Let's start with a little real story. A child comes home - and there the whole floor is sprinkled with rice. "Mom, what happened?" “This, son, I drive bad energy out of the house,” my mother explained to one of the practices of some Eastern mysticism, according to which the floor is sprinkled with spoken grain. Who would have thought that in the 21st century, along with the development of electronics, the latest types of technology and promising branches of science, the old, superstitious fascination with occult knowledge will remain. It is known that modern singers and actors are fond of Kabbalah, for example, Madonna, who personally founded the Center for the Study of Kabbalah in London, and following her example - Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Paris Hilton, Courtney Love, Philip Kirkorov, Lolita Milyavskaya and many others. Dr. Norwegian princess Martha Luisa in 2010 openly declared her commitment to esoteric teachings and spiritualism. Businessmen listen attentively to astrological forecasts, while politicians and athletes, on the eve of serious enterprises, rush for support from psychics, clairvoyants and sorcerers.

Occultism (from Latin occultus - secret, hidden) - these are mysterious teachings and cults expressing the desire to penetrate the spiritual world, to know the otherworldly forces and master them. This one seems as mysterious as the creak of an old door opened in an abandoned barn, when children are both afraid and curious to look in there. In occultism, it is believed that in man, nature and space there are mysterious, supernatural forces that can be revealed, discovered. Occultism calls for mastering these powers and thus achieving a more perfect life on earth. But isn't that what religion calls people to do the same? In religion (by which we mean, first of all, Christianity as a true religion), cognition of the spiritual world follows inseparably from communion with God. In occultism, however, a person tries to break through to spiritual forces bypassing God.

“When I began to engage in occultism,” a former sorcerer who achieved extrasensory abilities told the author of these lines, “I was amazed at the effect and the possibilities that magic opened up to me. People who came to me for advice and asking for help were clearly convinced of the invisible force acting on them through my practice. " The spiritual world itself in occultism is seen as a tool for personal selfish well-being - selfishness is the main driving force of the occultist. Therefore, the life motto of a successful occultist is “I am not like others; what is inaccessible to others is possible for me. " Occultism is most clearly expressed in magic. Magic is an attempt to master supernatural and natural powers with the help of spells, rituals and special mystical actions.

Since when did occultism appear?

There is an ancient monument, an Akkadian seal, dating back two millennia BC. This is a cylinder, in the middle of which is a tree with seven branches and two fruits. On the sides of the tree are two men with outstretched hands, judging by the headdresses, a man and a woman. A snake has risen behind the woman. This is an ancient depiction of the sin of our forefathers. The temptation of the occult is directly related to the first fall of man. The devil deceived the progenitors by the fact that, having tasted the forbidden fruit, they would receive secret knowledge, with the help of which they would become powerful, like the gods: The day you taste them(forbidden fruits) , your eyes will open, and you will be like gods who know good and evil(Genesis 3: 5).

What was so special that the tempter could offer the first people? After all, man was originally already called to likeness to God, and God gave the primordial people the power over the earthly world: And God blessed them, and God said to them: ... fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air, and over every animal that creeps on the earth(Genesis 1:28). However, it was possible to maintain this power and royal dignity only on the path of union with God, respectively, it required effort, work on oneself. Satan suggested, as it seems, a simpler and easier way: he suggested that the fruits themselves possess a magical power that makes a person equal to God. And the wife saw that the tree is good for food, and that it is pleasing to the eyes and longed for, because it gives knowledge(Genesis 3: 6). At the suggestion of the serpent, Eve tasted the forbidden fruit, wanting to receive special knowledge, as if hidden in the fruit itself. The mistake of the first people was that they looked at the tree of paradise as a kind of mysterious talisman, forcibly taking possession of which one can instantly become independent rulers of the whole world.

Thus, the fall of primordial people became the initial beginning of occult practice, the basis of magic and the search for secret knowledge. If before sin a person was in the closest inner communion with God, and his well-being depended on this, then in the Fall, God ceased to be a hidden good for a person, sanctifying his life from within. Now the forbidden fruit, this external to man, but tempting object, began to be perceived as a "golden key" with the help of which one thought to independently achieve happiness and be a self-sufficient ruler of one's being. If the power of the primordial man over the world could be exercised only with his personal harmony with God, now man has tried to achieve perfection "from the back door." Since then, there have been people who want to master secret powers, abilities, come up with such magic rituals or verbal formulas in order to influence the world - to become “like gods” without God. People acquire secret knowledge, are proud of it, and then, like our forefathers, they lose absolutely everything.

In the magician's office you will find a special mesmerizing atmosphere - a mysterious twilight, candles in a candlestick, a crystal ball, and a special relaxing tea will be served to the visitor. With this emancipation in a person, the first distrust of the magician is dulled. Then the magician by some action sets the visitor to focus, attention and interaction. The magician gives a clear sense of his power and abilities. The patient already feels completely dependent on the "miracle worker" and quickly agrees with every recommendation convincingly pronounced by the "specialist". So gradually the magician fascinates the visitor, as the primordial Eve was fascinated by the snake.

What exactly relates to occultism is beautifully stated in the now used Rite of renunciation of occult practice. After a detailed confession of the repentant in occult practice, before the prayer of permission, the priest asks the repentant questions, to which he answers with the established phrases. In this Chin we read:

« Question: Do you admit that practicing various types of occultism, such as extrasensory perception, bioenergetics, non-contact massage, hypnosis, folk healing, alternative medicine, coding, removal of damage and evil eye, witchcraft, sorcery and divination, fortune-telling, contact with spirits that cause poltergeist, spiritualism , astrology, contact with the "higher mind", with UFOs, connection to "cosmic energies", parapsychology, telepathy, "depth psychology", yoga and other Eastern cults, meditation, as well as other types of occultism lead to in-depth communication with fallen spirits?

