The Word: Occultism
First of all, let me clarify something. I study and practice what is generally referred to as "The Occult." I am not questioning the value or relevancy of these practices. What I am going to examine here is whether those practices should still be referred to as "occult" practices. The word itself means Hidden and it is my assertion that these practices no longer qualify as hidden or secret.
Divination
Several forms of divination, including pendulum, ouija, table tipping and similar forms have been explained as operating via the ideomotor response. In other words, these methods amplify tiny, almost imperceptible movements in the body to the point where they become observable. The theory here is that the unconscious part of the mind can affect these tiny movements and via the prop (the pendulum, planchette, table, etc...) the conscious mind can in a sense communicate with the unconscious mind.
Astral Projection
This is sometimes also referred to as the Out of Body Experience, but when using the term Astral Projection it is generally done intentionally. The practice intended to produce an Out of Body Experience has been studied extensively by scientists and found to be identical to the Lucid Dreaming state. The only significant difference is the method of entering into that state. Generally when you have a lucid dream, first you fall asleep naturally and then a dream arises and you get caught up into it and at some point you become aware that you are experiencing a dream. When performing Astral Projection you are able to enter into that lucid dreaming state directly from waking without all the in-between steps.
Ritual
The value of ritual has also been verified by science. Studies have shown that rituals can be powerful tools for handling grief, for example. Other rituals can be useful in boosting confidence. The number of applications are virtually endless. There are plenty of rituals that we engage in which are purely secular. It seems hardwired into our DNA as humans. In particular, ritual seems to engage what we call the Lizard Brain. This is one of the most ancient parts of our brains. The repetition and symbolic patterns appeal to that part of our neural physiology.
UFOs
While not exactly part of the Occult, interaction with entities and phenomena that cannot be explained by current science is something that has become much more mainstream. You have probably seen some video footage of apparently intelligent controlled objects interacting with military personnel in the USA and Mexico. Discussion of this subject was once relegated to the fringes of society. Today it is openly discussed in mainstream media and official government reports have been released and are planned to be released in the near future.
Conclusions
While many of the things that have traditionally been referred to as Occult are now much better understood by mainstream science, there are still aspects that remain mysterious and are often not even acknowledged by well respected scientists. That being said, I feel like enough is understood that we can't really call it Occult or Hidden anymore. The knowledge is out there for anyone to access and try out for themselves. I would however say that the often interchangeable term Esoteric, meaning Obscure or Only for the Few, does remain accurate. Not very many people are knowledgeable on these subjects and even fewer actually make use of the practices.
What do you think? Is "Occult" an outdated term? Should we be saying "Esoteric" instead? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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