The Occult
The occult (from Latin occultus, “hidden, secret”) is a category of esoteric and supernatural beliefs and practices that generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and mainstream science. It encompasses phenomena involving hidden agency — magic, mysticism, divination — as well as paranormal ideas like extra-sensory perception and parapsychology.
Etymology and Development
The Occult Sciences (16th Century)
The term “occult sciences” emerged in 16th-century Europe to describe three interrelated disciplines:
- Astrology — cosmic correspondence between celestial and terrestrial events
- Alchemy — transmutation of matter and spirit
- Natural Magic — the manipulation of hidden natural forces (virtutes occultae)
These were considered legitimate areas of inquiry in the Renaissance but became increasingly marginalized during the Enlightenment, when “occult” came to imply conscious opposition to mainstream natural philosophy.
Occultism (19th Century)
The term occultisme was popularized in French esoteric circles, especially by Éliphas Lévi (1810–1875), whose Dogme et rituel de la haute magie (1856) synthesized Qabalah, Tarot, and ceremonial magic into a coherent system. Lévi is considered the origin of “the occultist current properly so-called.”
In 1875, Helena Blavatsky introduced the English term “occultism” in the American Spiritualist magazine Spiritual Scientist, linking it to her newly founded Theosophical Society.
Key Features of Occultism
Unlike earlier forms of esotericism, 19th-century occultism:
- Engaged with Modernity: Occultists did not reject scientific progress but sought to integrate it with a “global vision” countering materialism.
- Distanced from Christianity: Many occultists (e.g., Crowley) adopted explicitly anti-Christian stances, turning instead to pre-Christian paganism, Hinduism, or Buddhism.
- Emphasized Individual Spiritual Realization: A focus on personal transformation that influenced the 20th-century New Age and Human Potential movements.
- Sought Scientific Legitimation: Occultist groups typically sought “proofs and demonstrations by recourse to scientific tests or terminology.”
Key Figures
| Figure | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Éliphas Lévi | Synthesized Qabalah and Tarot; coined the modern vocabulary of occultism |
| Helena Blavatsky | Founded Theosophy; bridged Eastern and Western esoteric traditions |
| Papus (Gérard Encausse) | Led the French occultist revival; Martinism |
| W.W. Westcott & MacGregor Mathers | Founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn |
| Aleister Crowley | The most visible 20th-century occultist; founded Thelema |
| Dion Fortune | Psychologist-occultist; synthesized depth psychology and ceremonial magic |
Scholarly Definitions
Wouter Hanegraaff (University of Amsterdam) proposed the now-standard academic definition:
Occultism = “all attempts by esotericists to come to terms with a disenchanted world, or, alternatively, by people in general to make sense of esotericism from the perspective of a disenchanted secular world.”
This etic definition encompasses Spiritualism, Theosophy, the Golden Dawn, Thelema, and the New Age as branches of a single modern esoteric current.
Traditions Under the Occult Umbrella
- Theosophy — Blavatsky’s synthesis of Eastern and Western esotericism
- Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn — the premier Victorian magical order
- Thelema — Crowley’s religion of True Will (Aleister_Crowley)
- Anthroposophy — Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual science
- Wicca — Gerald Gardner’s neopagan witchcraft revival
- Spiritualism — communication with the dead; the first mass “occultist” movement
- New Age — diffuse 20th-century spirituality drawing on all of the above
See Also
- Aleister_Crowley — the foremost modern occultist
- Hermeticism — the philosophical foundation of Western occultism
- Kabbalah — the Qabalistic system central to ceremonial magic
- Rosicrucianism — the early modern esoteric fraternity feeding into later occultism
- Esoteric_Initiation — the initiatory structure common to occult orders
- Alchemical_Transformation — alchemy as both occult science and spiritual practice
- Theosophy — Blavatsky’s foundational modern synthesis of East and West
- Freemasonry — the fraternal order transmitting Hermetic and Qabalistic ideas
- Kundalini — the Eastern energy system adopted by Theosophical and occultist currents
- MKUltra — the dark institutional shadow of occult knowledge and practice
- Mystery Schools — the ancestral institutional lineage of occult orders
- Chaos Magic — the postmodern offshoot of Western occultism
- Western Esotericism — the broader umbrella tradition
- Gnosis — the direct knowing pursued through occult practice
- Neoplatonism — the philosophical bedrock of Renaissance occultism
- Sigil — the core practical tool of modern magical operations
- Mysticism — the contemplative parallel to occult practice