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What is the Occult?
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So what exactly is The Occult? Let's start with the term itself, as those religions and practices that may or may not fall under the occult are often under debate. 'Occult', from Latin origin, simply means 'the hidden'. In other words, anything occult would not normally be shared with the general public. In order to become involved with anything occult, one would (in theory), have to be 'brought in', by another already involved in a particular religion or practice. The teachings and rituals are 'secret'; or at least they used to be.
In the past many of the following religions and secret societies were considered to be occult in nature: Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Rosacrucism, Thelemae, Satanism, Theosophy, Freemasonry, The Bilderberg Group, Order of Skull & Bones, Davos, Illuminati, The Grotto, Knights of Pythias, The Grang, The Red Man, Knights of Maccabees, Catholic Knights, Druids, Elks, Foresters, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Hibernians, Job’s Daughters, Knights of the Golden Eagle, Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), Knights of Columbus, Knights of Malta, Knights Templar, Ku Klux Klan, Modern Woodmen of America, Loyal Order of Moose, National Grange, Odd Fellows, P.E.O. Sisterhood, Red Men, Shrine, United Order of the Golden Cross, The Craft (Witchcraft), Wicca, and there are more.
However, if you Google any of the above, you may now find information on the history, philosophy, prominent members, doctrines, rituals, expectations, and educational data on how to become a member or sole practitioner on such once very secretive religions and practices.
So, while some may no longer meet the traditional criteria for being occult, in that there is plenty of information about them readily available with the growth of the world wide web (internet), and books and interviews (even movies), based on information from members who have left and wish to share their past experiences, people are forgetting one thing: not everything about the practices, traditions, customs, rituals, and locations will ever be revealed to the general public. Sure, you may find out about some of the meeting places, some of the history and 'goings on' of some of these secret societies, but even today, only those sponsored or brought in by another member and made an initiate or student who must be educated and rise to various levels within the religion, or practice to be considered adept or learned (as in the martial arts, which if you want to get technical, could fall under traditional occult definition), are exposed to or given the whole truth of what happens as a member or practitioner.
Freemasonry is a perfect example. There exists all kinds of information about Freemasonry on the internet, and in books at your local bookstores or public library, however, unless you are a Freemason, or being initiated into Freemasonry, you will not have access to certain texts and writings, or be able to observe and participate in certain rituals and rites; you will never have the whole picture.
So, while many people say that 'secret societies' no longer exist, or were never really 'secret' (and therefore 'occult'), simply because people who were not involved in them still knew they existed and knew something about them, not so.
Wicca is another example. While there are thousands of books, DVD's, CD's, videos, and even courses on Wicca, unless you belong to a coven, and are included in private gatherings open only to members are held, do you really think all of the commercial information you can purchase is going to reveal everything about religions based on very secretive, ancient teachings? While Wicca, to some, is seen as relatively new compared to other belief systems, it is still based on ancient Pagan religions, and sometimes incorporates The Craft (Majick), which has been around for thousands of years (or longer). Majickal texts such as the Key of Solomon and the Lesser Key of Solomon can be found on eBay and on other sites for 'rate books', or in bookstores specializing in hard to find texts (first editions, etc.), but to put them to proper use, one still requires a mentor; someone to teach them what the writings mean, and ensure that the person who wishes to learn is learning correctly, and eventually, putting their knowledge to practical use correctly. As long as their is the requirement of even some secret teachings, this would indicate an occult belief system or practice.
Why do people often associate 'the occult' with something 'evil'?
Like anything different, unusual, and that people do not understand or fully understand, occult religions and rites invoke fear, and often hatred, in many people. What is puzzling about this human reaction to the unknown is: if you really don't know what it's all about, why would you assume it's just got to be 'bad'.
Additionally, what is considered 'bad' or 'evil' by some, may not be considered to be anything but the truth, as they see it, by others. There are numerous web sites that will tell you witchcraft or majick is evil (just try searching this question: Is majick evil?), however, practitioners of majick will tell you that majick just is, and it is the person performing the majickal workings that chooses to use positive or negative forces or energies to accomplish a goal; majick is simply a tool. Yet because so many people, particularly those belonging to more traditional, conformed religions, do not fully understand what majick is or how it works (and in this day and age science is able to explain how majick works with quantum physics (the Collapse of the Wave Form; the Law of Attraction; the Planck Scale)), and still, so many will not even listen or consider that we have scientific proof (aside from faith), that matter can be affected and changed by the mind (the will).
Did you know that scientists now know that matter behaves differently while being observed, then when it is not being observed? This means that our thoughts affect matter, and if our thoughts affect matter, then we can influence it and change it with our minds. This is, at its core, what majick has always been about: using the will to manifest change on the material plane (the world we live in day to day in a life-time).
Perhaps some people simply don't want to know. Perhaps they are afraid of change, as many people are, and so they default to their old ways of viewing what was once unknown to them, rather than embracing new information in an effort to gain better understanding.
The 'occult' is all around us, and has been since ancient times. People of the ancient civilizations were much more open-minded than many modern societies, and while this certainly does not include all of them, a great deal were involved in what is considered 'occult' activities. Is the whole world evil then?
The Kabbalah (Quaballa; Caballa), of ancient Jewish faith is very 'occult' in nature, and it's teachings can take many years to understand and put into practice. Those new to the Kaballa are mentored and go through vigorous training that is only exposed to true initiates. Do you really think all of the books at the Indigo, Chapters, or Amazon about the Kaballa are going to provide you with the same information you would receive as someone learning, by a skilled Kaballist, the ancient teachings from the appropriate texts, scrolls, and information that is only passed down verbally (as in many religions and practices, including that of the Druids)?
If you really take a close look, every religion has some secrecy to it; some things that are only taught to those directly involved. Would this not make, even Catholocism, occult in nature? To become a Catholic Priest (or someone higher in rank in the Catholic church), there are demanding studies and teachings that are sacred and shared only with students of the church. This is far more comprehensive learning than anything you'll be taught in Theology class.
Perhaps all of the religions of the world then, are occult to some degree. What do you think?
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