HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The
occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
is a category of
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
beliefs and practices, encompassing such phenomena as those involving
mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ...
,
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape ...
, and magic in terms of any otherworldly agency. It can also refer to other non-religious supernatural ideas like
extra-sensory perception Extrasensory perception or ESP, also called sixth sense, is a claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. The term was adopted by Duke Univers ...
and
parapsychology Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic phenomena ( extrasensory perception, telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis (also called telekinesis), and psychometry) and other paranormal claims, for example, those related t ...
. The occult (from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
word ''occultus'' "clandestine, hidden, secret") is "knowledge of the hidden". In common usage, ''occult'' refers to "knowledge of the paranormal", as opposed to "knowledge of the measurable", usually referred to as
science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
. The term is sometimes taken to mean knowledge that "is meant only for certain people" or that "must be kept hidden", but for most practicing occultists it is simply the study of a deeper spiritual reality that extends beyond pure reason and the physical sciences. The terms ''
esoteric Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas ...
'' and ''arcane'' can also be used to describe the occult,Wright, C. F. (1895). An outline of the principles of modern theosophy. Boston: New England Theosophical Corp. in addition to their meanings unrelated to the supernatural. The term ''occult sciences'' was used in the 16th century to refer to
astrology Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Di ...
,
alchemy Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim wo ...
, and natural magic, which today are considered
pseudosciences Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable claim ...
. The term ''occultism'' emerged in 19th-century France, where it came to be associated with various French
esoteric Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas ...
groups connected to Éliphas Lévi and Papus, and in 1875 was introduced into the
English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...
by the esotericist Helena Blavatsky. Throughout the 20th century, the term was used idiosyncratically by a range of different authors, but by the 21st century was commonly employed – including by academic scholars of esotericism – to refer to a range of esoteric currents that developed in the mid-19th century and their descendants. Occultism is thus often used to categorise such esoteric traditions as
Spiritualism Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (when not lowercase ...
,
Theosophy Theosophy is a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century. It was founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and draws its teachings predominantly from Blavatsky's writings. Categorized by scholars of religion a ...
, Anthroposophy, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and
New Age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consi ...
. It also describes a number of magical organizations or orders, the teachings and practices taught by them, and to a large body of current and historical literature and spiritual philosophy related to this subject.


A

*
Abbey of Thelema The Abbey of Thelema is a small house which was used as a temple and spiritual centre, founded by Aleister Crowley and Leah Hirsig in Cefalù (Sicily, Italy) in 1920. The villa still stands today, but in poor condition. Filmmaker Kenneth Anger ...
* Abramelin oil * Acupuncture *
Adept An adept is an individual identified as having attained a specific level of knowledge, skill, or aptitude in doctrines relevant to a particular author or organization. He or she stands out from others with their great abilities. All human quali ...
* Aether *
Akashic Records In the religion of theosophy and the philosophical school called anthroposophy, the Akashic records are a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of ...
*
Alchemy Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim wo ...
* Alphabet of Desire *
Amulet An amulet, also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word amuletum, which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protect ...
* Anthroposophy *Apparitions - See
Ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to re ...
* Argenteum Astrum * Ariosophy * Ascended master *
Astral projection Astral projection (also known as astral travel) is a term used in esotericism to describe an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an " astral body" through which consciousness can funct ...
* Astrological age * Astrological aspect *
Astrology Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Di ...
* Astrology and alchemy * Astrology and the classical elements * Astrology and numerology * Athame *
Aura Aura most commonly refers to: * Aura (paranormal), a field of luminous multicolored radiation around a person or object * Aura (symptom), a symptom experienced before a migraine or seizure Aura may also refer to: Places Extraterrestrial * 1488 ...
*
Augury Augury is the practice from ancient Roman religion of interpreting omens from the observed behavior of birds. When the individual, known as the augur, interpreted these signs, it is referred to as "taking the auspices". "Auspices" (Latin ''aus ...
(interpreting omens) * Automatic writing


B

* Banishing *
Baphomet Baphomet is a deity allegedly worshipped by the Knights Templar. that subsequently became incorporated into various occult and Western esoteric traditions. The name ''Baphomet'' appeared in trial transcripts for the Inquisition of the Knights ...
* Bibliomancy * Biosophy * Black magic * Black Sun *
Body of light The body of light, sometimes called the 'astral body' or the 'subtle body,' is a "quasi material" aspect of the human body, being neither solely physical nor solely spiritual, posited by a number of philosophers, and elaborated on according to ...
* Boline


