Is The Occult A Dead-End Mind-Trap?

a reply to: TheJourney

Good topic and it should be discussed frequently at this site.

The occult is like any other spiritual (type) form of understanding -it opens a single door just like in a home. There are many doors inside a home and each one leads you into a different room and this is what spiritualism basically is. EXAMPLE: You are in the garage but want to get to your living room - how many doors (this includes arches) before you enter the living room? This is very basic which can be applied to becoming spiritual.

But there is a problem with studying the occult - where does it lead you, right? Not only is evil attached to the occult but so is the church. There are many Catholic priests and monks (and other religions) who was no longer satisfied with Church knowledge and took upon themselves additional studying which led them to the occult. They wanted to know and experience a side that is invisible to us, they wanted to see with their own eyes, hear with their own ears, they wanted answers to their questions. So here is another example:

You are at a toll booth and there is a charge before you can continue on your journey. You either pay or turn around and go back.

ALL spiritualism requires sacrifices no matter if it is the Church or the occult - payment must be made. Now before I continue lets me stop the jokers and wannabes right here...... the Church sacrifice - they expect from each of us is worship - prayer and fasting. Who do you turn to in order to do this? You turn to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For Christian beliefs - Jesus Christ, Yahshua, (the anointed one) sacrificed his life and to all who believe; their sins will be forgiven by the Father. No further blood sacrifice is required.

All spiritualism requires 100% devotion - a true hunger - seek and yea shall find (after you find the proper formula).

Sacrifices are also required in the occult and I will not expand on this subject.

Since we know the Church is head of God related religions with priest being its teachers then who is head of the occult?

If you believe in spiritualism then you believe in God, Satan, demons, angels (fallen angels) (good versus evil) (Light versus dark) etc....

Not only the bible but there are many other sources that teach the occult. As we call out the name of Jesus in Christian belief ... their are numerous names called out in the occult. These names are fallen angels - the original teachers of the occult...... according to the book of Solomon, Enoch and other sources there are 72 known fallen angels that specialize in teaching the occult - but each one requires worship and sacrifice and you will never advance in the occult without following their demands of proper worship and devotion - it becomes a life style.

As the Christian instantly changes from inside out after receiving the Holy Spirit (which includes a new way to live, the way we think - a new mind set) - the same is required in the occult. You cannot have it both ways. You can only travel in one direction.

If you seek knowledge - it comes with a price. Are you willing to pay that price? If not your occult practices will always lead you to a dead end.

Because of this there are numerous warnings in Christian teachings about the occult.

Some friendly advice - stop practicing in the occult. You play with matches (in this scenario) and you will burn not only your fingers but your soul.

a reply to: babybunnies

I believe in God and Jesus and I've likely had more encounters with demons than most people ever will. Not to mention the paranormal interests me. I don't do too much looking into the occult with regards to Crowley or anything but I know quite a bit about the weird things that I--and those around me--have experienced. It's a smart idea to avoid evil. Play with fire, be prepared to get burned. It's just common sense.

I didn't originally seek anything out--it came to me. And without God I'd have been dead many times over. Evil hates you--even if it will help you for a price. Even if you're evil, too. You're just being used. Don't mess with things that you don't understand.

I am sometimes just plain confused and more worryingly directionless in my pursuit of knowledge. I have been reading for sometime and attempting practice. The whole horizon sounds vague at times, experts and novices sound equally clueless. Perhaps the pursuit of knowledge of occult sciences is one of many confusions.

a reply to: TheJourney

It sounds like you're on the right track to me. Yet something holds you back. Can one move beyond spirituality into something greater? A state where spirituality is no longer required? Truth is, we always get better at what we're doing. If getting better at studying the insights of less informed ancients is of benefit for you, then continue on. But if living itself is something more interesting to learn about, you might find it is also of a greater benefit.

originally posted by: satsanga
a reply to: TheJourney
Would you consider scientology occult? Scientologists don't, but other main stream religions do.

As has been mentioned, occult simply means "hidden" as in hidden or secret knowledge. It does not mean a belief or practice scorned by others which is, I believe, the context you are giving it. It also does not mean evil or harmful although pretty much any knowledge can be used to harm.