Answer: I admit and repent of these activities. "

Thus, occultists are all psychics, folk healers, psychotherapists who use the hypnotic method of suggestion, bioenergy therapists who influence people with their "biofield", sorcerers, wizards, healers, ufologists, astrologers, fortunetellers, and so on.

Psychics themselves claim that they treat people with special inherent forces, which they call biocurrents, bioenergetics, accumulated cosmic energy, etc. Many of them believe that they have the power that God Himself has endowed them with. In essence, occultism is a God-forbidden connection with the invisible world of evil spirits, as it is said in the Chin, occult studies "lead to in-depth communication with fallen spirits."

So is occultism a true knowledge of the spiritual world?

If we are attracted by an art gallery, then we can go through the entrance accessible to all, of course, having fulfilled the appropriate conditions with the prescribed costs, and then we will see the genuine masterpieces. Or, at night, you can sneak through the window of a distant corridor and follow where it will lead you. An illegal way has never led to a genuine contemplation of art. Because full knowledge requires an appropriate sublime mood in the soul, and not the mundane curiosity of a thief, who, perhaps, will see exhibits of true art from afar, but will not understand its depth, or maybe confine himself to contemplating a stupa, a broom and a cheap horseshoe over the door. utility room. Occultism has never raised people to true spiritual heights, but limited their existence to the sphere of a world, albeit immaterial, but far from holiness, whose inhabitants are as fallen as man himself.

Occultism is generally alien to Divine Revelation. If the Bible is used there, it is only as one of the mysterious books, according to which they even guess, but which is not considered as the categorical Word of God. The well-known theorist and practitioner of occultism Rudolf Steiner wrote: “When an occultist speaks, he does not give dogmas, he gives his living experiences, he tells what he himself saw on the astral and spiritual planes, or what the teachers known to him as such were revealed to him” (Quote. Quoted from: Khondzinsky Pavel, priest Against Steiner: on Waldorf pedagogy. - M., 2001, p. 17). For example, the authoritative sorcerer Aleister Crowley wrote his "Book of the Law" in a trance state under the dictation of an invisible spirit. And the famous psychic Allan Chumak in his book "For Those Who Believe in Miracles" says that he was taught special abilities by voices that spoke in his head, "who worked as announcers in shifts." He outlined what was discovered and was guided by this in his medical practice. Moreover, according to Chumak, the voices only taught him to use his own abilities to heal people and supposedly not harm them at the same time, and also talked about the world order.

By and large, occultism is a distorted spirituality, in which, instead of communion with God and strengthening by His grace, a person strives for self-affirmation with the help of "hidden" forces. Therefore, occultism always appears where the true spiritual life becomes scarce or simply absent. In the early 1990s, materialism in our country was replaced by occultism, which, like a stream from a bursting sewer, began to flood the expanses of our native Russia with its fetid contents. The surge of occultism has always been observed during periods of crisis, social upheavals, when people wanted to enlist some kind of invisible help, find out the future, ward off trouble with a simple magical way, and lovers of easy money used this. And although the acute phase of the passion for "secret knowledge" has passed, but the passion for the occult remained in its chronic form. It manifests itself at the level of everyday life of people as conspiracies and talismans, superstitious omens and astrological forecasts, as well as all kinds of methods of expanding consciousness and revealing hidden abilities in oneself.

Occultism has its own technology: do this and that - and you will certainly learn what you are looking for. Unfortunately, this is often carried over to religion, when church rituals and prayers are viewed as protective rituals, which in themselves give a person all kinds of benefits. Already the first child of Adam and Eve, Cain perceived religion in the sense of magical protection from earthly troubles. Having lost the blessing of God, he said: Now ... anyone who meets me will kill me(Gen. 4:14). That is, if I had not fallen under Your wrath, I would not have lost my special protection, and my earthly life would have been free of all dangers. He perceived religion itself only as a means to earthly well-being, as a kind of magic key that unlocks the lock of earthly happiness.

People with a magical consciousness at the expense of religion think to achieve earthly comfort, while they absolutely do not need God Himself. Christ spoke to such people: You are looking for Me ... because you ate bread and were satisfied(John 6: 26). A person with a magical consciousness wants to get such a golden key, such a magic wand, with the help of which all kinds of benefits could be achieved. For example, a modern adherent of Kabbalah (and indeed magic in general) can be recognized by a red woolen thread on the wrist - it is believed that a person who loves you should tie the thread into seven knots and pronounce a special conspiracy, according to which the person becomes supposedly protected from someone else's envy, the evil eye and other negative impacts. It all comes down to a certain ritual or verbal formula, as some kind of technical tools with which one could switch one's life from illness to health, from suffering to well-being.

Christian spiritual life is built on completely different principles. In a person, first of all, his immortal soul is valuable, and therefore in life, spiritual well-being is paramount, and not fleshly, heavenly treasure is significant, not earthly. Man was created in the image of God, and therefore he can be truly happy only with God. A living appeal to God with a repentant rejection of sin is the core of spiritual life. Fulfillment of God's commandments with sincere, warm prayer, confession and participation in worship gives the soul that freedom and joy that nothing in this world can give. And if occultism flatteringly beckons to power, and then enslaves the soul to ruthless demons, then Christianity through the fulfillment of the will of God makes a person really strong, for when God is with a person, he has nothing shortage - the inner treasure makes up for the outer scarcity. Of course, it does not take your breath away from the mystical flight, when the soul, carried away by occultism, thinks that it is soaring upward, but in fact it is just falling into the abyss. True spiritual life is created peacefully, naturally, simply - gradually transforming the soul and inspiring it to a pure, clear and meaningful life. This is the path of ascent, on which paradise harmony and union with the Lord, once lost through the flattering temptation of occultism, return.

