Those of you that have had even a passing interest in the occult or magic(k) have probably taken a glimpse through books of spells or maybe even online editions of old Renaissance grimoires. I think something that really stands out in older sources is the extreme effort put into preparation for a magical operation, sometimes starting months before the operation itself is to be performed. The engraving of specific metal plates with specific symbols, paying tributes of specific substances, fasting, and complex ritualistic preparations are all rather common in older books of evocation.
Likewise, alchemy is famous for its complex or confusing language and codes. Substances are called by the names of mythical animals, symbols and ciphers are substituted for ingredients and processes, and allegory is implemented to instruct the seeker in the proper way to do things. To someone that has no knowledge of the symbolism behind these allegories and associations this can all appear rather daunting.
Alchemy and evocation (among other practices) have in common the obfuscation and complication of things for a reason. In the case of evocation, I think that a lot of preparations exist simply to test the resolve of the potential summoner or to turn away those that cannot see through this ruse. Few people are going to go through eighteen months of preparations just to summon one angel. This keeps the unworthy from dabbling in the art. In the case of alchemy, all of the obfuscation exists to keep certain secrets hidden from the uninitiated and to perhaps keep the alchemist safe from factions that might be less than understanding of their art. There are many alchemical products that are dangerous or powerful and understandably cannot be laid bare to all comers in plain language. Depending on the time period and location it might also be unwise for an alchemist to plainly state what they were up to, lest they offend the predominant faith.
Alchemical processes can also be read as more than just physical operations. Some alchemical recipes are written to resemble literal laboratory operations when they are actually instructing the alchemist on something that must take place in the inner laboratory of the mind and soul. For the true alchemists, spiritual transformation was the goal of the art; not the production of precious metals as many think. By writing things in a cryptic way, the master alchemist ensures that the amateur alchemist comes to understand the deeper meanings with time and practice of the art. The knowledge would have little value if it was acquired by any other means.
Cryptic language and double meanings in the occult are not simply dramatic devices to maintain a mysterious air around certain practices. Many people in this day and age may strive to be unnecessarily cryptic or mysterious for show, but when these occult practices were first being developed it was very important to hide meanings and lead the unfit astray. Take this into consideration the next time you pore over a Renaissance grimoire and find yourself unable to follow what's going on. Sometimes you just have to look a little deeper.
It's also worth noting that a lot of that has decreased in past decades. Hundreds of years ago, an alchemical book would never, ever refer to anything by its proper name; everything was written in a kind of code, and you had to have some instruction on which code phrase meant which plant, planet, metal, astronomical event, etc. just to do the simplest things. A grimoire, by contrast, would be less about code and more about referring to rituals and ideas that were only taught via oral tradition. An alchemist was expected to take much of his learning from books, whereas a magician/witch/sorcerer/what-have-you was more likely to learn everything from a master and only rely on books for extremely rare and/or high-level spells. These days, that is still mostly true... but alchemists are so rare that there is no chance to learn a special code from a master in person, and witchcraft is in such a state of flux now that many prefer to learn even the basics from a book rather than try to find a teacher who is both knowledgeable and compatible with the student.
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