Hi OP . I am new to the study of the occult and am headed off to take in a few hours on TY about the subject .My understanding thus far is that the word occult has been given a evil stigma to keep most people from studying it .The way tptb work is to hide things ,especially the truth so they can continue to control the masses . Any how this is a link to a series of lectures on the subject . www.youtube.com... a reply to: TheJourney

Crowley spent his honeymoon in Egypt taking in the esoteric splendor of the ancient civilization.
His wife appears to have provided much of his primary inspiration. If you have studied Crowley you probably understand the power of "the feminine" and its hold on the psyche. Crowley sent a "wife" to Jack Parsons and L Ron Hubbard for the purposes of conceiving a Satanic child. The Scientologists will tell you L Ron treated her like a Masonic sister.

The end of Crowley's relationship with his first wife deteriorated due to drug use, In 1911 Crowley had her committed to an asylum for alcohol dementia. By 1930 it was reported he had picked up an addiction to heroin himself. I'm not sure why the satanic weavers always seem to fall into drug addiction traps. My theory is they don't experience the longer Odyssey and are content to sit and eat lotus flowers all day.

a reply to: TheJourney

occultism is just a westernized version of the eastern systems. Trust me. The practicality may not be as obvious because each system emphasizes different aspects of the philosophy. But in my opinion, prana and pranayama and qigong and yoga and thelema and vril they're all trying to do the same thing. You just need to figure out the common "metaphysical" language that they all go by. Then you'll see the wisdom in all the religions and spiritual systems and realize that they're all just a continuation of the same thing. All systems have roots in spiritual/energetic dynamics....its just that some are more open about certain aspect than others.

a reply to: TheJourney

If you are not only interested in the general philosophy of occultism, and want to see some effects that will benefit your life,
-as you say- choose a path and start practicing.
If you want to make and eat a pie, it's all good to read recipes from various sources, but only reading and understanding the terms of cooking isn't gonna make a change.
You have to choose one and practice it. Start ''Cooking''.

It's very easy to come to a ''dead end'' in theory, but that's where you come in. You must fill the gabs with your own logical understanding following your own morals,ideology, philosophy etc.(take a note and write down your thoughts). Mystical experiences are first experienced in our mind, and our own input is more powerful than any third person's opinion. Following a written ''guide'' might help choosing a path but that alone won't harvest results because every mind is a different ''cosmos''(just like everyone fingerprints are different) and has it's own truths and methods to reach them...

a reply to: DeathSlayer

If you believe in spiritualism then you believe in God, Satan, demons, angels (fallen angels) (good versus evil) (Light versus dark) etc....

This is totally wrong, true spiritualism doesn't rely on any dogma.
Blindly accepting a truth isn't the same as the journey you take to finding one yourself.

a reply to: Dr1Akula
Personally i would like more physical edivance on the the Occult, The theory and practice must go hand in hand to have survived time and many generations.

Fox.

a reply to: TheJourney

What attracted you to Crowley? It might help to determine whether the occult is likely a dead-end mind trap for you if we know what you were seeking and what attracted you to that particular avenue of the occult.

a reply to: TheJourney

The OP is a very honest and open appraisal of the Occult scene. I think that it has always been taboo to mention the fact that most people get very little from their investment in Occult studies. Hence I am very happy to see your post.

The problem with occult studies is that the mind simply refuses to let go of its need to cling to something. We need to create boxes within boxes in order to cope with any new knowledge. At least the Western Esoteric system recognised this and devised its own system which is based on a lot of dogma (eg The Golden Dawn and the use of the Tree of Life).

Masonic grades are nothing more than acknowledgments that the required studies have been undertaken and do not represent actual degrees of power.

In the end we have to face the ultimate task of achieving balance. Only then do we have power. However, we are at a disadvantage from the start. We live in a society which consider 90% use of the left side of the brains and 10% of the right to be the perfect mix (which is totally wrong). In addition we live in a society that considers imagination and hope to be futile compared to instinct and aggresion.