It would seem that hypnosis is a common method of treatment used by many psychotherapists, for example, in the case of coding for alcoholism. In fact, this is a completely occult method, the scientific nature of which is questionable. The hypnotized person becomes a kind of living robot, limply carrying out all the orders of the "master". Hypnosis is the patient's immersion in a world of illusion, and therefore this world is inherently deceitful. A person perceives the environment and himself not in their reality, but as a hypnotist inspires him. If hypnosis is accepted, he becomes generally susceptible to any influence. Demonstrating paralysis of the will in a hypnosis session, a person more easily perceives suggestions and dark forces. Even secular scientists will agree that one of the greatest strengths of the human psyche is the ability to analyze one's condition, the ability to evaluate one's own behavior. This look at myself from the outside: how I think, how I make decisions, what happens to me in general - helps to approach my life creatively, to go forward, and not to stay in place, like a frozen statue with a shovel in hand. Thanks to the activity of our inner eye, vigilantly observing everything that happens in our soul, we can remain ourselves, and not be miserable puppets, who are constantly imposed and inspired with something. A sober assessment of information coming from outside and everything that happens inside us is the basis of true health and life. Therefore, the voluntary submission of oneself to the influence of the hypnotist, and indeed to the occult influence, brings to the soul, against the background of the first improvements, a monstrous failure and discomfort.

occultism) The term "O." (lat. occulere - to hide, to conceal) is used in relation to doctrines and rituals, which, as it is believed, allow you to acquire a higher psyche. or spiritual abilities, but to-rye are not recognized either sovr. science or official religion. Mysticism, Spiritualism, Dowsing, Numerology, Rosicrucianism, Yoga, Natural Magic, Freemasonry, Witchcraft, Astrology and Alchemy, among many others. other occult sciences have had and, to a certain extent, continue to influence the West. civilization. Fundamental dogma O. - recognition of the existence of secret and incomprehensible ("hidden") forces of nature, to-rye can be understood and used only by those who have passed the appropriate. teaching the necessary intimate knowledge, to-rye, as is usually said, flow from ancient sources of wisdom. It is assumed that these forces can be used to control the surrounding area and predict the future. Although modern. science and rejects such magical ideas, all natural sciences leave their truth. roots in the O.O. possessed a certain intellectual respectability at least until the end of the 17th century, and astrology, along with astronomy, continued to be taught in high fur boots until 1800. Although most occult sciences formulate empirical statements in relation to reality, to-ry are not recognized sovr. science or official religion, the boundaries between science, science and religion are not always obvious. Parapsychol. occupies a borderline position between science and O. Although many. its scientific critics directly relate it to the field of occult knowledge, researchers who have devoted themselves to parapsychol., tend to use it in their research. strict scientific methodology and shy away from any ties with O. Nevertheless, their main. ideas about hypothetical natural forces, to-rye presumably serve as the reasons for psychic. telepathy, extrasensory foresight, etc., refer to representations that have always been fundamental in most occult systems. In order to separate the varieties of O., seeking to obtain scientific evidence for their ideas, from those of its directions, which do not do this, M. Truzzi proposed a five-digit classif. He uses the term "proto-scientific O." (proto-scientific occultism) in cases where scientific certainty is recognized as desirable and attempts are made to achieve it, but where, due to the lack of available evidence, these claims are not accepted by the scientific community. Quasi-scientific occultism covers those areas that claim to look like scientific knowledge, although little effort is actually made to do this, as in the case of astrology. Truzzi uses the term "pragmatic O." (pragmatic occultism) for those areas of O., which rely in their views on grounds similar to science, but at the same time do not claim the status of scientific knowledge. Collective mystical O. (shared mystical occultism) refers to mystical ideas, confirmed by the reports of other persons who had similar experiences of personal experiences, for example. in the process of transcendental meditation. Finally, personal mystical occultism is associated with an exclusively personal confirmation of a mystical idea, when an individual explicitly for himself receives a certain kind of revelation from divine or extraterrestrial beings. Zusne and Jones proposed to supplement Truzzi's set of categories with the category of philosophical occultism. They describe him as similar to the pragmatic O. Truzzi, except that the individual, instead of showing interest in the practice. results in the real world, focuses - through the concepts of esoteric philosophy - on personal results, which are stages of spiritual advancement on the path to perfection. Despite all the significance, a cut of the present. science gives rational thinking, issled. show that humans exhibit the same propensity for magical thinking as did their primitive ancestors. Although O. reflects an attempt by magical thinking to understand the structure of the surrounding world, it is based on powerful psychology. needs and processes that generally and generally operate outside of consciousness and can often serve the needs to enhance personal power and seek reassurance in the face of existential anxiety. It seems unlikely that humans will ever free themselves from such needs or from the addiction to magical thinking. See also Parapsychology, Religion and Psychology J. Elcock

