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Often, arcana. a secret; mystery.
a supposed great secret of nature that the alchemists sought to discover.
a secret and powerful remedy.
Contemporary Examples

Kornacki, on the other hand, appears to be far more comfortable with the kind of arcana found in The Almanac of American Politics.
Steve Kornacki, MSNBC’s Brainy Replacement for Chris Hayes, Just Wants to Be Useful David Freedlander March 20, 2013

Historical Examples

She deals in the private transactions of the sewing circle, the quilting party, with all the arcana of the fair sex.
Talkers John Bate

Among the favoured few who penetrated this arcana was Lawyer Maxwell.
Gabriel Conroy Bert Harte

arcana revealed, which exceed in excellence all the arcana heretofore revealed since the beginning of the church, 532.
The Delights of Wisdom Pertaining to Conjugial Love Emanuel Swedenborg

That is not the way to force an entrance into the arcana of Nature.
The Hidden Masterpiece Honore de Balzac

He could have let you into the arcana rerum, which you have interests in knowing.
Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson

By it Miss Marty—but shall I reveal the arcana of that virgin breast?
The Mayor of Troy Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

I took the book down and it was part of Swedenborg’s ‘arcana Coelestia.’
Fair Haven and Foul Strand August Strindberg

The theory is useless as an explanation of the arcana of Nature.
Fables of Infidelity and Facts of Faith Robert Patterson

The arcana of the craft, as Dr. Harris remarks, should be gradually imparted to its members, according to their improvement.
The Principles of Masonic Law Albert G. Mackey

noun
either of the two divisions (the minor arcana and the major arcana) of a pack of tarot cards
noun (pl) -na (-nə)
(sometimes pl) a profound secret or mystery known only to initiates
a secret of nature sought by alchemists
n.

“hidden things, mysteries,” 1590s, a direct adoption of the Latin plural of arcanum “a secret, a mystery,” from neuter of adjective arcanus “secret, hidden, private, concealed” (see arcane). Occasionally mistaken for a singular and pluralized as arcanas because arcana is far more common than arcanum.
n.

proper singular form of arcana.