Hermes is the Greek god of the Word, of thought and magic, the
swift-moving messenger of the Divine and guardian of souls in the
Afterlife. In Ancient Egypt he was the majestic god Thoth, the Recorder,
the lord of measurement and science, the brother/husband of Isis. In
Rome, he was of course Mercury, flying through the Empyrean at the speed
of idea by the aid of his winged helmet and boots.
In this broad survey of the Hermetic arts, author Jacob Slavenburg
brings an unparalleled depth of insight to the subject. He examines the
historical Hermetic literature and details its relevance to modern
occultism, from the symbolism of architecture and art to the mysteries
of Freemasonry. The heavenly mysteries of astrology are explored as are
the healing arts which derive from the spirit of scientific inquiry
embodied by Thoth/Hermes. Slavenburg examines the magical writings of
the Greek papyri and their development into the contemporary magical
practices of modern adepts.
He sheds light on the workings of alchemy and the esoteric philosophy to
the world of modern chemistry and physics. He explores the origin of
evil and the realm of the afterlife, and the Hermetic doctrines of
reincarnation and karma. In addition, the author provides a wealth of
biographical data on the magi of Hermeticsm, from Ficino to Agrippa,
John Dee to Giordano Bruno.