Occultism

lat. occultus - hidden, secret) - supernatural, paranormal, not subject to and not subject to scientific analysis. D. Fraser points out that historically science emerged from the bosom of occultism. Nevertheless, it is not at all paradoxical that modern occultism carries an extremely anti-scientific way of thinking and acting. Some authors express surprise that with the development of science, education and technological progress, occultism not only does not lose its position, but something quite the opposite happens, as if people are fed up with the fruits of reason, science, become disillusioned with it, or decide that it does not can answer the questions that concern them, which they consider vital for themselves. So, in 2009, the media literally choked with mystical delight over the mysterious and unerring predictions of the outcomes of football matches, which the octopus Paul allegedly made. The octopus, who fell on the battlefield against the unknown, was eventually immortalized as an impressive monument, although it would be better to put it to human innocence or place such a monument in a museum of human nonsense. In recent decades, the soothsayer Vanga has been mentioned in the mass media of the Russian Federation much more often than outstanding thinkers combined. An important factor in the emergence of occult ideas is considered to be a low educational status: the more deplorable the state of the education system becomes, the more actively occultism spreads. According to polls, about 50% of the population of the Russian Federation now believe in the existence of occult phenomena. Truzzi distinguishes between the following types of occultism: 1. proto-scientific occultism, in which the scientific reliability of knowledge is recognized as desirable and attempts are made to achieve this; 2. quasi-scientific occultism, which claims to only superficially look like scientific knowledge (for example, astrology); 3. pragmatic occultism - those areas of occultism that rely in their ideas on grounds similar to science, but do not claim the status of scientific knowledge; 4. collective mystical occultism refers to mystical ideas, which are based on the testimony of others who had similar experiences; and 5. personal mystical occultism, associated with exclusively personal confirmation of mystical ideas (obtained, for example, through revelations). They also talk about philosophical occultism (Zusie, Jones), which focuses on personal results on the path to perfection. J. Ellok (2005) considers it unlikely that people will ever be able to get rid of the inclination to magical thinking and the need for miracles and mystical secrets, although a person exists in such a mysterious world that there is no need to invent anything mysterious, you just need to perhaps try to better understand what is happening or occurs literally at every step.

Let's start with a little real story. A child comes home - and there the whole floor is sprinkled with rice. "Mom, what happened?" “This, son, I drive bad energy out of the house,” my mother explained to one of the practices of some Eastern mysticism, according to which the floor is sprinkled with spoken grain. Who would have thought that in the 21st century, along with the development of electronics, the latest types of technology and promising branches of science, the old, superstitious fascination with occult knowledge will remain. It is known that modern singers and actors are fond of Kabbalah, for example, Madonna, who personally founded the Center for the Study of Kabbalah in London, and following her example - Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Paris Hilton, Courtney Love, Philip Kirkorov, Lolita Milyavskaya and many others. Dr. Norwegian princess Martha Luisa in 2010 openly declared her commitment to esoteric teachings and spiritualism. Businessmen listen attentively to astrological forecasts, while politicians and athletes, on the eve of serious enterprises, rush for support from psychics, clairvoyants and sorcerers.

Occultism (from Lat. Occultus - secret, hidden) is a mysterious teachings and cults that express the desire to penetrate the spiritual world, to know otherworldly forces and master them. This one seems as mysterious as the creak of an old door opened in an abandoned barn, when children are both afraid and curious to look in there. In occultism, it is believed that in man, nature and space there are mysterious, supernatural forces that can be revealed, discovered. Occultism calls for mastering these powers and thus achieving a more perfect life on earth. But isn't that what religion calls people to do the same? In religion (by which we mean, first of all, Christianity as a true religion), cognition of the spiritual world follows inseparably from communion with God. In occultism, however, a person tries to break through to spiritual forces bypassing God.

“When I began to engage in occultism,” a former sorcerer who achieved extrasensory abilities told the author of these lines, “I was amazed at the effect and the possibilities that magic opened up to me. People who came to me for advice and asking for help were clearly convinced of the invisible force acting on them through my practice. " The spiritual world itself in occultism is seen as a tool for personal selfish well-being - selfishness is the main driving force of the occultist. Therefore, the life motto of a successful occultist is “I am not like others; what is inaccessible to others is possible for me. " Occultism is most clearly expressed in magic. Magic is an attempt to master supernatural and natural powers with the help of spells, rituals and special mystical actions.

Since when did occultism appear?

There is an ancient monument, an Akkadian seal, dating back two millennia BC. It is a cylinder, in the middle of which is a tree with seven branches and two fruits. On the sides of the tree are two people with outstretched hands, judging by the headdresses, a man and a woman. A snake has risen behind the woman. This is an ancient depiction of the sin of our forefathers. The temptation of the occult is directly related to the first fall of man. The devil deceived the ancestors by the fact that, having tasted the forbidden fruit, they would receive secret knowledge, with the help of which they would become powerful, like the gods: “On the day on which you taste them (forbidden fruits), your eyes will open, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil ”(Genesis 3: 5).

What was so special that the tempter could offer the first people? After all, man was originally already called to likeness, and God gave primordial people the power over the earthly world: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: ... fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air, and over every animal that creeps on the ground ”(Gen. 1:28). However, it was possible to maintain this power and royal dignity only on the path of union with God, respectively, it required effort, work on oneself. Satan suggested, as it seems, a simpler and easier way: he suggested that the fruits themselves possess a magical power that makes a person equal to God. “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasing to the eyes and longed for, because it gave knowledge” (Genesis 3: 6). At the suggestion of the serpent, Eve tasted the forbidden fruit, wanting to receive special knowledge, as if hidden in the fruit itself. The mistake of the first people was that they looked at the tree of paradise as a kind of mysterious talisman, forcibly taking possession of which one can instantly become independent rulers of the whole world.

Thus, the fall of primordial people became the initial beginning of occult practice, the basis of magic and the search for secret knowledge. If before sin a person was in the closest inner communion with God, and his well-being depended on this, then in the Fall, God ceased to be a hidden good for a person, sanctifying his life from within. Now the forbidden fruit, this external to man, but tempting object, began to be perceived as a "golden key" with the help of which one thought to independently achieve happiness and be a self-sufficient ruler of one's being. If the power of the primordial man over the world could be exercised only with his personal harmony with God, now man has tried to achieve perfection "from the back door." Since then, there have been people who want to master secret powers, abilities, come up with such magic rituals or verbal formulas in order to influence the world - to become “like gods” without God. People acquire secret knowledge, are proud of it, and then, like our forefathers, they lose absolutely everything.

