Now available in one volume, this is the first comprehensive reference work to cover the entire domain of Gnosis and Western Esotericism from the period of Late Antiquity to the present. Containing around 400 articles by over 180 international specialists, it provides critical overviews discussing the nature and historical development of all its important currents and manifestations, from Gnosticism and Hermetism to Astrology, Alchemy and Magic, from the Hermetic Tradition of the Renaissance to Rosicrucianism and Christian Theosophy, and from Freemasonry and Illuminism to 19th-century Occultism and the contemporary New Age movement. Furthermore it contains articles about the life and work of all the major personalities in the history of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, discussing their ideas, significance, and historical influence. This one volume edition is an unabridged version of the two volume edition, published in 2005.

This is the first comprehensive reference work to cover the entire domain of “Gnosis and Western Esotericism” from Late Antiquity to the present. It contains critical discussions of all its major authors, currents and manifestations, from Gnosticism to the New Age.This one volume edition is an unabridged version of the two volume edition published in 2005.

Covers every aspect of pagan, Jewish, and Christian religious discourses and phenomena traditionally labeled gnosticism, hermeticism, astrology, magic, the "occult sciences," esoteric religion, and more. Contains articles about the life and work of all the major personalities in the history of Gnosis and Western Esotericism, discussing their ideas, significance, and historical influence.

Esotericism is the search for an absolute but hidden knowledge accessed through mystical vision, the mediation of higher beings, or personal experience. In Western cultural history esoteric approaches to religion have often been in conflict with - and suffered at the hands of - more established forms of religious belief and practice. 'Western Esotericism' presents a very broad and engaging history of the people and ideas which have shaped occult history from antiquity to today. Throughout the history of esotericism the dynamic of concealment and revelation has characterized the search for secret knowledge. Pursued both publically and privately, esotericism has come to influence more mainstream religious practice and culture and has significantly shaped our understanding of modernity. Today, esotericism continues to be practised by a range of both established and new religious movements. 'Western Esotericism' presents the essential guide to one of the most fascinating, provocative, and sustained of religious traditions.

Esotericism is the search for an absolute but hidden knowledge accessed through mystical vision, the mediation of higher beings, or personal experience. In Western cultural history esoteric approaches to religion have often been in conflict with - and suffered at the hands of - more established forms of religious belief and practice. 'Western Esotericism' presents a very broad and engaging history of the people and ideas which have shaped occult history from antiquity to today. Throughout the history of esotericism the dynamic of concealment and revelation has characterized the search for secret knowledge. Pursued both publically and privately, esotericism has come to influence more mainstream religious practice and culture and has significantly shaped our understanding of modernity. Today, esotericism continues to be practised by a range of both established and new religious movements. 'Western Esotericism' presents the essential guide to one of the most fascinating, provocative, and sustained of religious traditions.

An overview of Western esoteric currents since late antiquity, with an emphasis on the last six centuries. Widely received in France, this brief, comprehensive introduction to Western esotericism by the founder of the field is at last available in English. A historical and pedagogical guide, the book is written primarily for students and novices. In clear, precise language, author Antoine Faivre provides an overview of Western esoteric currents since late antiquity. The bulk of the book is laid out chronologically, from ancient and medieval sources (Alexandrian Hermetism, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism), through the Renaissance up to the present time. Its coverage includes spiritual alchemy, Jewish and Christian Kabbalah, Christian theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Illuminism, “mystical” Freemasonry, the “occultist” current, Theosophical and Anthroposophical Societies, the Traditionalist School, and “esotericism” in contemporary initiatic societies and in New Religious Movements. Faivre explores how these currents are connected, and refers to where they appear in art and literature. The book concludes with an annotated bibliography, which makes it an essential resource for beginners and scholars alike. “A characteristically erudite, sweeping brief survey of the field of Western esotericism, at once accessible and bristling with details. This is a valuable overview, from the inimitable perspective of the field’s founder, for those who wish to delve into this fascinating and thriving area of contemporary scholarship.” — Arthur Versluis, author of Restoring Paradise, Wisdom’s Children, and Magic and Mysticism “The classic survey of Western esotericism by the most knowledgeable and influential scholar of his generation is now finally accessible to English readers, in an updated edition that takes account of current developments. This small but precious volume will be indispensable for anybody who wishes to be well informed about the historical backgrounds and development of esoteric currents from antiquity to the present.” — Wouter J. Hanegraaff, University of Amsterdam

