Author Topic: Hermetic/Magical Symbols (Read 4344 times)

Ai · « **on:** July 10, 2014, 03:52:05 pm »

Does anyone know of any online databases or apps that have a list of hermetic, alchemy, and/or otherwise magical symbols with their meaning/use? The more comprehensive, the better.

[Sorry if this was discussed before...I'm using Tapatalk atm and it's search function doesn't seem to work properly.]

Thanks!

Altair · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2014, 04:51:29 pm »

Quote from: Airelinn;152692

Does anyone know of any online databases or apps that have a list of hermetic, alchemy, and/or otherwise magical symbols with their meaning/use? The more comprehensive, the better.

[Sorry if this was discussed before...I'm using Tapatalk atm and it's search function doesn't seem to work properly.]

Thanks!

Online? Not that I'm aware of.

I think the problem may be that your search is so broad (esp. once you include "magical" as one of the terms). There have been so many systems over the centuries, with different symbols, that it's tough to think of somethng comprehensive that compiles them all. (Are you including runes? Ogham? Astrological symbols?...)

I have a book (as in hardcopy, paper) at home that purports to survey magical systems and their symbols comprehensively. When I get a chance I'll post the title and author--but if you're focused on online material, it might not help.

Jenett · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2014, 05:31:51 pm »

Quote from: Airelinn;152692

Does anyone know of any online databases or apps that have a list of hermetic, alchemy, and/or otherwise magical symbols with their meaning/use? The more comprehensive, the better.

http://symbols.com has alchemical ones, though no tidy grouping of magical ones. That said, they're pretty good about cross-linking to other related topics, and browsing can get you a long way. Their sourcing is not always fabulous, but there's usually enough there that you can then go do more specific searches for additional information elsewhere (because you'll have the variant names for the symbol, etc.)

Ai · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2014, 10:19:22 pm »

Quote from: Altair;152696

Online? Not that I'm aware of.

I think the problem may be that your search is so broad (esp. once you include "magical" as one of the terms).

Yeah, sorry for being so broad with the term. Atm, I'm most interested in hermetic symbolism, but eventually I'd like to learn as much as possible (Freudian and Jungian included).

I do plan on buying books but for now I was hoping to find a free route. I'm a cheapskate, I know. ;p

Quote from: Jenett;152700

http://symbols.com has alchemical ones, though no tidy grouping of magical ones. That said, they're pretty good about cross-linking to other related topics, and browsing can get you a long way. Their sourcing is not always fabulous, but there's usually enough there that you can then go do more specific searches for additional information elsewhere (because you'll have the variant names for the symbol, etc.)

Wow, that's an awesome site! I wonder how I missed it in my googling lol. Ah, metadata. Thanks for mentioning it; it seems like a great place to start.

Altair · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2014, 10:10:35 am »

Quote from: Airelinn;152710

I do plan on buying books but for now I was hoping to find a free route. I'm a cheapskate, I know. ;p

And I got home so late last night, I forgot to grab the book off the shelf and jot down its info to share. I'm away for the weekend, so it will have to wait until next week.

Quote

Wow, that's an awesome site!

It sure is; thank, Jenett, for the useful resource!

Altair · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:43:52 pm »

Quote from: Altair;152756

And I got home so late last night, I forgot to grab the book off the shelf and jot down its info to share. I'm away for the weekend, so it will have to wait until next week.

The Magician's Companion: A Practical and Encyclopedic Guide to Magical and Religious Symbolism by Bill Whitcomb, published by Llewellyn

available on Amazon and, it seems, available for download (free? legally?) online

http://www.amazon.com/The-Magicians-Companion-Encyclopedic-Llewellyns/dp/0875428681

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76402283/The-Magician-s-Companion-Bill-Whitcomb-1993

http://bookalist.net/?p=758567

http://ebook.stepor.com/book/the-magician-s-companion-a-practical-and-encyclopedic-guide-to-magical-and-religious-symbolism-llewellyn-s-high-magick-16664-pdf.html

Ai · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:05:36 pm »

Quote from: Altair;152935

The Magician's Companion: A Practical and Encyclopedic Guide to Magical and Religious Symbolism by Bill Whitcomb, published by Llewellyn

available on Amazon and, it seems, available for download (free? legally?) online

http://www.amazon.com/The-Magicians-Companion-Encyclopedic-Llewellyns/dp/0875428681

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76402283/The-Magician-s-Companion-Bill-Whitcomb-1993

http://bookalist.net/?p=758567

http://ebook.stepor.com/book/the-magician-s-companion-a-practical-and-encyclopedic-guide-to-magical-and-religious-symbolism-llewellyn-s-high-magick-16664-pdf.html

Awesome-sauce. Thanks so much!

Jack · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2014, 03:51:18 am »

Quote from: Altair;152935

available on Amazon and, it seems, available for download (free? legally?) online

I am pretty sure the legal one is not free and the free ones are not legal - none of those look like legitimate copies to me, anyway.

Unless you know something I don't about the sites in question?

I know the Scribd one is not from the publisher because 'official' Scribd books don't have a download option.

Altair · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2014, 03:02:58 pm »

Quote from: Jack;152950

I am pretty sure the legal one is not free and the free ones are not legal - none of those look like legitimate copies to me, anyway. Unless you know something I don't about the sites in question?

I know the Scribd one is not from the publisher because 'official' Scribd books don't have a download option.

Thanks, Jack. I wanted to provide links, but it wasn't immediately apparent to me in every case what their legal/cost status was.

Ai · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2014, 04:30:52 pm »

Quote from: Altair;152995

Thanks, Jack. I wanted to provide links, but it wasn't immediately apparent to me in every case what their legal/cost status was.

I'll probably end up buying a copy eventually anyway just to have it in physical form to look at since it's basically picture reliant. I thought about buying the Kindle version but I don't think they have it...

Flame · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2014, 02:38:21 pm »

Quote from: Airelinn;152692

Does anyone know of any online databases or apps that have a list of hermetic, alchemy, and/or otherwise magical symbols with their meaning/use? The more comprehensive, the better.

[Sorry if this was discussed before...I'm using Tapatalk atm and it's search function doesn't seem to work properly.]

Thanks!

Ooh, I want this too. I keep seeing this weird symbol everywhere. I'm not sure if its just this random thing, or a magical symbol. too bad I can't just scan something into the computer!