In the magician's office you will find a special mesmerizing atmosphere - a mysterious twilight, candles in a candlestick, a crystal ball, and a special relaxing tea will be served to the visitor. With this emancipation in a person, the first distrust of the magician is dulled. Then the magician by some action sets the visitor to focus, attention and interaction. The magician gives a clear sense of his power and abilities. The patient already feels completely dependent on the "miracle worker" and quickly agrees with every recommendation convincingly pronounced by the "specialist". So gradually the magician fascinates the visitor, as the primordial Eve was fascinated by the snake.

What exactly relates to the occult is perfectly stated in the currently used The rite of renunciation of occult practice. After a detailed confession of the repentant in occult practice, before the prayer of permission, the priest asks the repentant questions, to which he answers with the established phrases. In this Chin we read:

“Question: Do you admit that practicing various types of occultism, such as extrasensory perception, bioenergetics, non-contact massage, hypnosis, folk healing, alternative medicine, coding, removal of damage and the evil eye, witchcraft, sorcery and divination, fortune-telling, contact with spirits that cause poltergeist , spiritualism, astrology, contact with the "higher mind", with UFOs, connection to "cosmic energies", parapsychology, telepathy, "depth psychology", yoga and other Eastern cults, meditation, as well as other types of occultism lead to in-depth communication with the fallen perfume?

Answer: I admit and repent of these activities. "

Thus, occultists are all psychics, folk healers, psychotherapists who use the hypnotic method of suggestion, bioenergy therapists who influence people with their "biofield", sorcerers, wizards, healers, ufologists, astrologers, fortunetellers, and so on.

Psychics themselves claim that they treat people with special inherent forces, which they call biocurrents, bioenergetics, accumulated cosmic energy, etc. Many of them believe that they have the power that God Himself has endowed them with. In essence, occultism is a God-forbidden connection with the invisible world of evil spirits, as it is said in the Chin, occult studies "lead to in-depth communication with fallen spirits."

So is occultism a true knowledge of the spiritual world?

If we are attracted by an art gallery, then we can go through the entrance accessible to all, of course, having fulfilled the appropriate conditions with the prescribed costs, and then we will see the genuine masterpieces. Or, at night, you can sneak through the window of a distant corridor and follow where it will lead you. An illegal way has never led to a genuine contemplation of art. Because full knowledge requires an appropriate sublime mood in the soul, and not the mundane curiosity of a thief, who, perhaps, will see exhibits of true art from afar, but will not understand its depth, or maybe confine himself to contemplating a stupa, a broom and a cheap horseshoe over the door. utility room. Occultism has never raised people to true spiritual heights, but limited their existence to the sphere of a world, albeit immaterial, but far from holiness, whose inhabitants are as fallen as man himself.

Occultism is generally alien to Divine Revelation. If the Bible is used there, it is only as one of the mysterious books, according to which they even guess, but which is not considered as the categorical Word of God. The well-known theorist and practitioner of occultism Rudolf Steiner wrote: “When an occultist speaks, he does not give dogmas, he gives his living experiences, he tells what he himself saw on the astral and spiritual planes, or what the teachers known to him as such were revealed to him” (Quote. Quoted from: Khondzinsky Pavel, priest Against Steiner: on Waldorf pedagogy. - M., 2001, p. 17). For example, the authoritative sorcerer Aleister Crowley wrote his "Book of the Law" in a trance state under the dictation of an invisible spirit. And the famous psychic Allan Chumak in his book "For Those Who Believe in Miracles" says that he was taught special abilities by voices that spoke in his head, "who worked as announcers in shifts." He outlined what was discovered and was guided by this in his medical practice. Moreover, according to Chumak, the voices only taught him to use his own abilities to heal people and supposedly not harm them at the same time, and also talked about the world order.

By and large, occultism is a distorted spirituality, in which, instead of communion with God and strengthening by His grace, a person strives for self-affirmation with the help of "hidden" forces. Therefore, occultism always appears where the true spiritual life becomes scarce or simply absent. In the early 1990s, materialism in our country was replaced by occultism, which, like a stream from a bursting sewer, began to flood the expanses of our native Russia with its fetid contents. The surge of occultism has always been observed during periods of crisis, social upheavals, when people wanted to enlist some kind of invisible help, find out the future, ward off trouble with a simple magical way, and lovers of easy money used this. And although the acute phase of the passion for "secret knowledge" has passed, but the passion for the occult remained in its chronic form. It manifests itself at the level of everyday life of people as conspiracies and talismans, superstitious omens and astrological forecasts, as well as all kinds of methods of expanding consciousness and revealing hidden abilities in oneself.

Occultism has its own technology: do this and that - and you will certainly learn what you are looking for. Unfortunately, this is often carried over to religion, when church rituals and prayers are viewed as protective rituals, which in themselves give a person all kinds of benefits. Already the first child of Adam and Eve, Cain perceived religion in the sense of magical protection from earthly troubles. Having lost the blessing of God, he said: Now ... everyone who meets me will kill me (Gen. 4:14). That is, if I had not fallen under Your wrath, I would not have lost my special protection, and my earthly life would have been free of all dangers. He perceived religion itself only as a means to earthly well-being, as a kind of magic key that unlocks the lock of earthly happiness.

