78 cards composed of: the major arcana, consisting of 21 trump cards and the Fool card; the minor arcana consisting of 56 cards: ten cards numbered from Ace to 10 in four different suits; traditionally batons (wands), cups, swords and coins (pentacles) (40 cards in total); and four court cards, page, knight, queen and king in the same four suits (4 per suit, thus ...

Including:

• Tarot - The Tarot Deck
• Tarot - Origin and History
• Tarot - The tarot deck
• Tarot - Use of tarot cards in divination
• Tarot - Differences among decks
• Tarot - Symbolism
• Tarot - Psychology
• Tarot - Storytelling and Art
• Tarot - Divination
• Tarot - Layouts or spreads
• Tarot - Further Information

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Click image for description Venus, the second planet from the Sun, is named after the Roman goddess Venus. A terrestrial planet, it is sometimes called Earth's "sister planet", as the two are very similar in size and bulk composition. Although all planets' orbits are elliptical, Venus's orbit is the closest to circular, with an eccentricity of less than 1%. As Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth, it always appears in roughly the same direction from Earth as the Sun (the greatest e ...

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• Venus - Physical characteristics
• Venus - Atmosphere
• Venus - Surface features
• Venus - Venus' moon
• Venus - Aspects
• Venus - Observations and explorations of Venus
• Venus - Lowest distances to earth
• Venus - Cultural references

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The word magic ultimately derives from Magus (Old Persian maguš), one of the Zoroastrian astrologer priests of the Medes. In the Hellenistic period, Greek μάγος (magos) could be used as an adjective, but an adjective μαγικός (magikos, latin magicus) is also attested from the 1st century (Plutarchus), typically appearing in the feminine, in μαγική τέχνη (magike techne, latin ars magica) "magical art." The word entered the English language in the lat ...

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Magic paranormal, Magic paranormal - Etymology, Magic paranormal - Religion Paganism and alchemy, Magic paranormal - History of Western European magic, Magic paranormal - Magical beliefs in Western Europe, Magic paranormal - In the Middle Ages, Magic paranormal - Magic in the Renaissance, Magic paranormal - Magic and Romanticism, Magic paranormal - Magic in the twentieth century, Magic paranormal - Modern believers in magic, Magic paranormal - Theories of magic, Magic paranormal - Religious ritual and magical thinking, Magic paranormal - Magical practices and spells, Magic paranormal - Varieties of magical practice, Magic paranormal - Magical intentions, Magic paranormal - Magical traditions, Magic paranormal - Magic in fiction, Magic paranormal - Religious attitudes towards magic, Magic paranormal - Indigenous traditions, Magic paranormal - Magic and the Magi, Magic paranormal - In Judaism and Christianity, Magic paranormal - In Islam, Magic paranormal - In Hinduism

Read more here: » Magic paranormal: Encyclopedia II - Magic paranormal - Etymology

According to Max Heindel's Rosicrucian writings [1], there is - in addition to the solids, liquids, and gases which compose the Chemical Region of the Physical World - a finer grade of matter called ether, which permeates the atomic structure of the earth and its atmosphere. The ether, which is disposed in four grades of density, is considered to be physical matter and responsive to the same laws which govern other physical substances upon the ...

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Etheric plane, Etheric plane - Etymology, Etheric plane - Alchemy background, Etheric plane - Rosicrucian and Esoteric Christianity conceptions, Etheric plane - New scientific conception of the Aether ether

Read more here: » Etheric plane: Encyclopedia II - Etheric plane - Rosicrucian and Esoteric Christianity conceptions

See Aether (classical element) The aether (also written as "ether") was widely accepted in ancient Greek philosophy and science. This Greek concept seems to derive directly from the akasha, its Hindu counterpart. In Greek doctrines it seems that the aether was the celestial fire, the pure essence where the gods lived and which they breathed. In this connection, it seems that aether is radiative heat like that of the sun, which is able to propagate in empty space. The Greek word aither derives from an Indo-European root aith- ("burn, shine"). This root figures in the name of Aithiopia (Ethiopia ...

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Etheric plane, Etheric plane - Etymology, Etheric plane - Alchemy background, Etheric plane - Rosicrucian and Esoteric Christianity conceptions, Etheric plane - New scientific conception of the Aether ether

Read more here: » Etheric plane: Encyclopedia II - Etheric plane - Etymology

Paulo Coelho's novel The Alchemist involves a spiritual interpretation of alchemy. Umberto Eco has written fiction with esoteric themes, notably the satirical novel Foucault's Pendulum. The plot of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code involves a centuries-old secret society called the Priory of Sion, charged with preserving certain secrets relating to Jesus Christ and the Merovingian kings. ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

During the 19th century science adopted ideas and developed theories related to the luminiferous aether and performed several experiments in order to discover its nature. One of these experiments was the famous Michelson-Morley experiment (1887), based in earlier theories of the invisible aether (or ether). This experiment disproved the existence of an aether to early physics and after Einstein conceived the theory of relativity (and related 'four-space'), since 1904, this conception of an aether was dismissed. However modern scientific theo ...

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Etheric plane, Etheric plane - Etymology, Etheric plane - Alchemy background, Etheric plane - Rosicrucian and Esoteric Christianity conceptions, Etheric plane - New scientific conception of the Aether ether

Read more here: » Etheric plane: Encyclopedia II - Etheric plane - New scientific conception of the Aether ether