The Ritman Library

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The Ritman Library www.embassyofthefreemind.com The library was founded in 1957 by Amsterdam businessman Joost R. Ritman.
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The Ritman Library or Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (BPH) is the largest library in the world in the fields of Hermeticism, Alchemy, Mysticism, Rosicrucians, Gnosis & Western Esotericism and Comparative Religion studies. Ritman began collecting rare early books at a young age, after having been presented by his mother with a copy of a 17th-century edition of Aurora, a work by the German mystic Jacob Böhme. Decades of assiduous collecting resulted in an unparalleled collection of 27,000 works in the field of Christian-Hermetic gnosis. In 1984 Ritman decided to turn his private collection into a library that would be ‘hermetically open’ to all. His aim was also to acquaint a wide public, both scholars and non-scholars, with Hermetic, alchemical, mystical and gnostic works. Together, these works represent a challenging component of the European cultural and spiritual heritage. Over the past 25 years, the research carried out by the Ritman Institute has been made available by means of exhibitions, in the library and abroad, and through publications brought out by the library's own publishing house In de Pelikaan. Following its motto ‘Ad Fontes, Ex Fontibus’ - to the sources, from the sources - The Ritman Library envisages to co-create an active offline and online community and offers an open educative platform for lively exchange of knowledge and debate in the fields of its expertise.

Madame Guyon | The Digitized Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica CollectionMadame Guyon (1648–1717) was a French Christia...
14/10/2026

Madame Guyon | The Digitized Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica Collection

Madame Guyon (1648–1717) was a French Christian mystic and spiritual writer, and is one of the most important female figures represented in the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (BPH).

Her writings explored the soul’s intimate union with God, particularly through her mystical interpretation of the Song of Songs, which she understood as an allegory of divine love. As Kyra Ge**er writes in the January 2026 edition of the Codex Hermeticus newsletter, available on our website, Guyon’s claims were extreme for the time, and she prefaced her work with a spiritual ‘trigger warning,’ cautioning that her work “may offend those of a sensitive or weak spiritual constitution.” Her controversial teachings quickly brought her into conflict with the deeply triggered and offended Catholic Church and King Louis XIV, leading to nearly eight years of imprisonment, including several years in the Bastille.

The BPH preserves several of her works, including her 1688 commentary on the Song of Songs. Many more writings can also be explored through the collection on the Source Library.

Image: Madame Jeanne-Marie Guyon, frontispiece of Opuscules spirituels, c. 1704-1711.

Madame Jeanne-Marie Guyon, title page of Le cantique des cantiques de Salomon, 1688.

Engraving of Madame Guyon by Michel Aubert (1700-1757) after a painting by Élisabeth-Sophie Chéron

Codex Hermeticus: October 2026🕯️“Speak of things public to the public, but of things lofty and secret only to the loftie...
14/10/2026

Codex Hermeticus: October 2026🕯️

“Speak of things public to the public, but of things lofty and secret only to the loftiest and most private of your friends. Hay to the ox and sugar to the parrot.” — Attributed to Johanna’s Trimethius (1462-1516), Benedictine abbot, occultist, and founder of modern cryptography.

This month’s library newsletter follows a mysterious theme of enciphering and deciphering! Research intern Kavi Tiwary continues his study of cryptography, ciphers, and secret writing. With special focus on the magus and polymath John Dee (1527-1609), his article examines ‘Esoteric’ versus ‘Exoteric’ cryptography in the Renaissance period.

Corey D. Andrews (Corey Andrews) follows with a contribution on a curious piece of Rosicrucian history, showing us a literally sealed booklet called ‘The Secret Heritage’ from 1935 - the contents of which can only be accessed by ripping open the binding.

The newsletter goes live tomorrow. Sign up via the link in our bio to receive it in your inbox and read the articles on our website.

Cover image: Hermes Trismestigus with a Seven-Branched Candlestick. From Achille Bocchi, Symbolicarum quaestionum, de universo genere, quas serio ludebat, libri quinque (Bologna, 1555), Book III, Symbol LXIII.

