• Cover of Occult: Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic & Divination by Peter Forshaw, hardcover
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Occult — Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic & Divination (Hardcover)

Occult — Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic & Divination (Hardcover)

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Occult knowledge has always been a visual language: recorded in esoteric manuscripts, enshrined in illustrated grimoires, inscribed in stelae, hidden inside cryptic paintings and embodied in arcane ritual objects. This book is the key to reading it. Peter Forshaw works from a carefully curated selection of esoteric art and artifacts, identifying five central elements of occultism — alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination — and decrypting the symbolism inside each one.

The book opens by clarifying what we actually mean by occult, then divides into three broad sections of three themed chapters each: the foundations of the occult, the philosophy of occult magic, and the modern occult revival. Readers travel from the early esoteric traditions of ancient Egypt through the nineteenth-century rebirth of spiritualism, theosophy and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and on into anthroposophy, New Age and occulture.

At a Glance

  • Written by Peter Forshaw
  • Five central elements: alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination
  • Three sections of three themed chapters each
  • Double-page presentations of key practices, figures and symbols
  • Artworks and artifacts examined in detail, with hidden symbolism decrypted
  • 256 illustrated pages, hardcover

How to Use It

A reference book earns its place by being opened, not by being finished.

  1. Start with the chapter that answers the question you already have. Reference works reward curiosity over order.
  2. Keep it near your altar, desk or reading chair — somewhere you will actually reach for it.
  3. Mark the pages you return to. The passages you revisit are the ones your practice is built on.
  4. Read one entry before a ritual or a study session to set the frame for what follows.

Book Details

Detail Specification
Format Hardcover
Pages 256
Dimensions 1.16 x 9.6 x 7.01 in
Illustrated Yes
Published September 24, 2024
Author Peter Forshaw

✨ Temple Tip

Keep this one open beside your tarot deck or altar for a week. Once you have read how a symbol was used historically, you will never look at the objects on your own shelf the same way again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the book cover?

Five central elements of occultism — alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination — explored through esoteric manuscripts, ritual objects and symbols from around the world.

How is it structured?

An introduction defining the occult, followed by three broad sections of three themed chapters: the foundations of the occult, the philosophy of occult magic, and the modern occult revival.

Does it cover modern occultism?

Yes. It runs from ancient Egyptian esoteric traditions to nineteenth-century spiritualism, theosophy and the Golden Dawn, then into anthroposophy, New Age and occulture movements.

Who wrote it?

Peter Forshaw is the author of Occult: Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic & Divination.

How quickly does it ship?

Ships within 3 business days, packed to protect the corners and the spine.

Every symbol was a sentence once. This is how you read them again. #TempleOfDesire

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In short

Occult: Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic & Divination is a hardcover book by Peter Forshaw. It works from a curated selection of esoteric art and artifacts, organized around five central elements of occultism — alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination — and explains the symbolism inside each. The text is divided into three sections of three themed chapters, running from ancient Egyptian esoteric traditions through the nineteenth-century revival of spiritualism, theosophy and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and on into anthroposophy, New Age and occulture, with double-page presentations of key practices, figures and symbols. The book is 256 illustrated pages and is priced at $39.99. Its focus is visual and interpretive — it is about reading occult imagery rather than performing occult practice.

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