{"product_id":"occult-decoding-the-visual-culture-of-mysticism-magic-divination-hardcover","title":"Occult — Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic \u0026 Divination (Hardcover)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"tod-product\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccult 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color:#2c3a37;\"\u003eAt a Glance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWritten by Peter Forshaw\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFive central elements: alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree sections of three themed chapters each\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDouble-page presentations of key practices, figures and symbols\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArtworks and artifacts examined in detail, with hidden symbolism decrypted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e256 illustrated pages, hardcover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color:#2c3a37;\"\u003eHow to Use It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA reference book earns its place by being opened, not by being finished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStart with the chapter that answers the question you already have. Reference works reward curiosity over order.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeep it near your altar, desk or reading chair — somewhere you will actually reach for it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMark the pages you return to. The passages you revisit are the ones your practice is built on.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRead one entry before a ritual or a study session to set the frame for what follows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color:#2c3a37;\"\u003eBook Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width:100%; border-collapse:collapse;\"\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left; padding:8px; border-bottom:2px solid #2c3a37;\"\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"text-align:left; padding:8px; border-bottom:2px solid #2c3a37;\"\u003eSpecification\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eHardcover\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003ePages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003e256\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eDimensions\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003e1.16 x 9.6 x 7.01 in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eIllustrated\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003ePublished\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eSeptember 24, 2024\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding:8px; border-bottom:1px solid #d8d2c6;\"\u003ePeter Forshaw\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000D0B,#40514E); color:#f4f1ea; padding:24px; border-radius:12px; margin:28px 0;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"color:#c9a96e; margin-top:0;\"\u003e✨ Temple Tip\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"color:#f4f1ea; margin-bottom:0;\"\u003eKeep 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"color:#2c3a37;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does the book cover?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eFive central elements of occultism — alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination — explored through esoteric manuscripts, ritual objects and symbols from around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is it structured?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it cover modern occultism?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes. It runs from ancient Egyptian esoteric traditions to nineteenth-century spiritualism, theosophy and the Golden Dawn, then into anthroposophy, New Age and occulture movements.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho wrote it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeter Forshaw is the author of Occult: Decoding the Visual Culture of Mysticism, Magic \u0026amp; Divination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow quickly does it ship?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eShips within 3 business days, packed to protect the corners and the spine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvery symbol was a sentence once. This is how you read them again.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e#TempleOfDesire\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What does the book cover?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Five central elements of occultism \u0026mdash; alchemy, astrology, magic, mysticism and divination \u0026mdash; explored through esoteric manuscripts, ritual objects and symbols from around the world.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How is it structured?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"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.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does it cover modern occultism?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. 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