ARCANUM

1. A deep secret; a mystery.

2. often arcana Specialized knowledge or detail that is mysterious to the average person

3. (sometimes plural) a profound secret or mystery known only to initiates

4. (Alchemy) a secret of nature soug

ht by alchemists

5. a secret or mystery; carefully hidden knowledge

6. the secret of life; a great elixir or remedy sought by the alchemists

7. information known only to a special group

8. secrets known only to an initiated minority

ar•ca•num (är-k n m)

n. pl. ar•ca•na (-n ) or ar•ca•nums

[Latin arc num, from neuter of arc nus, secret; see arcane.]

"When you make the two one and make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside and the above like the below, and that you might make the male and the female be one and the same, so that the male might not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye and a hand in place of a hand and a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image - then you will enter [the Kingdom]”

~ Jesus (Gospel of Thomas, Nag Hammadi)