The mystic is a seeker of universal knowledge through direct revelatory experience, but also one who recognizes the deep inter-connectedness of all things. The knowledge quest involves the mind and its powers, correspondences between worlds, underlying movements and energy, the wisdom from the collective unconscious, and the seeking of solace in the unseen world.
Mystics adopt many methods and materials for achieving their ends, including special chambers, rooms, and buildings designed for deep contemplation; special devices for concentrated meditation, such as bespoke sigils drawn on velum, magic squares cut from wood, and tracing boards replete with symbols for self-actualization and individuation. The combinations of rituals, reflection, and relaxation can bring solace, wisdom, and deep gnosis.
Arcana Hermeticus fits squarely in this tradition and offers a most unholy combination of real symbols and ideas from the Hermetic tradition and small deceptive elements of trickery drawn from conjuring, mentalism and bizarre magick. The hinged board comprises four distinct sides, each of which contains a carefully constructed image that allows you to perform mind reading, prediction, prognostication, and personal readings.
The Arcana Hermeticus board is inspired by our earlier work on Macrocosm (a complex single-card image for personal readings) and The Moon Board (a multiple-use reading board). It is also inspired by our childhood love and fascination for Dungeons and Dragons, where we would use a Dungeon Master’s screen that had rules of combat on it, but that also hid our maps and calculations as an exploring party made its way through unknown caverns and passageways.
The Arcana board can sit up in an open position and be used for one of the mind reading effects based on John Dee’s Five Books of Mystery and his much-celebrated Sigil of Ameth. It can be used as a pendulum board for a series of easy readings. It can fold open to be used for an in-depth Kabbalistic name number reading devised by the late and much missed Roni Shachnaey. And finally, the cover and inside image along with wooden markers can be used to generate a universal prediction with deep mystical resonance.
Included in the kit are:
- The 9 x 12 Arcana Hermeticus aged hinged board with four Hermetic images, featuring routines for personal readings, predictions, pendulum work, and mind reading. The board opens to 18 x 12 and can lay flat or stand up on its own depending on which routine is being performed.
- Seven John Dee “Ensign” cards mounted on heavy mat board and aged. The cards are subtly marked for use in one of the routines, and come wrapped in an aged parchment.
- A small drawstring suede bag which contains painted wooden markers and an aged chamber pendulum in its own muslin wrap.
- Two aged crib sheet cards for the Kabbalah reading.
- A printed and numbered instruction manual.
- A lined felt slipcase which protects the board and has pockets for all of the items needed for performance. It is tied with a leather strap (included).