The hermetic-esoteric tradition in the West. Esoteric Mysteries are secret practices, called initiatory, which allow to reveal hidden truths to new adepts, introducing them into a “higher” world, in a psychic and spiritual state above the normal one. Through the Mysteries, the passage of the individual takes place from the lower to the higher state, that is, from profane to initiated. This initiation does not in itself constitute knowledge, but a simple “potential”, which can be achieved with the active and conscious cooperation of the individual, often through passing specific “tests”. Initiations and secret sects date back to the most remote antiquity, and the author, a careful scholar of the subject, collects them all and comments on them in this truly illuminating work. After dealing with the esoteric mysteries in ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and ancient Rome (the Orphic and Dionysian mysteries of Delphus and Eleusis) as well as the great masters of antiquity, the book addresses the esoteric mysteries of the era Christian and finally deals with contemporary esotericism, giving a broad and complete panorama of the matter. In particular, the Cathars, the Cavalry, the Templars, the Alchemists, the Cabalists, Dante, the Rosicrucians, Freemasonry are examined. Initiation rites and secrets never revealed to the general public so far are also presented.