What is your understanding of the occult?

[Spirit of Light]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

 

[Howard Is]

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

I first encountered the word as a kid interested in astronomy.
When a star is hidden behind a planet or the moon, it is said to be ‘occulted’ or ‘occluded’.

Vipassana meditation is a study via mindfulness of what is occult in one’s own nature. Which simply means becoming aware of what were hidden, or unobserved, reactions and behaviours.

Ajna chakra is the capacity to look inwards at one’s own psychic structure, so I guess all Hindu teachers endorse taking the occult as the path.

 

[sun rise]

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

To answer the second question first, what I know is from Meher Baba's discourses on the topic. The Place of Occultism in Spiritual Life

My view from what I read is that they are not to be sought nor rejected, but to accept lessons that such experiences might bring. This includes having a balanced view of the occult as possibly helpful but that they should not be overvalued or undervalued.

And from the end of the third discourse on the topic, that the most important take away from a study of the occult is this:

To penetrate into the essence of all being and significance and to release the fragrance of that inner attainment for the guidance and benefit of others, by expressing, in the world of forms, truth, love, purity and beauty—this is the sole game which has intrinsic and absolute worth. All other happenings, incidents and attainments in themselves can have no lasting importance.

 

[stvdv]

Did you know what occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

IMO:
Occult is interesting. It contains another aspect of what humans (and I) are capable of doing.

Calling it evil, is human weakness coming from fear, originating out of ignorance.

I know enough about it, from experience, to know that it works and is 'real' and intriguing. Also easy to come in between 'Self Realisation' as are other worldly addictions. Nothing evil in all of that.

 

[McBell]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

Which one?

 

[Heyo]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?

Yes.

It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

I see the occult as dangerous. Not because there is hidden knowledge but because people make money or get influence because they claim to have hidden knowledge. It's a scam.

 

[ChristineM]

I see occult as the practice of supernatural rites. This includes religion.

It may or may not be dangerous depending on who is doing the practices.

 

[Altfish]

I see occult as the practice of supernatural rites. This includes religion.

It may or may not be dangerous depending on who is doing the practices.

I always think of the occult as those supernatural beliefs/rituals that haven't found acceptance as a religion.- ie they don't get tax breaks.

 

[Eddi]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

I think the occult is something to avoid as much as possible!

It's a good way of meddling with dark forces that are beyond human comprehension

It can open doors to sinister powers, and let them in

I'm thinking specifically of Ouija boards

 

[SalixIncendium]

Which one?

Occult, not cult.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

Occult merely means hidden, non-revealed, concealed from view.

It is simply practices such as alchemy, astrology, and magic, that are esoteric in nature. By definition, a couple of the yogas (jnana and raja) could even be considered occult practices.

 

[BSM1]

The 'Occult' , to me, is like a deep, dark forest. You can stand on the edge looking in with no worries. However, if you go exploring without a reliable map or guide you run the risk of being hopelessly lost.

 

[epronovost]

Occult merely means hidden, non-revealed, concealed from view.

It is simply practices such as alchemy, astronomy, and magic, that are esoteric in nature. By definition, a couple of the yogas (jnana and raja) could even be considered occult practices.

Astronomy is a science, it's not esoteric or hidden.

As for alchemy it was also a form of pre/pseudo-scientific attempt to explain and explore the interraction of matter which is now studied chemistry.

Occult used to refer to secret religious practice like hte Eleusian Mysteries or now, Mormon Baptism. It's basically secret religious rites that are only conducted by initiates and outside of casual believers/non-believers view.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Astronomy is a science, it's not esoteric or hidden.

I meant astrology. Thanks for pointing out the error. I edited my post.

As for alchemy it was also a form of pre/pseudo-scientific attempt to explain and explore the interraction of matter which is now studied chemistry.

Occult used to refer to secret religious practice like hte Eleusian Mysteries or now, Mormon Baptism. It's basically secret religious rites that are only conducted by initiates and outside of casual believers/non-believers view.