People with a magical consciousness at the expense of religion think to achieve earthly comfort, while they absolutely do not need God Himself. Christ said to such people: You are looking for Me ... because you ate bread and were satisfied (John 6:26). A person with a magical consciousness wants to get such a golden key, such a magic wand, with the help of which all kinds of benefits could be achieved. For example, a modern adherent of Kabbalah (and indeed magic in general) can be recognized by a red woolen thread on the wrist - it is believed that a person who loves you should tie the thread into seven knots and pronounce a special conspiracy, according to which the person becomes supposedly protected from someone else's envy, the evil eye and other negative impacts. It all comes down to a certain ritual or verbal formula, as some kind of technical tools with which one could switch one's life from illness to health, from suffering to well-being.

Christian spiritual life is built on completely different principles. In a person, first of all, his immortal soul is valuable, and therefore in life, spiritual well-being is paramount, and not fleshly, heavenly treasure is significant, not earthly. Man was created in the image of God, and therefore he can be truly happy only with God. A living appeal to God with a repentant rejection of sin is the core of spiritual life. Fulfillment of God's commandments with sincere, warm prayer, confession and participation in worship gives the soul that freedom and joy that nothing in this world can give. And if occultism flatteringly beckons to power, and then enslaves the soul to ruthless demons, then Christianity through the fulfillment of the will of God makes a person really strong, for when God is with a person, he has nothing shortage - the inner treasure makes up for the outer scarcity. Of course, it does not take your breath away from the mystical flight, when the soul, carried away by occultism, thinks that it is soaring upward, but in fact it is just falling into the abyss. True spiritual life is created peacefully, naturally, simply - gradually transforming the soul and inspiring it to a pure, clear and meaningful life. This is the path of ascent, on which paradise harmony and union with the Lord, once lost through the flattering temptation of occultism, return.

It would seem that hypnosis is a common method of treatment used by many psychotherapists, for example, in the case of coding for alcoholism. In fact, this is a completely occult method, the scientific nature of which is questionable. The hypnotized person becomes a kind of living robot, limply carrying out all the orders of the "master". Hypnosis is the patient's immersion in a world of illusion, and therefore this world is inherently deceitful. A person perceives the environment and himself not in their reality, but as a hypnotist inspires him. If hypnosis is accepted, he becomes generally susceptible to any influence. Demonstrating paralysis of the will in a hypnosis session, a person more easily perceives suggestions and dark forces. Even secular scientists will agree that one of the greatest strengths of the human psyche is the ability to analyze one's condition, the ability to evaluate one's own behavior. This look at myself from the outside: how I think, how I make decisions, what happens to me in general - helps to approach my life creatively, to go forward, and not to stay in place, like a frozen statue with a shovel in hand. Thanks to the activity of our inner eye, vigilantly observing everything that happens in our soul, we can remain ourselves, and not be miserable puppets, who are constantly imposed and inspired with something. A sober assessment of information coming from outside and everything that happens inside us is the basis of true health and life. Therefore, the voluntary submission of oneself to the influence of the hypnotist, and indeed to the occult influence, brings to the soul, against the background of the first improvements, a monstrous failure and discomfort.

Many people confuse occultism with esotericism. They were both closed and secret topics, and they still remain. Few people really know something and understand these areas.

What is called occult and what is esoteric? What's the difference between these concepts?

Occultism

This is the general name of the teachings that determine the presence of natural forces and indicate the presence of other forces, direct communication with which is impossible for everyone in a row. This communication is possible only for initiates close to the Divine world.

Communication with otherworldly forces occurs in the form of mysteries, magical rituals, trance, occult symbols and mystical attributes.

The occult sciences include:

• Alchemy. An area of ​​philosophical knowledge that studied the process of turning metal into gold and the secret of immortality.
• Astrology. Really existing science that analyzes the impact of celestial bodies on events taking place on planet Earth. It contains mystical, magical aspects.
• Cabal. This is a religious Jewish movement that still exists today.
• Theosophy. The theoretical part of occultism, studies the divine principle using magical methods.
• Theurgy. Practical magic that allows you to interact with higher powers in order to acquire certain benefits.

Occultism is a serious direction that expands the understanding of the world. To understand what occultism is, one should know its history of appearance and the process of development.

History of the occult

This trend dates back to the time of the first mention of the term "secret philosophy", which was introduced by the German astrologer, occultist, philosopher Argippus of Nettesheim in the 16th century. Three centuries later, the term was widely used by the French tarologist and occultist Elphias Levy.

The practices and methods used in occultism are contrary to the religious dogmas of various peoples. In many countries, occultism is perceived as something sinful, since its methods are based on the use of higher powers, both light and dark, in achieving their goals.

Occult synonyms are such concepts as:

• sorcery - communication with spirits and deities in pagan cultures and beliefs;
• witchcraft - the use of dark forces and forces of nature to achieve their goals;
• black book - communication with dead spirits;
• divination - fortune-telling for the future with the help of magical rituals.

There are about 30 synonyms for the term "occult", they are all based on the use of secret knowledge and ideas, rituals and occult symbols, as well as magical and mystical practices.

Theoretical Foundations of Occultism

The generally accepted methods of occultism, with the help of which knowledge of the surrounding world is carried out, are sensory perception, experience and speculation.

There is also a fourth method of cognition - hypersensitivity. It cannot be verified by any scientific method, namely, it involves communication with the other world, with the world of the dead, with superpowers and deities.

Notable Occultists:

• John Dee. He suggested starting the countdown from the initial (zero) meridian, wrote a textbook on geography, and at the same time was a famous occultist.
• Saint Germain. He boasted that he had invented the elixir of eternal life, which he allegedly used on himself and lived for more than one century (this is his statement, in which many believed in those days).
• Count Cagliostro. He studied traditional medicine, while using secret magical methods that allowed him to heal even seriously ill people.

There have been many people involved in occultism in the history of mankind. Scientists attribute a connection with the occult sciences to many writers, artists, politicians, including Napoleon and Hitler.

