The occult library app is a mobile application that aims to provide users with a vast collection of occult books and resources. The app is designed to be easily accessible and user-friendly, allowing users to explore various topics related to the occult and esoteric traditions. With the occult library app, users can access a wide range of books and texts covering topics such as astrology, tarot, divination, magic, and mythology. The app features a built-in search function that allows users to quickly find specific books or resources based on their interests or inquiries. One of the key features of the occult library app is its digital library, which houses a comprehensive collection of books and texts from various occult authors and traditions. Users can browse through the library and choose from a diverse range of titles to read and explore.
You will find information tailored to a general audience, or people who have little or no knowledge on the subjects contained in this site, marked with an EYE icon.
Although we ve grown accustomed through popular media to thinking of magical books as cookbooks, full of recipes and incantations, the reality is far different. The site is still in beta, so to speak; in their Facebook announcement, the Ritman admits they are still improving the whole presentation, which is a bit clunky at the moment.
Users can browse through the library and choose from a diverse range of titles to read and explore. In addition to the digital library, the app also offers a variety of other features to enhance the user experience. This includes bookmarking and note-taking capabilities, allowing users to save their favorite passages or jot down personal reflections while reading.
1,600 Occult Books Now Digitized & Put Online, Thanks to the Ritman Library and Da Vinci Code Author Dan Brown
Back in December we brought you some exciting news. Thanks to a generous donation from Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, Amsterdam’s Ritman Library—a sizable collection of pre-1900 books on alchemy, astrology, magic, and other occult subjects—has been digitizing thousands of its rare texts under a digital education project cheekily called “Hermetically Open.” We are now pleased to report, less than two months later, that the first 1,617 books from the Ritman project have come available in their online reading room. The site is still in beta, so to speak; in their Facebook announcement, the Ritman admits they are “still improving the whole presentation,” which is a bit clunky at the moment. But for fans and students of this literature, a little inconvenience is a small price to pay for full access to hundreds of rare occult texts.
Visitors should be aware that these books are written in several different European languages. Latin, the scholarly language of Europe throughout the Medieval and Early Modern periods, predominates, and it’s a peculiar Latin at that, laden with jargon and alchemical terminology. Other books appear in German, Dutch, and French. Readers of some or all of these languages will of course have an easier time than monolingual English speakers, but there is still much to offer those visitors as well.
In addition to the pleasure of paging through an old rare book, even virtually, English speakers can quickly find a collection of readable books by clicking on the “Place of Publication” search filter and selecting Cambridge or London, from which come such notable works as The Man-Mouse Takin in a Trap, and tortur’d to death for gnawing the Margins of Eugenius Philalethes, by Thomas Vaughn, published in 1650.
The language is archaic—full of quirky spellings and uses of the “long s”—and the content is bizarre. Those familiar with this type of writing, whether through historical study or the work of more recent interpreters like Aleister Crowley or Madame Blavatsky, will recognize the many formulas: The tracing of magical correspondences between flora, fauna, and astronomical phenomena; the careful parsing of names; astrology and lengthy linguistic etymologies; numerological discourses and philosophical poetry; early psychology and personality typing; cryptic, coded mythology and medical procedures. Although we’ve grown accustomed through popular media to thinking of magical books as cookbooks, full of recipes and incantations, the reality is far different.
Encountering the vast and strange treasures in the online library, one thinks of the type of the magician represented in Goethe’s Faust, holed up in his study,
Where even the welcome daylight strains
But duskily through the painted panes.
Hemmed in by many a toppling heap
Of books worm-eaten, gray with dust,
Which to the vaulted ceiling creep
The library doesn’t only contain occult books. Like the weary scholar Faust, alchemists of old “studied now Philosophy / And Jurisprudence, Medicine,— / And even, alas! Theology.” Click on Cambridge as the place of publication and you’ll find the work above by Henry More, “one of the celebrated ‘Cambridge Platonists,’” the Linda Hall Library notes, “who flourished in mid-17th-century and did their best to reconcile Plato with Christianity and the mechanical philosophy that was beginning to make inroads into British natural philosophy.” Those who study European intellectual history know well that More’s presence in this collection is no anomaly. For a few hundred years, it was difficult, if not impossible, to separate the pursuits of theology, philosophy, medicine, and science (or “natural philosophy”) from those of alchemy and astrology. (Isaac Newton is a famous example of a mathematician/scientist/alchemist/believer in strange apocalyptic predictions.)
Given the Ritman’s alacrity and eagerness to publish this first batch of texts, even as it works to smooth out its interface, we’ll likely see many hundreds more books become available in the next month or so. For updates, follow the Ritman Library and The Embassy of the Free Mind—Dan Brown’s own Dutch library of rare occult books—on Facebook.
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Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
The “occult” is defined by knowledge that is hidden. The tradition fosters learning, both intellectually and spiritually, in ways that are often unconventional. It is best to approach the topic without any preconceived notions or biases (a habit that is best applied to most aspects of life). This way, what may have seemed dark, unapproachable, intimidating, or nonsensical may reveal itself to be of interest in your academic or everyday life.
The app also provides options for customization, allowing users to adjust the font size, color scheme, and layout according to their preferences. Furthermore, the occult library app offers additional resources such as articles, videos, and podcasts to further enrich the user's knowledge and understanding of occult subjects. These resources are curated by experts in the field, ensuring that users have access to accurate and reliable information. Overall, the occult library app serves as a comprehensive and convenient tool for individuals interested in exploring the world of the occult. Whether someone is a beginner or an experienced practitioner, the app provides a wealth of knowledge and resources at their fingertips, making it an invaluable tool for anyone on a journey of occult exploration..
Reviews for "Embrace the Esoteric with the Occult Library App"
1. Jane - 1 star - I was really excited to try the Occult Library app, but I was very disappointed. The user interface is difficult to navigate, and the search function rarely provided me with relevant results. The content itself was also lackluster, with only a limited selection of books and articles available. Overall, I found the app to be a waste of my time and would not recommend it to anyone interested in the occult.
2. Mark - 2 stars - While the Occult Library app has a promising concept, it falls short in execution. The app frequently crashes and freezes, making it frustrating to use. Additionally, I found the selection of books and resources to be quite limited. The app could benefit from a more extensive library and better performance. Until these issues are addressed, I would suggest seeking alternative sources for occult knowledge.
3. Amanda - 2 stars - As an avid reader and practitioner of the occult, I was really hoping for a comprehensive and well-organized app to expand my knowledge. Unfortunately, the Occult Library app did not meet my expectations. The content is poorly curated and lacks depth. The app also lacks features like bookmarking and note-taking, which would have been useful for studying and referencing. Overall, I was disappointed with the app's functionality and content.