Western esotericism has now emerged as an academic study in its own right, combining spirituality with an empirical observation of the natural world while also relating the humanity to the universe through a harmonious celestial order. This introduction to the Western esoteric traditions offers a concise overview of their historical development. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke explores these traditions, from their roots in Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, and Gnosticism in the early Christian era up to their reverberations in today's scientific paradigms. While the study of Western esotericism is usually confined to the history of ideas, Goodrick-Clarke examines the phenomenon much more broadly. He demonstrates that, far from being a strictly intellectual movement, the spread of esotericism owes a great deal to geopolitics and globalization. In Hellenistic culture, for example, the empire of Alexander the Great, which stretched across Egypt and Western Asia to provinces in India, facilitated a mixing of Eastern and Western cultures. As the Greeks absorbed ideas from Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, and Persia, they gave rise to the first esoteric movements. From the late sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, post-Reformation spirituality found expression in theosophy, Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry. Similarly, in the modern era, dissatisfaction with the hegemony of science in Western culture and a lack of faith in traditional Christianity led thinkers like Madame Blavatsky to look East for spiritual inspiration. Goodrick-Clarke further examines Modern esoteric thought in the light of new scientific and medical paradigms along with the analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung. This book traces the complete history of these movements and is the definitive account of Western esotericism.

Western esotericism has been a pervasive presence in Western culture from late antiquity to the present day, but until recently it was largely ignored by scholars and surrounded by misconceptions and prejudice. This accessible guide provides readers with the basic knowledge and tools that will allow them to find their way in this bewildering but fascinating field. What is it that unites phenomena as diverse as ancient gnosticism and hermetism, the "occult sciences" of astrology, alchemy, and magic, rosicrucianism, as well as Christian theosophy, occultism, spiritualism, and the contemporary New Age spiritualities? What can the study of them teach us about our common cultural and intellectual heritage, and what is it that makes them relevant to contemporary concerns? How do we distinguish reliable historical knowledge from legends and fictions about esoteric traditions? These and many other questions are answered clearly and succinctly, so that the reader can find his way into the labyrinth of Western esotericism and out of it again.

• Examines the survival and revival of the old pre-Christian gods, investigates prehistoric sacred sites, and reveals ancient shamanic traditions • Looks at Rosicrucianism and the distinctive Germanic forms of astrology, alchemy, and the Kabbalah • Discusses German poets, philosophers, and mystics, such as Dr. Johann Faust, Wolfram von Eschenbach, Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen, and Jakob Boehme No country is richer in occult and esoteric traditions than Germany. In this magical journey through the inner history of Deutschland, Christopher McIntosh explores many of these traditions from prehistory to the 21st century. Recounting the longstanding magical tradition of Germany, McIntosh investigates the numerous prehistoric sacred sites that point to a nearly-forgotten ancient shamanic civilization. He examines the survival and revival of the old pre-Christian gods in folklore, customs, and practices as well as witchcraft. He looks at Germany’s rich and many-faceted spiritual heritage and explores Christian mysticism and theosophy as exemplified by Meister Eckhart, Hildegard of Bingen, and Jakob Boehme. Examining Rosicrucianism, which originated in Germany, the author also looks at other secret societies that flourished in Germany such as speculative Freemasonry, the Fraternitas Saturni, and the Golden and Rosy Cross. He explores how the Church sought to stamp out the old gods and pagan beliefs, as well as how periods of the Church’s heaviest oppression produced immortal poets, philosophers, theologians, artists, and mystics. He examines the distinctive forms adopted by astrology, alchemy, and the Kabbalah in Germany as well as the esoteric influences on Romanticism. Exploring more recent centuries, the author looks at the Nordic revival in the 19th century and the influence of Theosophy and the movements that grew out of it, such as Steiner’s Anthroposophy. Examining the esoteric traditions of the 20th century, he looks at the work of neo-Nordic occultists and esoteric writers like Meyrink and Hesse. He explores certain occult aspects of the Third Reich, which resulted in a backlash against the occult. He also looks at modern occult practices and the rise of neopaganism. Revealing both the enlightened and the dark sides of occult Germany, the author shows how this country has long been a cauldron in which esoteric ideas have flourished, spread, been condemned, and lauded, leaving an enduring mark.

From rumours about gnostic orgies in antiquity to the explicit erotic symbolism of alchemical texts, from the subtly coded eroticism of medieval kabbalah to the sexual magic practiced by contemporary occultists and countercultural translations of Asian Tantra, the history of Western esotericism is rich in references to the domains of eros and sexuality. This volume, which brings together an impressive array of top-level specialists, is the first to analyze the eroticism of the esoteric without sensationalism or cheap generalizations, but on the basis of expert scholarship and attention to textual and historical detail. While there are few other domains where the imagination may so easily run wild, the various contributions seek to distinguish fact from fiction--only to find that historical realities are sometimes even stranger than the fantasies. In doing so, they reveal the outlines of a largely unknown history spanning more than twenty centuries.