Esoteric Scotland is founded by University of Glasgow, PhD Candidate Kirsty Pattison. Her research is funded by the Hooper Holt Scholarship and explores Esoteric themes in late Medieval and Early Modern Scotland such as necromancy, ritual magic, Neoplatonism, Hermeticism and Christian Cabala. Pattison has presented her research as several academic conferences and was invited to discuss Medieval Hermeticism in Scotland by the Boleskine House Foundation Academic Talks series in 2024. 

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Having completed a MTh research degree at the University of Glasgow focusing on the connection between ideas of spiritual ascent and theurgy in the works of Marsilio Ficino and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Pattison endeavoured to find evidence of these continental ideas in Scotland. Her research interests include the history of magic and esotericism and has lectured on the intersection between esoteric practices and mysticism at the University of Glasgow exploring topics such as Hermeticism, Renaissance Magic, Christian Cabala, Rosicrucianism, The Theosophical Society, Thelema, Wicca, and Chaos Magick

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While Pattison's PhD focuses on the Medieval and Early Modern Periods, this site is dedicated to all things esoteric in Scotland or by Scots in any era. It is the hope that this site will engage with those interested in the field of esotericism across a range of subjects and promote Scotland's voice in an emerging and exciting field of study.