A Manual of Occultism

A Manual of Occultism, by English astrologer and theosophist Sepharial (born Walter Gorn Old) was originally published in 1914. Sepharial set out with this treatise to inform the lay reader of various methods by which they can explore and understand the deep substratum of truth of the Occult Arts. He saw this like the ancient Hermetic philosophers, where subtle correspondences between the noumenal and the phenomenal, and 'superior' and 'inferior' worlds, are relations of cause and effect. Summed up in the timeless ancient motto "as above, so below", these relations allow us to understand the concrete world in terms of corresponding symbolic and magical interpretation. Sepharial, like the ancients, saw the Occult Arts as a universal law that binds the Microcosm to the Macrocosm, where the mystic, poet, and creative artist are all unconscious interpreters of this law. However, the occultist particularly is one who applies himself to understanding this universal law and the hidden forces in nature. This work sets about teaching the principal methods of occultists and mediums everywhere. Principally Sepharial teaches astrology, how to understand its language, but most importantly, how to interpret and construct horoscopes. It teaches palmistry or the chiromantic arts, and its interpretation. Thaumaturgy is also included, which is the capability of the occultist to work magic, summon spirits, or other cause paranormal events. He also includes a lengthy section on numerous other arts, such as geomancy, talismans, the tarot, cartomancy, crystal scrying, divination, psychometry, amongst other topics.