Occultism

The occultism (also, the occult sciences or the occult arts) is the study of various mysterious knowledge and practices of a dogmatic, such as magic, alchemy (as a spiritual and philosophical discipline), divination, etc., which since ancient times have tried to study the secrets of the universe.

The Spanish word «occultism» derives from the Latin word occultus, which means 'hidden, clandestine, hidden, secret', and which comes from occulere ('to hide ').

The occult is everything that has no explanation, whose knowledge is not available to the uninitiated. In common parlance, both in English and Spanish, the occult refers to knowledge of the paranormal and inexplicable, as opposed to knowledge of the measurable and explainable, usually referred to as science. The term is sometimes used to designate knowledge that is intended for certain people and should be kept out of sight by those uninitiated in the subject. For many occult scholars, the occult is simply the study of the deeper, underlying spiritual reality that goes beyond pure reason and the sciences of sensible and physical knowledge. The terms esoteric and arcane have a similar meaning and in many contexts the three terms are interchangeable.

Occultism also refers to certain types of organizations or orders, their teachings and practices, and current and historical currents of literature and spiritual philosophy related to this subject.

Occultism

Occultism is the study of the occult arts, practices, or sciences as the magic, alchemy, extrasensory perception, astrology, spiritualism and fortune telling, among others.

Occult Science Examples

Among the most important examples of occult sciences developed in Antiquity, the following can be mentioned:

• divination (called “uncertain arts” by Swiss doctor Teofrasto Paracelso):
  • spraying
  • alectomance
  • auspicious
  • cartomancia (see also: tarot).
  • physiognomy
  • geo-
  • hydro
  • horoscopy
  • litomancia
  • Methodoscopy
  • necromance or nigromance
  • oniromancia
  • ornitomancia
  • piromancia
  • omen
  • quiromancia
  • tarot
• alchemy
  • spagiria
• astrology
• herbal
  • Theory of Symbols
• stoning
• magic
  • witchcraft
  • wicca
• Runas
• mediumship
• mythology
  • Angelology
  • demonology
• Number
  • gematria

The interpretation of occultism and its concepts can be found in the belief structures of certain philosophies and religions such as gnosticism, hermeticism, theosophy, wicca, thelema, satanism, neopaganism or ―actually― any religion. British historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke offers a broader definition:

Occultism has its bases in a religious way of thinking, whose roots go back to Antiquity and can be described as the esoteric tradition of the West. Its main ingredients can be identified as gnosticism, hermetic treatises on alchemy and magic, neoplatonism and cabal; all of them originating from the Eastern Mediterranean area during the first centuries of our era.

Historical development

The history of Occultism is very old, its origin is linked to mythological thought and many cultures around the world had mysterious and esoteric practices since the beginning of humanity. Historically it has had close relationships with certain religions or doctrines since its concept has been confused. Occultists spread the notion of one God, one power and energy. This energy, God, is the giver, the receiver and the gift itself.

Renaissance

In the Renaissance, the German philosopher, physician, astronomer, lawyer, theologian, and magician Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535) produced occult and esoteric work with Judeo-Christian and Kabbalistic influences. In his main work, De occulta philosophia libri tres (1531), he collected all the medieval knowledge about magic, astrology, alchemy, medicine and natural philosophy and supported it theoretically. A renowned scholar and protected by different reigning or noble houses, he was a friend of many of the philosophers and great figures of his time.

Leonardo Da Vinci has also been mentioned in the occult,^{[citation needed]} a character who was involved in opening bodies and doing things that should not be done at this time be performed.

19th century

Eliphas Levi

In the middle of the XIX century, occultism had a period of great apogee in France, led by the Kabbalist Eliphas Lévi, who produced a dozen important esoteric works, including Dogma y ritual de alta magico.

Theosophical Society

A short time later (1875), Helena Blavatsky and Henry Olcott founded the Theosophical Society in New York for the study of unexplained phenomena of nature and comparative religions. After the publication of Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine, occultism spread rapidly throughout the West, reappearing schools of the Rosicrucian, hermetic and magic, related to Freemasonry.

20th century

After the death of Helena Blavatsky, the theosophical movement fractured and various groups emerged, led by Annie Besant, William Judge and later Rudolf Steiner (founder of anthroposophy) and Alice Bailey.

The Arcane School of Alice Bailey can be considered the most immediate ancestor of the New Age phenomenon and the supposed channeling of entities that teach the doctrines of the new time, such as the ascended masters, including Djwhal Khul. Other sects such as the New Acropolis also arise from the theosophical trunk.

Rosicrucian

Masonic-leaning groups appeared, such as the Rosicrucian Fraternity (by Max Heindel), the Ancient Rosicrucian Fellowship (of Arnold Krumm-Heller) and AMORC (acronym for the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, by Harvey Spencer Lewis).

Ritual Magic

The modern movement of ritual magic was inspired by the doctrines of the esoteric group Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which was founded by MacGregor Mathers, who claimed it was carrying on the legacy of a German Rosicrucian order known as the Order of the Ruby Rose Gold and the Gold Cross. Currently, ritual magic places particular emphasis on the followers of the British Aleister Crowley.

The occult and the new era

Within the movement called new era (or new age), interest has developed in the set of diverse beliefs and practices that does not necessarily exclude interest in previous ones. The ideas reformulated by its supporters are usually related to holistic medicine, alternative or traditional medicines and mysticism. Also included are numerous occult and pseudosciences, general perspectives on history, religion, spirituality, lifestyles, and certain types of music. Some of the related topics are:

• aromatherapy.
• Ayurveda.
• Cabal.
• Mayan calendar.
• cerealogía (OFO circles).
• lost civilizations.
• Spiritism.
• karma.
• Bach flowers.
• iridology.
• Aura reading.
• Indigo children.
• Pyramidology.
• radiestesia.
• Reiki.
• reincarnation.
• Yoga.