Jung’s Library | The Digitized Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica Collection In order to avoid getting lost among the so...
07/10/2026

Jung’s Library | The Digitized Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica Collection

In order to avoid getting lost among the sources, LinraryMovie offers ‘curated pathways’, which guide you down thematic journeys drawn from across the core collections.

One of these pathways highlights Carl Jung’s (1875-1961) personal library, offering a look at the works and thinkers that inspired him. For Jung, the symbolic language of alchemy was an important historical record of the “objective psyche,” providing a map for the process of individuation; in his collection you’ll find names such as George Ripley, Paracelsus, Heinrich Kunrath, and Robert Fludd, among many others.

Swipe to see a glimpse of the collection and visit sourcelibrary.org to diver deeper.

Curious about Jung and want to see some books in person? Visit our exhibition, Carl Jung: From Psyche to Gnosis, on view until December 28th.

Image: The Ripley Scroll, attributed to George Ripley, c. 1450.

Three Faculties & Magical Invention, Alexander von Suchten and Paracelsus, c. 1570.

Corpus Hermeticum and Plotinus’ Enneads, Hermes Trismestigus and Plotinus, c. 1550.

Arcana Arcanissima, Michael Maier, 1614.

The Book of Meteors, Paracelsus, 1566.

The History of Two Worlds, Robert Fludd, 1617.

24/09/2026

BPH Highlight: Musaeum Hermeticum Reformatum et Amplificatum (1749)

Printed in Frankfurt in 1749, this edition of the Musaeum Hermeticum brings together twenty-one of the most influential alchemical treatises of the era into a single, massive volume. It is a cornerstone of the BPH collection, and a reprint of the famous 1677 version, which is also in our collection.

It retains the intricate engravings by Matthäus Merian the Younger (1621-1687) that made the 17th-century editions famous, including the iconic frontispiece.

It also features four fold-out engravings, components of a massive, complex symbolic work titled Janitor Pansophus (The All-Wise Doorkeeper), or the Figura Ænea Quadripartita (The Four-Part Copperplate Figure).

Of these engravings, the first three depict the worlds of ‘intelligences’, ‘archetypes’ and ‘elementals’, and the fourth depicts the alchemical worldview behind the ‘Emerald Tablet’ of Hermes Trismestigus.

Figure 1 shows the archetypal world of intelligences, where the nine orders of angels radiate from the central Tetragrammaton to serve as the divine blueprint and spiritual source for the entire alchemical work. Figure 2, representative of the ‘elemental world’, depicts the starry vault: the zodiac and the planets that receive angelic influence, and the schools of thought that follow - disciplines from alchemy and law to rhetoric and music (12 in total). In figure 3, we see the Cosmogonic process according to the Christian creation story of Genesis, showing how the universe came into existence.

Finally, in figure 4, we reach the human world; the top of the page is devoted to the ‘Above’ (the macrocosm), the bottom half to the microcosm. The symbolic landscape here is structured around the concept of coniunctio, the alchemical marriage of opposites. On the left, the masculine active principle is represented by the Sun, the Lion, and the elements of Fire and Air. On the right, the feminine passive principle is shown by the Moon, the Stag, and Water and Earth. In the center, the alchemist acts as the mediator, combining opposites to arrive at new unities.

BPH Highlight: Rays from the Rose Cross, September 1938 | Virgo - The Virgin ♍️Max Heindel’s (1865–1919) Rosicrucian mag...
18/09/2026

BPH Highlight: Rays from the Rose Cross, September 1938 | Virgo - The Virgin ♍️

Max Heindel’s (1865–1919) Rosicrucian magazine Rays from the Rose Cross ran from 1913 to 2004, with most issues featuring a beautiful header engraving signifying the astrological season of the month. Unlike most of the other issues, this 1938 edition does not include this header, though it does dedicate over four pages to a piece detailing the sign of Virgo, written by one John Gosling. The article is prefaced by an explanation that astrology is “a phase of Mystic Religion, as sublime as the stars with which it deals, and not to be confused with fortunetelling.”

Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac, symbolised by “a maiden chaste and pure, a virgin Soul,” writes Gosling. Those born under this sign have an urgent need for purity in thought and feeling, he continues, signifying “the ultimate perfection of the physical experiences.” Love for detail and serving others are also characteristic of Virgo natives.

As a ‘common’ sign, Virgo is in pursuit of the perfect synthesis between thinking and feeling. As a Mercurial sign, it is constantly busy with the question of “Why?” In this, it resembles Gemini, though Gosling makes a point of noting how Virgo is “analytical, feminine, and negative”, in total contrast to Gemini, which is “synthetical, masculine, and positive”. Both forms of “thought power” are necessary for the sake of the whole.

When thrown out of balance, Virgo’s highly psychic and intellectual nature can create erratic thought and negative feeling within, and their critical nature can become destructive; a fall from angel to vixen, the author suggests. When balanced, however, there is an “inner vibration” which makes for fine artists, especially in music and painting.

Enjoy the last days of Virgo season!

“I, the fiery life of divine essence, am aflame beyond the beauty of the meadows.”— Hildegard von Bingen, Liber Divinoru...
17/09/2026

“I, the fiery life of divine essence, am aflame beyond the beauty of the meadows.”
— Hildegard von Bingen, Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works), c. 1163–1173

Today is the feast day of Saint Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179) 🌀

One of the most famous women of the Middle Ages, Hildegard was a German Benedictine abbess and mystic. Shattering the gender barriers of medieval religious life, she is also known as a writer, composer, poet, herbalist, theologian, and polymath.

Her immense legacy spans numerous fields, with her best-known work being Scivias (composed c. 1142–1151), her first major visionary work. It records and interprets 26 divine visions.

On her feast day, may Hildegard remind you to tend to your inner garden and cultivate what sets you alight: your passions, craft, creativity, and instinct for beauty.

Images in order:

1. The Turning of the Seasons, Liber Divinorum Operum (Book of Divine Works)
2. The Trinity, Scivias, II.2.
3. The Cosmic Egg / The Universe, Scivias, I.3.
4. The Choirs of Angels, Scivias, I.6.
5. The Cosmic Spheres and the Human Being, Liber Divinorum Operum, I.2.

Codex Hermeticus: September 2026 📜This month’s library newsletter follows a thread of intellectual legacy and the inters...
16/09/2026

Codex Hermeticus: September 2026 📜

This month’s library newsletter follows a thread of intellectual legacy and the intersection of science and mysticism.

Research intern Kavi Tiwari excavates our collection to study the origins of cryptography, ciphers, and secret writing, studying the works of Johannes Trimethius and his historical influence on the Elizabethan magus Dr. John Dee. From Leonardo Baldi (Leon Seti), expert on the history of science and specialist of late medieval and early modern conceptions of light, we have a piece on the 9th-century light metaphysics of philosopher al-Kindi.

Maria Marqués (Maria Marqués Boving) has written an essay timed perfectly for Hildegard von Bingen’s feast day tomorrow, discussing the medieval polymath’s conception of beauty. Lastly, Corey Andrews (Corey Andrews) shares a short piece on the personal relationship between Manly P. Hall and our founder Joost Ritman, featuring archival ‘receipts’ brought to light by PRS director Kelly Carmena, commemorating Hall’s death anniversary from just over two weeks ago.

📩 The newsletter goes out tomorrow. Sign up via the link in our bio to receive it.

Cover image: St. Hildegard von Bingen, The Universe (The Cosmic Egg), Scivias, Book I, Vision 3 (Folio 14r).

