Searching for the philosophers' stone in the pursuit of transmutation and immortality
harnessing the properties of the natural world to cast magic spells seeking visionary
experiences to connect with the spiritual world conjuring demons to enact our desires using
the tarot and astrology to divine the future--the quest to understand the mysteries of the
universe and to tap into its powers has fueled manifold occult philosophies from the early
esoteric traditions of the ancient Egyptians to the practices of modern occultists. For
hundreds of years occult--or hidden--knowledge has been recorded in esoteric manuscripts
enshrined in illustrated grimoires inscribed in stelae incorporated in cryptic paintings and
embodied in arcane ritual objects. Delve within these pages and pore over myriad intricate
images ornate manuscripts and intriguing ritual objects and discover the meaning concealed
within the secret ciphers mysterious symbols and covert rituals of the occult.