What Is Occultism?
Modern configurations of hidden knowledge and practice
Definition. Occultism is a modern term for currents of Western esoteric thought and practice that crystallized from the nineteenth century onward, characterized by organized exploration of hidden aspects of reality under modern cultural conditions through ritual, symbolism, and speculative philosophies. In contemporary scholarship it denotes those forms of esotericism that respond self-consciously to a “disenchanted” world shaped by science and secularization, seeking to systematize access to invisible forces or realms as a complement or alternative to established religion and natural science (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Hanegraaff, 2012).
Historical Frame
Historians of Western esotericism situate the emergence of occultism in the nineteenth century, when figures such as Éliphas Lévi and later movements like Spiritualism, Theosophy, and ritual magic orders reworked older Hermetic, Kabbalistic, and magical materials in dialogue with new scientific and philosophical contexts (Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Webb, 1976). These developments took place against the backdrop of industrialization, expanding print culture, and perceived conflicts between traditional Christianity and modern science, encouraging esoteric authors to present their teachings as reconciliations of ancient wisdom with contemporary knowledge (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008).
Scholars emphasize that occultism is historically distinct from earlier esoteric currents even while drawing heavily on them: it adopts new organizational forms such as voluntary societies and initiatory orders, deploys modern genres of publication, and frequently references scientific language, psychology, and comparative religion (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012). As a result, it provides an important case study of how esoteric worldviews adapt to, and are reshaped by, modernity (Hanegraaff, 2012; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008).
Conceptual Features
Analyses of occultism highlight recurring features such as an orientation toward hidden dimensions of reality—subtle forces, invisible realms, or inner planes—believed to be accessible through disciplined practice and specialized knowledge (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008). These traditions commonly combine cosmological speculation with techniques drawn from ritual magic, meditation, visualization, and divination, framing them as methods for acquiring experiential insight rather than merely holding doctrinal beliefs (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012).
At the same time, occultism typically presents itself as compatible with, or even grounded in, a rational or quasi-scientific attitude, appealing to notions of experiment, law, and correspondence to argue that the “occult” operates according to discoverable principles (Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Webb, 1976). This self-understanding distinguishes many occult currents from both purely devotional religion and from strictly materialist worldviews (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012).
Scholarly Definitions
In academic usage, occultism is often treated as a subset of Western esotericism rather than as a synonym for it. Wouter Hanegraaff, for example, proposes using the term as an analytical category for “all attempts by esotericists to come to terms with a disenchanted world,” highlighting occultism’s specific modern setting and its engagement with secular, scientific frameworks (Hanegraaff, 2012; Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013). This definition separates the scholarly use of “occultism” from insider self-descriptions, which may employ the term in narrower or more value-laden ways (Hanegraaff, 2012; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008).
Other historians stress that occultism is best understood as a family of movements rather than a single doctrine, encompassing diverse combinations of ritual magic, theosophy, spiritualism, esoteric Christianity, and new religious forms that nonetheless share a focus on hidden knowledge and transformative practice (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008). This approach allows scholars to map continuities and differences within a broad, evolving field without forcing all phenomena into a single system (Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Webb, 1976).
Relation to Esotericism and “the Occult”
Occultism is closely related to, but not identical with, esotericism, a broader category used for Western traditions that emphasize symbolic correspondences, living nature, mediating rituals, and inner transformation across many periods (Hanegraaff, 2012; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008). In this framework, occultism denotes the specifically modern phase in which such esoteric ideas and practices are reorganized under conditions of scientific and cultural change, giving rise to recognizable movements and institutions (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012).
The everyday phrase “the occult” is often used in popular culture to refer to a wide range of beliefs and practices—from magic and divination to UFO lore—without regard for historical specificity (Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Webb, 1976). Scholarly discussions of occultism aim to replace this diffuse usage with historically grounded analysis of particular currents, actors, and contexts (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012).
Common Misconceptions
- “Occultism is just another word for superstition.” Historical and analytical studies treat occultism as a structured set of ideas and practices responding to modern intellectual and cultural conditions, not simply as undifferentiated superstition (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Hanegraaff, 2012).
- “Occultism is identical with all of Western esotericism.” Scholars generally reserve “occultism” for modern developments, viewing earlier esoteric currents as part of a longer history that occultism reinterprets rather than exhaustively defines (Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Hanegraaff, 2012).
- “Occultism is a single, unified movement.” Research emphasizes the diversity of occult organizations, doctrines, and practices, which range from ritual magic orders to metaphysical healing movements and cannot be reduced to a single ideology (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Webb, 1976).
Summary
Occultism refers, in current academic usage, to modern Western esoteric currents that systematically engage with hidden aspects of reality through ritual, symbol, and speculative thought under the conditions of a secularizing, scientifically oriented culture. It marks a historically specific configuration of esoteric ideas and practices—drawing on older traditions yet reorganized in new institutional and conceptual forms—rather than a timeless synonym for all “occult” beliefs (Bogdan & Djurdjevic, 2013; Goodrick-Clarke, 2008; Hanegraaff, 2012; Webb, 1976).
References
Bogdan, H., & Djurdjevic, G. (Eds.). (2013). Occultism in a global perspective. Acumen.
Goodrick-Clarke, N. (2008). The Western esoteric traditions: A historical introduction. Oxford University Press.
Hanegraaff, W. J. (2012). Esotericism and the academy: Rejected knowledge in Western culture. Cambridge University Press.
Webb, J. (1976). The occult underground. Open Court.