Types of occultism

The number of trends and trends in occultism is incredibly large. There are such types as:

• Magical occultism. Where does black magic, mediumship, hypnosis, witchcraft, divination, divination, fortune telling, tarot science enter.
• Systemic techniques. These are feng shui, palmistry, numerology, reiki.
• Unrecognized sciences. This group includes alchemy, ufology, NLP, runes;
• Cabal.
• Extrasensory perception.

These are the varieties that form the basis of occultism. There are much more such directions, and their number is growing every day, since a person is constantly in search of information about the mysterious, mysterious, intimate.

The Church and others urge people not to use occult knowledge, explaining that they are associated with dark forces.

Thule Society: German Occultism

This is a German occult and nationalist movement that first appeared in the early twentieth century in Munich. The name comes from the mythical Hyperborea, mentioned in ancient legends. The community consisted of prominent politicians and members of the National Socialist Party of Germany.

The Thule Society was created as an occult one.

The legend about the island of Tula says that Pytheas allegedly visited this mysterious land during his wanderings. This country was distinguished by its fertility, it was inhabited by a cultural population. Until now, it has not been possible to correlate Thule Island with a real geographic object. There is a hypothesis that this island has disappeared.

According to Germanic ideologists, the island of Thule was part of the Arctic continent, a kind of northern version of the legendary and mysterious Atlantis. This territory was inhabited by fair-haired, tall people who created a highly developed civilization. This select race of people was called the Aryan. Their land was isolated from the rest of the world, separated from it by the sea, thanks to which they preserved the traditions and purity of blood (Aryan). But as a result of a natural cataclysm, the climate changed, and life on this earth became impossible. About 15 thousand years ago, the Aryans left their lands and settled initially in the European zone of Scandinavia. Later they began to settle in that part of the territory of Central Europe, which later became the sacred German Empire.

The Aryans kept the memory of their ethnic land - Tula, so as not to forget their traditions, they put their sign everywhere - the swastika. Adolf Hitler became a member of the Thule Society in 1919.

Other teaching

What does esoteric mean? What does this concept include? Esotericism is a multifaceted teaching about the soul, it includes occult sciences, mysticism, psychology, philosophy, and religious trends. There are no clear lines of this direction. The purpose and essence of esotericism is to study the mysterious worlds and the development of man in them.

The term "esotericism" was introduced by Pythagoras and translated from Greek it means "inner territory". This is a set of teachings, concepts, beliefs, the meaning of which is hidden from ordinary people, and is available only to a select few or dedicated. This is the teaching about the material world and spiritual development. This includes various practices: yoga, meditation, breathing work, palmistry, psychic schools. It is necessary to start the study of esotericism by studying the foundations of the psychology of the human soul.

The most famous esotericists were Castaneda, Helena Roerich, Blavatsky.

Esoteric books describe the three modes (qualities) of human nature: goodness, ignorance and passion. Each person is influenced by all three components, but only one is fundamental in his life, and it controls his life:

• The mode of goodness. A person who is under her influence is virtuous, does good deeds, brings positive things into the world. He strives for spiritual development, he is conscientious, honest, noble.
• The mode of ignorance. Under a huge number of people are influenced by it. They prefer an idle lifestyle, momentary pleasures. They do not perceive other people, they try to retrain everyone and adjust the world for themselves. This does not mean at all that this guna includes spoiled, bad people. Their ignorance lies in the desire to violate the laws of nature and adjust the world for themselves.
• The guna of passion. Such people put passion above all else. Pleasures, an idle life, pleasures are the main characteristics of this group of people.

Directions of esotericism

Scientists identify the following areas of esoteric knowledge:

• Knowing yourself. There are many schools that teach a person to be himself through meditation, travel, breathing practices. As a result, he must receive enlightenment, liberation. In this direction, esotericism is strongly intertwined with tantric yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, sutra yoga.
• Healing and discovering the ability to heal other people. Many are achieving good results in this direction. There are people who were able to develop superpowers in themselves: to tear stones with their fingers, to bend forks and spoons with a glance, to heal other people from deadly diseases. A person can develop in himself a lot of different abilities, and in this he is helped by a variety of teachings and methods.
• Impact on the world. These are teachings and practices that can help a person influence reality. This includes teachings about black and white magicians, extrasensory perception, astral, energy, poltergeist, etc.

What does esotericism give?

Why esoteric knowledge can only be grasped by a select few? Because not every one of us is ready to say goodbye to the old idea of ​​the world, with the old thoughts, with the usual three-dimensional space. Only a select few strive for this knowledge, for transforming themselves, their thoughts.

But esoteric practices and technologies give people not only knowledge, they help to start thinking differently, to feel the space, to understand that the world around us is not three-dimensional, but unlimited and our consciousness is omnipotent.

Why is a person engaged in esotericism?

Esotericism and occultism are different roads that lead to one knowledge. They appear in a person's life at the very moment when they are very much needed:

• when he is in search of new sensations;
• when the world loses its attractiveness for him, becomes boring and does not bring joy;
• when he ceases to see a miracle, and looks only from the negative side;
• when he is in search of a new method of treatment (traditional medicine is powerless);
• when a person is in a state of prolonged depression, despair, grief.

Esotericism and occultism, religion or magic help a person to recover spiritually and physically. This is knowledge and wisdom accumulated over many years. Esotericism and occultism are mysteries that everyone can comprehend, and with which he can overcome difficulties. Become free and free from burdens, achieve results, become healthy and happy.

What is the difference between occultism and esotericism?

Esotericism is an offshoot of the occult. This is exactly what scientists and researchers who are interested in this issue say. Is there a difference between esotericism and occultism? The purpose of esotericism is not to attract the love of higher powers. It is aimed at gaining knowledge about the material and spiritual world, at self-knowledge, gaining knowledge and information about higher powers.

