Esotericism refers to the doctrines of esoteric knowledge, in other words, knowledge that is hidden or obscure. Esoteric knowledge is available only to a narrow circle of “enlightened,” “initiated,” or highly educated people. ESOTERIC knowledge is usually contrasted with EXOTERIC knowledge, which is well-known or public knowledge for society at large.
Esotericism involves initiation such as the requirement that one be tested before learning the higher truth. However, such knowledge may be kept secret even because the masses would not have the ability to understand it.
Some traditions could be classified as forms of “Esotericism” due to their “inner” focus as well as their “selective” and “secretive” nature.
Etymology
Esoteric is an adjective originating in ancient Greece and comes from the Greek esôterikos, from esôtero, the comparative form of esô: which means “within.”
Esoteric refers to anything that is inner.
Its opposite is Exoteric, from the Greek eksôterikos, from eksôtero, the comparative form of eksô: “outside.”
While many esoteric subjects have a history reaching back thousands of years, not all of them survived to this day. During the Italian Renaissance, for example, philosophers Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola turned their attention to the classical literature of neo-Platonism, and Hermeticism.
During the Middle Ages, things as astrology, alchemy, and magic were all part of the curriculum of an educated person. In fact, it was quite normal for a person to have various interests and be learned in many topics and not be skilled in just one thing or monodimensional like today.
History
Esotericism is not a single tradition, but a mix of often unrelated figures and movements, that is why any teaching is to be taken with a grain of salt in my opinion.
In the ancient Graeco-Roman world, “Mystery religions,” or simply “Mysteries,” were belief systems in which full admission was restricted to those who had gone through certain secret initiation rites.” The term “Mystery” derives from Latin mysterium, from Greek musterion, in this context meaning “secret rite or doctrine.”
Esoteric is used to designate teachings or doctrines that are purposely kept secret, generally with a view to distinguish between initiates and noninitiates and refers to the hidden meanings of apparent reality.
GNOSIS, which means “knowledge” in Greek, is often used as a synonym for Esotericism.
Mainly since the beginning of the 1990s, the definition Western Esotericism came about, referring to the medieval and modern Greco-Latin world in which the religious traditions of Judaism and Christianity have coexisted for centuries, together with Islam.
I personally discard the term Western or Eastern since giving Esoteric and higher knowledge a geographic location is ridiculous, given the many clues about a world-wide pool of knowledge from time immemorial. Considering also the fact that many scholars use it just to underline political or personal world view that have no basis in reality.
Some prominent currents of Esotericism are:
Hermetism (referring to the Greek hermetica of late antiquity, in particular in the Corpus Hermeticum attributed to the legendary Hermes Trismegistus)
The philosophy of the Renaissance
Alchemy of the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries
Astrology
Theories of Paracelsus, giving a chemical or Alchemical interpretation of nature
Rosicrucianism
Theosophy, Illuminism and Occultism.
These are all official and established definition, not that you have to believe in them not take them for granted without doing your own research.
Then you also have all the academic research that is mostly a philosophical exercise of the intellect, mostly performed by aristocrats or individuals who belonged to agencies or hidden groups and had nothing to do with the REAL world, whatever REAL might mean.
As I said in my previous video about ESOTERIC PRAGMATISM, all these teachings should help us live a better life and not only be approached when one feels bored or wants to spend time flexing their brains, especially within the walls of Academia.
Most real scholars in the past and a few in the present, were OUT THERE in the world and were men and women of many talents and capabilities. Kings and Queens died in battle, unlikely to happen today.
Now it’s true that Philosophy and Mystical activities have always been in the hands of the higher classes and elite, since they had time and resources to dedicate themselves to it, unlike regular people who unfortunately have to go real jobs and professions.
Today, 99% of esoteric material is in the hands of people who never leave their armchairs, so their knowledge of the world is limited, as their knowledge of the REAL mysteries of the world.
I personally always promote a practical approach to any occult teachings, as a way to look for personal freedom while not harming anyone. So the point is: are modern esoteric teachings just a parroting of old ones?
For the most part, I would say close to 100%, yes they are, and the reason is simple. Most of self proclaimed experts in occult knowledge just repeat and promote the same teachings that have been known for thousands of years, without considering if they are still relevant today or not.
Can a secret doctrine of 3000 years ago help you in your current life in the year 2023 and years to come? Maybe, maybe not.
How do you find that out? Did you try it yourself or only rely on other people’s words and teachings?
I found most people never make an effort to come up with some practical knowledge and solutions to today’s challenges.
In a historical period in time where a lot of change is going on, as always was and probably will be, I believe it is time to promote teachings and solutions that can transform people’s minds to be free and prosper today’s world. Teachings that promote health, personal freedom and wealth and not some abstract and still-not-proven theory taken from an obscure, often random, text.
So the question is:
Is Esotericism useless? Especially the modern form promoted by would-be gurus?
Also, if you think about it and it does not get mentioned often, if something was really “esoteric” and “occult”, you wouldn’t probably find it in books on online stores and all.
Of course all knowledge can help you live a better life if you believe it can.
The point is that REAL occult knowledge that is in the hands of few people will remain, INDEED, OCCULT, that is, HIDDEN, for the rest of us, whether you are a self-proclaimed guru, professor within academia, or a freethinker.
Unless you are REALLY part of that inner circle. Only time will tell.
Sources, additional Info and other Points of View:
Esoteric knowledge is useless, VIDEO here
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Esotericism
https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esotericism
You can Watch the VIDEO on the platform below:
