A site that asks to be taken seriously on a subject like this one owes its readers an account of how it works. These are the standards the editors hold themselves to. Where a page falls short of them, the fault is ours and we would wish to mend it.
Sources
We work from primary texts wherever they exist, and we name the text we are relying on. When we give the wording of an ancient or medieval source, the English is our own rendering unless stated otherwise, and we try to say when a passage is paraphrased and not translated.
We do not cite secret documents, private revelations or oral lineages as evidence for statements of fact. If something cannot be checked by a reader with access to a good library, we either leave it out or present it clearly as a tradition.
History, tradition and opinion
Much confusion in this field comes from running three kinds of statement together. We try to keep them apart.
- History
- What can be established from documents and other evidence: when a text was written, what it says, who read it. We state these things plainly and give dates. Where scholars disagree or the evidence is thin, we say so.
- Tradition
- What practitioners have taught and believed: that the Emerald Tablet was found in the tomb of Hermes, that a certain metal belongs to a certain planet. We report traditions as traditions, using phrases such as is said to and is traditionally held.
- Opinion
- What the editors think. On reference pages we keep this to a minimum and mark it. Essays in the journal are opinion throughout and are signed.
Claims about results
We do not promise outcomes. We do not say that any practice will produce wealth, love, healing, protection or supernatural powers. We describe what the tradition claims and what practitioners commonly report, and we encourage readers to keep records and judge for themselves.
We make no medical or psychological claims. Where a practice has a bearing on health or state of mind, we say that it is not a treatment and point to the need for qualified help.
The choice of practices
A practice appears on this site only if it meets four conditions. It has a clear basis in the tradition. It can be done safely by an adult working alone. It can be described completely in plain words. And at least one editor has performed it regularly over a long period.
We do not publish instructions for cursing, for influencing the will of other people, for the evocation of spirits, or for any working that involves blood, dangerous substances, fasting, sleep deprivation or risk to health. Rituals composed by the editors are identified as original compositions and are not presented as ancient.
Safety
Pages that describe practices carry cautions where they are needed, and link to our guidance on ethics and safety. We would prefer to warn too often than too seldom. We name specific physical hazards, such as fire and toxic materials, and we give plain advice on when to stop a practice and seek help.
Language
We write in plain modern English and define technical terms on first use or in the glossary. We avoid the archaic and inflated style common in occult writing, because it obscures more than it conveys.
Words from Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Arabic are given in simple transliterations without special characters, and we note that other spellings exist. Where the tradition's older vocabulary speaks of masculine and feminine principles, we explain what is meant and do not apply the terms to persons.
We try to write respectfully of living religious traditions from which the Western esoteric tradition has borrowed, to acknowledge the borrowing, and to avoid presenting an adaptation as if it were the original.
Independence
The editors decide what is published. We do not accept payment, gifts or favors in return for coverage, and we do not recommend commercial products, paid courses, individual teachers or organizations. The reading list consists of historical texts that are available in many editions, and we do not endorse a particular edition or seller.
Review and dates
Every reference page is read by all four editors before publication and shows the date on which it was last reviewed. Pages are reread at least once a year. Essays show their date of first publication and are not revised afterwards except to correct errors of fact, in which case a dated note is added.
Corrections
We make mistakes. When we find one, we correct the page and bring its review date up to the day of the change. A correction that alters the sense of a passage is recorded in a short note at the foot of the page, so that a returning reader can see what was changed and when. We do not quietly rewrite.
The limits of what we offer
Everything on this site is general information for study and reflection. It is not advice about any person's particular situation, and it cannot take the place of a doctor, a therapist, a lawyer or any other qualified professional. Readers are responsible for their own decisions and their own practice. The terms of use state this formally.