The word "Occult" (ritual, tradition, blood, pagan)

[Dark_Waltz]

For some reason the word occult stirs up negativity inside of me, and when people ask me if I am "part of the occult"
I always deny it and I am not at all sure why.
What is its true meaning? and Am I alone in this or do any of You feel this way when it comes to labels *rollseyes*?
Pagan I dont mind Witch I dont mind even Wiccan but occult or occultist...bleh!

[The Conspirator]

Diconart.com defins it as
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret: occult lore. See Synonyms at mysterious.
4. Hidden from view; concealed.
5. a. Medicine. Detectable only by microscopic examination or chemical analysis, as a minute blood sample.
b. Not accompanied by readily detectable signs or symptoms: occult carcinoma.

None of those have any negatives connotations. The negative reputation the occult has comes from the Christan idea that magic and witch craft are evil and comes from the devil which came about as a way of demoniseing pagan religions.

[michel]

Wikipedia defines it as:-The word occult comes from Latin occultus (hidden), referring to the 'knowledge of the secret' or 'knowledge of the hidden' and often meaning 'knowledge of the supernatural', as opposed to 'knowledge of the visible' or 'knowledge of the measurable', usually referred to as science. The modern term's meaning is often imprecisely translated and used as a term for 'secret knowledge' or 'hidden knowledge', in the sense of meaning 'knowledge meant only for certain people' or 'knowledge that must be kept hidden'. For most practicing occultists, however, it is simply the study of a deeper spiritual reality that cannot be understood using pure reason or material science. The ancient Greek term for occult is esoteric.

But even there there are words I would query; to me, there is nothing supernatural. Everything is natural; the only 'super' is in our inability, at the present time, to understand or explain it.

[Enigmata]

I would have to agree with The Conspirator as to where the negative connotations come from. And I have to admit I sometimes get that negative feeling from the word myself but I always feel bad for feeling bad about that word. If that makes any sense

[Dark_Waltz]

Good I am not alone then. I think its because it was a word usually said with anger or something by others and maybe I have unknowing to myself picked up on it
*sigh* but hey a least I am not on me own now

Dark_Waltz, dont forget people only get angry in an agressive way when they are scared of the unknown, which actually goes against the teachings of the major religions.

[ChrisP]

The Occult, Occult practices and Occult studies, all relate to an interest in things that are hidden or have hidden meaning.

If you don't like labeling yourself as an Occultist (which btw there is nothing wrong with), you can say you are an Esoteric. Which sounds fancy and a bit less menacing (Occult has always been linked to bad people in western traditions) but ispretty much the same thing.

To my mates I'm an Occultist, to my family, an Esoteric . Ahhhh I love being a dualist

[Dark_Waltz]

Well I just say witch as I cannot spell the rest without checking *wink*
I know theres nothing wrong with it theres just something about the word that sparks off a reaction.

[The Conspirator]

I've never heard the world occult used angrily but its always used in a negative context. Its always some one summoning a demon, the devil or sacrificing people or animals, its never used in a positive context, like some one reading a book on the occult and learning how to heal the sick.