C

* Cartomancy (divination using playing cards) * Ceremonial magic *
Chalice A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...
*
Chaos magic Chaos magic, also spelled chaos magick, is a modern tradition of magic. It initially emerged in England in the 1970s as part of the wider neo-pagan and magical subculture. Drawing heavily from the occult beliefs of artist Austin Osman Spare, ...
* Charmstone *
Chinese astrology Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. Chinese astrology came to flourish during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC to 2nd century AD). Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the ...
*
Clairaudience Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
(ability to hear voices & sounds super-normally- spirited voices alleging to be those of dead people giving advice or warnings) *
Clairsentience Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
(supernormal sense perception) * Clairvoyance (ability to see objects or events spontaneously or supernormally above their normal range of vision- second sight) *
Cleromancy Cleromancy is a form of sortition (casting of lots) in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered random, such as the rolling of dice, but that are sometimes believed to reveal the will of a deity. In classical ci ...
* Colour therapy * Cone of power * Conjuration (summoning up a spirit by incantation) *
Coven A coven () is a group or gathering of witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English until 1921 when Margaret Murray promot ...
(a community of witches) * Crystal gazing


D

* Da'at *
Demonology Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may ...
*
Divination Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout history ...
* Dowsing


E

* Earth mysteries * Ectoplasm (unknown substance from body of a medium) * Eight-circuit model of consciousness * Elemental * Enchanting * Energy (esotericism) * English Qaballa * Enochian * E.S.P. (extra sensory perception) * Esoteric Christianity *
Esoteric cosmology Religious cosmology is an explanation of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe from a religious perspective. This may include beliefs on origin in the form of a creation myth, subsequent evolution, current organizational form ...
* Esotericism *
Evocation Evocation is the act of evoking, calling upon, or summoning a spirit, demon, deity or other supernatural agents, in the Western mystery tradition. Comparable practices exist in many religions and magical traditions and may employ the use of m ...
* Exorcism


F

* Fama Fraternitatis *
Familiar spirit In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to ...
* Feng shui * Feri Tradition * Folk religion * Fortune-telling


G

* Galdr * Gematria * Geomancy * Geomantic figures * Gnosis * Gnosis (chaos magic) * Goetia * Gray magic * Great Work (Hermeticism) * Great Work (Thelema) * Greater and lesser magic * Grimoire


H

* Hadit * Haruspex * Hermeticism *
Hexagram , can be seen as a compound composed of an upwards (blue here) and downwards (pink) facing equilateral triangle, with their intersection as a regular hexagon (in green). A hexagram ( Greek language, Greek) or sexagram ( Latin) is a six-pointe ...
* Hex * Holy Guardian Angel * Homunculus * Hoodoo * Huna


I

*
I Ching The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zh ...
* Incantation * Invocation


J

* Juju


K

*
Kabbalah Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...
* Kia (magic) *
Kundalini energy In Hinduism, Kundalini ( sa, कुण्डलिनी, translit=kuṇḍalinī, translit-std=IAST, lit=coiled snake, ) is a form of divine feminine energy (or ''Shakti'') believed to be located at the base of the spine, in the ''muladhara'' ...


L

*
Law of contagion The law of contagion is a superstitious folk belief that suggests that once two people or objects have been in contact, a magical link persists between them unless or until a formal cleansing, consecration, exorcism, or other act of banishing break ...
* Left-hand path and right-hand path * Lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram *
Liminality In anthropology, liminality () is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of a rite of passage, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they w ...
* List of occultists *
List of occult symbols The following is a list of symbols associated with the occult. This list shares a number of entries with the list of alchemical symbols as well as the list of sigils of demons. __TOC__ List See also * Iconography *Planet symbols References ...
* List of occult writers * Literomancy * Lithomancy *Lucifer


M

*Magic (paranormal) *Magic circle *Magic word *Magical formula *Magick *Maleficium (sorcery) *Mathers table *Mediumship *Merkabah mysticism *Mesmerism *Methods of divination *Mojo (African-American culture), Mojo *Western esotericism, Mystery religion *Mysticism


N

*Nagual *Necromancy *Necronomicon *Neodruidism *Neopaganism *Neotantra *
New Age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consi ...
*New Thought *Nuit *Numerology


O

*Obeah and Wanga *Occultism *Oneiromancy *Ouija


P

*Paganism *Palmistry *Pentacle *Penuel *Planetary hours *Poppet *Power Animal *Pow-wow (folk magic) *Psionics *Psychic *Psychonautics *Pyramid power


Q

*Qabalah *Quantum mysticism *Ceremonial magic#History, Quareia


R

*Reiki *Renaissance magic *Rhabdomancy *Rosicrucianism *Runecasting


S

*Satan *Satanism *Scrying *Séance *Secret Chiefs *Seidr *Seven Rays *Servitor (chaos magic) *Sex magic *Sigil (magic), Sigil *Sigil of Baphomet *Sigillum Dei *Maleficium (sorcery), Sorcery *Spell (paranormal), Spell *Stregheria *Subtle body *Synchromysticism


T

*Table of correspondences *Talisman *Tarot divination *Thaumaturgy *Thelema *Theosophy (Blavatskian), Theosophy *Therianthropy *Theurgy *Trance *True Will


U

*Ukehi


V

*Vampires *Voodoo death *Voodoo doll *Vril


W

*Wand *White magic *Wicca *Witchcraft


Y

*Ya sang


Z

*Zos Kia Cultus


References

{{Reflist Occult, * Folklore Magical terminology,