Is that your view of my view? Because this isn't a debate forum.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Did you know that occult actually means hidden knowledge?
It is not evil from the beginning, but some people have made Occult a symbol of evil.

What is your view of the occult, and what do you know about it?

To be strictly honest, the only association I have with the occult and reality is what I see on t.v. Unless our rituals and beliefs harm others and ourselves, practicing whatever shouldn't be different from one practice to another. I think a lot of it is stereotypes and others associating what we don't understand or mystical because we may be uncomfortable with what we see etc.

 

[WhyIsThatSo]

"Occult" simply refers to the multidimensional reality that we share with the "forces" all around us everyday
that the average person cannot detect with the 5 physical senses.....thus this reality that we can't physically see is "hidden" from us.

Only those with "psychic abilities" can investigate the unseen reality all around us. They have additional "senses" the average person has not developed as yet , that enables them to experience this reality first hand through various means.
They are the psychics, mediums, mystics, shamans, witch doctors, etc. of humanity.

Throughout human history this "hidden knowledge" is what the elite of the world have always coveted because it gives one a considerable
advantage over others in any area of human endeavor.
Such "knowledge" can be used for the good or bad of course, and this is the essence of the "Left" (dark) and "Right" (Light) hand paths
that initiates into these mysteries aspire to.

 

[Quintessence]

Occult, not cult.

I believe @Mestemia is pointing out that "the occult" is a polysemic term and that within that, there are several identifiable sub-groups that go under that moniker. I could be mistaken on that, though, as my reaction to the OP was also something along the lines of "which sort of occult are we talking about?"

Occult could reference what is also called spellcraft or sorcery; practitioners of magic, especially Western/ceremonial forms.

Occult could reference those who study the paranormal, whether it's ghosts, cryptids, or elsewise.

Occult could reference mystery religions, whose practices are oathbound and only permitted to be known by members.

Occult could reference practices demonized by certain religions because they believe they are against their god.

Occult could reference anything that is esoteric, obscure or difficult to understand, in which case I'd certainly name sciences on that list.

Honestly, I aim to leave the word "occult" to those who identify as occultists (I do not). Not sure if we have any active members who identify as occultists on the board, but I think that we do?

 

[WhyIsThatSo]

"Occult" simply refers to the multidimensional reality that we share with the "forces" all around us everyday
that the average person cannot detect with the 5 physical senses.....thus this reality that we can't physically see is "hidden" from us.

Only those with "psychic abilities" can investigate the unseen reality all around us. They have additional "senses" the average person has not developed as yet , that enables them to experience this reality first hand through various means.
They are the psychics, mediums, mystics, shamans, witch doctors, etc. of humanity.

Throughout human history this "hidden knowledge" is what the elite of the world have always coveted because it gives one a considerable
advantage over others in any area of human endeavor.
Such "knowledge" can be used for the good or bad of course, and this is the essence of the "Left" (dark) and "Right" (Light) hand paths
that initiates into these mysteries aspire to.

It should also be noted that this is also why the Roman Church spent hundreds of years torturing, murdering, and destroying anyone
who would not denounce these things. Because this "occult knowledge" can (or eventually WILL) lead you to the TRUTH of your
existence here.

And the Roman Church, and every other "religion" on this planet will not allow that.

 

[George-ananda]

Well I think we need to start with a definition of 'Occult'

occult

noun
: matters regarded as involving the action or influence of supernatural or supernormal powers or some secret knowledge of them

My thought is that such things do exist and are real as the super-physical planes of reality are as complicated as the physical plane. So this subject is essentially endless. The word seems to be morphing in common usage towards the dark and evil probably evolving from the dominant Christian religion's dislike of dabbling in such things.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

It's a meaningless category: what goes in depends on who's making the list, even if we ignore the differences between those who practice the occult and academics like Hanegraaff who limit the term to what they want to study!

Originally it applied to "occult properties" — things that could not be explained, like magnetism and gravity. The it applied to "occult sciences" — activities that the enlightenment dismissed, like astrology. Things come and go — hypnotism was once included.