BPH Highlight: Oration on the Dignity of Man | Complete Works of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1557)In his Oration on t...
10/09/2026

BPH Highlight: Oration on the Dignity of Man | Complete Works of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1557)

In his Oration on the Dignity of Man, understood as 'the manifesto of the renaissance', Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) presented a radical and controversial vision of humanity. Challenging the medieval conception of a fixed cosmic hierarchy, he argued that human beings were uniquely free to shape their own nature and determine what they might become; an idea that would become one of the defining expressions of Renaissance humanism.

This 1557 Basel edition of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Opera Omnia (Complete Works), published by Henricus Petri, is a cornerstone of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica (BPH) collection. The folio volume was edited by Pico’s nephew Gianfrancesco Pico della Mirandola, and binds together the Oration on the Dignity of Man with his controversial 900 Theses and his kabbalistic and metaphysical treatises.

A notable passage from this specific edition reflects Pico's awareness of the controversy his work ignited:

"I wanted to say this so that it might be understood how great a labor was mine, and what difficulty I faced, to extract the hidden secrets of philosophy from the affected knots of enigmas and the hiding places of fables... And yet my 'dogs' [critics] have not ceased to bark." (translated by )

The 1557 Basel edition is distinguished by its elegant typography and ornate historiated initials. Among them is the woodcut initial ‘L’, introducing the opening word Legi (“I have read”). This sets the tone for Pico’s manifesto, the idea that human dignity emerges from the active pursuit and synthesis of wisdom across diverse intellectual traditions.

The manuscript is on view now in our Grand Exhibition, The House with the Heads: A Monument to Free Thinking, extended until December 28th, 2026. Come and see for yourself!

“Dreamwork frees our consciousness from the rigidity of any imposed pattern, and can awaken us to the laughter and freed...
08/09/2026

“Dreamwork frees our consciousness from the rigidity of any imposed pattern, and can awaken us to the laughter and freedom of our true self.” — Sufi teacher and author Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

Join our course Dreamwork Across Cultures and explore everything from Greek incubation to Jungian, Sufi, and indigenous dreamwork, with Farânak Mirjalili.🌙

We start September 20th - sign up via the link in our bio.

BPH Highlight: The Modern Mystic and Monthly Science Review (1937-40).The Modern Mystic and Monthly Science Review was a...
03/09/2026

BPH Highlight: The Modern Mystic and Monthly Science Review (1937-40).

The Modern Mystic and Monthly Science Review was a London-published journal dedicated to mysticism, the occult sciences, and esoteric philosophies. Founded by Norman Vincent Dagg (1897-1962), the first issue was published in January 1937, and the journal ran consistently for three volumes, when severe paper shortages and economic pressures of World War II forced it to cease publication in 1940.

Dagg was a controversial figure, founding the magazine out of frustration with the British mainstream occult scene of the 1930s with mixed reviews. In the introduction of the very first issue, he writes that the fallout of World War I sent people into the "arms of waiting mediums”, criticizing the rush toward the "Astrological columns of the daily Press.”

He also distanced himself firmly from belonging to any specific spiritual organization, stating: “The Modern Mystic owes allegiance to no sect, society, 'ism' or 'osophy' of any kind. But it does owe allegiance to the truth wherever it finds it." Still, it can be noted that many contributors to the magazine leaned toward anthroposophic beliefs.

Despite a certain abrasiveness in his editorial approach from the get-go, Dagg brought in contributions from an impressive line of respected authors, thinkers, and artists of the time, figures such as Henry Miller, Paul Brunton, and a young Alan Watts.

This issue from September 1938 had a musical theme. It features Austrian physician Eugen Kolisko, remembered as a pioneer in Anthroposophy with an article on Beethoven- , and Bernard Bromage, a prominent English lecturer on mysticism and a member of the Fraternity of the Inner Light (a breakaway group from the famous Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn), exploring musical mysticism of composer Ferruccio Busoni.

During the war years, Dagg alienated himself from this community completely. He abandoned esoteric philosophy to run the periodical Tomorrow (1939–1952), a journal of extreme right-wing politics, severing ties with many of his former contributors. The Modern Mystic remains a remarkable window into the diverse streams of interwar esoteric thought.

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