Occultism is aimed at subjugating otherworldly forces, usually dark ones, in order to obtain any kind of benefits.

Esotericism and occultism: substitution of concepts

Occult sciences are a system of knowledge about the material and spiritual world, which gives a person great opportunities. They strongly resemble esoteric teachings, but there is one significant difference. Esotericism is self-knowledge and spiritual development, awareness of the divine essence and complete detachment from material goods. Occultism is aimed at developing the ability to acquire power and strength in the material world. That is, occult knowledge should help to achieve status and material benefits. Often occult sciences such as palmistry, astrology, numerology, fortune-telling are called esotericism. But this is an erroneous statement, since their main task is to improve their financial situation. While esotericism is a divine path and spiritual perfection.

The unknown has attracted man since time immemorial. No matter how frightening any phenomenon was, the person still strove to get to know him better and tried to somehow explain it.

Unknown and attractive

Occult sciences are an attempt to explain everything unknown, supernatural, while not paying attention to the laws of physics or chemistry. Simply put, occultism is concerned with explaining extraordinary phenomena through others, no less incomprehensible. For example, if an adherent of this "science" were asked why people sometimes see, he would answer that they have the gift of clairvoyance, to which the physicist would most likely throw up his hands and start talking about incredible coincidences. Occult sciences are very diverse, and some of them originated even when the future Homo sapiens could not even speak articulately. Of course, then there was everything for it, and only magic could give a more or less intelligible answer to most questions. But what is happening today? Are the occult sciences still practiced today, or has this unusual field of activity safely sunk into oblivion?

A fast-paced race to the past

No, this activity has not yet sunk into oblivion. This may seem surprising, because today science has made such progress that only an uneducated or just a very naive person who is still standing with one foot in a child's cradle can believe in the effectiveness of magical rituals, curses, or the same prophetic dreams. Occult sciences for such an individual are a kind of door to the desired one about which he learned all from the same books on occultism. On the one hand, a modern person can for some time believe in the truthfulness of magic - for example, when he watches a thematic movie or reads similar literature. However, scientific and technological progress has gone too far, closing all paths to occultism. But, be that as it may, solemn rituals are carried out now. Even if we take it less globally, human superstitions are still cultivated in society, and people are still waiting for a mystical sign from above, which should show them how to act in a given situation.

A complex approach to simple things

Occult sciences are very different, depending on the direction of activity and the range of questions to which she is trying to find adequate, from her point of view, answers. For example, alchemy is a very famous branch of occultism. The main goal of alchemists, as the classic works testify, is to find a recipe for creating a philosopher's stone. However, this combination is impossible, and educated people know about it. Some, however, continue to amuse themselves with hope, living in a fairy tale. Since occultism studies forces and phenomena unknown to orthodox science, sometimes it puts itself much higher than this very science. There are quite a few adherents who believe that atheists and people who trust only dry scientific facts are limited and incapable of broad thinking. However, let's think ... What is worse: to think that lightning is the roar of the devil, or to know that this phenomenon is just a powerful spark electric discharge? The answer, it would seem, suggests itself, but supporters and lovers of the occult will never agree with this thesis.

Secret knowledge on Wikipedia

Today it is very simple to find out what occult sciences are - an incredible number of books have been written about this, and thematic programs are still broadcast on television. If for a person with a scientific approach such shows cause only a skeptical smile, then for superstitious people - trembling in the knees and sweat on the forehead. Amazingly, the more these people believe in the truthfulness of the existence of supernatural forces, the greater their chance of actually witnessing them. However, this does not mean that what they see will be exactly what they think. An inflamed consciousness can see what is not, and no one has yet canceled hallucinations based on panic fear. This is how all these "eyewitnesses" appear: at first they sincerely believe in something, and then in the same way they sincerely come up with unnecessary things. Occultism broadcasts that "secret knowledge" is available only to people with special abilities, therefore all their initiates are the chosen ones, and the rest of the honest people are heretics and skeptics.

When the owl arrives ...

Such "teachings" of occultism as astrology, spiritualism and Kabbalah are widespread. We read about astrological "research" in local weeklies. Sagittarius is interested in what good things will happen to them on Wednesday, and Taurus - what kind of magical woman they wrote about in the horoscope again. Here the placebo principle begins to operate: a person sets himself up in advance that he will have some kind of “pleasant meeting”, so he will even fit a meeting with a handsome courier of the opposite sex into this category. Fortune-telling on cards, palms, or even on daisies is also very common. On the one hand, it's not that bad because sometimes it gives us additional hope. It is necessary to ring the alarm bells when a person has been claiming for several years in a row that there is an academy of magic and occult sciences, from where he is about to be sent a letter with an owl. If additional hope is good anyway, then waiting for a letter from wizardry school smells a little crazy.

A whirlpool of despair, or How to make money fast

This area of ​​human activity has already been studied far and wide, but some interesting questions are still hovering in the air. Various programs are trying to answer them, with which the Ren-TV channel especially often shines. One of these projects, broadcast on this channel, was called: “Untold Secrets. Why did the Bolsheviks study the occult sciences? " The question itself already sounds ridiculous, not to mention what the show itself is about. Science is so well developed today that so-called occultism is often used to fool naive people who still believe in magic. The unfortunate victims bring handfuls of jewelry to the gypsies, give the keys to their own apartments, and fortune-tellers are paid big money to help them make a fateful decision. Of course, everyone has the right to believe whatever he wants. But does this mean that you need to let everything go with the flow, wait for a sign from above or a prophetic dream? Of course, you can wait. It won't have a negative impact as long as you do something else ...