The Occult?

[Gho the Girl]

I hear this word thrown around alot, by people who study it, by people who have no idea what it is (most preachers) and those who exploit it for sensationalism (American media).

My question to you dear pagan brothers, sisters, and non-cisgendered kin, what exactly is The Occult?

Is it a group of faiths? Is it an Umbrella term for certain ideas? What makes something Occult as opposed to any other thing?  

[Shearaha]

My understanding of occult has been that it ment hidden. Hidden knowledge, hidden disease. So from that I always thought that Occult also ment something that you look for. It isn't something available to the general populace, and shouldn't be. I consider the Wiccan mysteries to be occult, because they are a knowledge that is only available to those who have proven that they are capable of knowing those mysteries.

*Everyone feel free to rip my post to shreds. I do not claim good knowledge on this subject, and really don't mean to come off that way. In this post I am only offering opinion. If I am wrong I welcome correction.  

[RubyLight]

The dictionary definition of occult is indeed "hidden". However, the term has been used to describe other things. The things I've heard as described as "occult" are paganism, magic, divination, hauntngs, astral beings, psychic activity, societies dealing with anything previously mentioned, ect. An "occultist" is supposedly someone who studies things considered occult. Then there are the various "occult" practioners (what mainstream society calls them anyway) who practice any of the above mentioned.  

[CuAnnan]

I use the term to refer to specific types of esoteric study, those that are either by nature or design hidden from society.
Thus, I am not an occultist. I do not study the occult any more.
Those who practice mystery traditions, though, would be.  

[Tsuzuki]

Occultism is an excuse to be pretentious, which I enjoy taking advantage of.  

[Fiddlers Green]

Occult, as has been said before, means hidden.
Ironic that the Occult section of many bookstores is clearly labeled and easy to find.
So I would tend to say, anything that claims to be occult, publicly and well known, is not.
See also Occluded.  

[CuAnnan]

Read the Magus.  

[Gho the Girl]

CuAnnan

Read the Magus.

The Magus?  

[Tsuzuki]

Gho the Girl

CuAnnan

Read the Magus.

The Magus?

http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/magus/