Thus, when most people embark on the study of the Occult they fail to realise (or are not told) that most of the exercises and techniques are meant to free them from the one-sidedness. Instead they see the exercises as a means to quickly acquire magical power. Then they get disappointed or frustrated.

originally posted by: Tangerine
a reply to: TheJourney

What attracted you to Crowley? It might help to determine whether the occult is likely a dead-end mind trap for you if we know what you were seeking and what attracted you to that particular avenue of the occult.

Well, it started with an intense interest in Timothy Leary, and a real belief and appreciation of his philosophy. He often compared himself with Crowley, stating a certain affinity, even saying he was the re-incarnation of Crowley, though probably not literally. But, I couldn't not look into Crowley given all that. And then, I just really, for one reason or another, liked and was interested the idea of reality consisting of the interplay of certain elements, and the affinity of all things through these elements. And that kept me coming back. And then just through the reading, various things I had found to be true or ways of thinking philosophically/spiritually kept appearing in his writings. He wouldn't often write about these things in-depth, but he would mentioned them, as if they were an assumed context or underlying truths. And I agreed with these notions, which were consistent with Eastern Philosophy, and various other esoteric ideas.

originally posted by: crowdedskies
a reply to: TheJourney


Thus, when most people embark on the study of the Occult they fail to realise (or are not told) that most of the exercises and techniques are meant to free them from the one-sidedness. Instead they see the exercises as a means to quickly acquire magical power. Then they get disappointed or frustrated.

This is very well said. The Occult and all counterparts are the antidote to doublethink, which prevents us humans from using our power. I believe this problem originates from the dilution of gender. Instead of two halves performing two tasks perfectly, we are attempting to be whole while still half, and rejecting the other half in pride. This reflects appropriately in the Occult, as those filled with pride and identity are cursed with the "dead end", as they have ended their progression.

originally posted by: TheJourney

originally posted by: Tangerine
a reply to: TheJourney

What attracted you to Crowley? It might help to determine whether the occult is likely a dead-end mind trap for you if we know what you were seeking and what attracted you to that particular avenue of the occult.

Well, it started with an intense interest in Timothy Leary, and a real belief and appreciation of his philosophy. He often compared himself with Crowley, stating a certain affinity, even saying he was the re-incarnation of Crowley, though probably not literally. But, I couldn't not look into Crowley given all that. And then, I just really, for one reason or another, liked and was interested the idea of reality consisting of the interplay of certain elements, and the affinity of all things through these elements. And that kept me coming back. And then just through the reading, various things I had found to be true or ways of thinking philosophically/spiritually kept appearing in his writings. He wouldn't often write about these things in-depth, but he would mentioned them, as if they were an assumed context or underlying truths. And I agreed with these notions, which were consistent with Eastern Philosophy, and various other esoteric ideas.

I suggest that you explore occult philosophies such as Hermeticism rather than ego-driven personalities like Crowley and Leary. Even though they may have had genuine insights, it seems to me that their egos trumped everything. It's important to have the ideas not the personalities be the point of focus.

a reply to: TheJourney

Hi OP,

I agree with a couple of people here. You seem to me, to be right where you're supposed to be. The word "Occult" means 'that which is hidden'. Now that covers a lot of ground and it can lead you down many paths. I have more than 3 decades turning over stones and reading many so-called occult and esoteric practitioners. I have "deep dived" into philosophy, history, ethics and just about every crazy rabbit hole you can think of, but nothing seemed to quite fit. There were some very promising starts and a whole lot more deadends. It was if these people had a piece of something, but not the whole cloth, if you know what I mean. My studies have been a mix of Western and Eastern disciplines, but I found that for me, personally, that the Eastern practices, however interesting and exciting, just never completely fit me.

In just the last year I have been studying C.C. Zain's work and the "occult" practice he called "Hermetic Astrology". The organization that still acts to spread and teach his methods is called the "Church of Light". At first I was reluctant to investigate his work because of a personal bias I have with things referencing any kind of church, for fear that it was going to be another dogmatic almost cult like organization. I have been pleasantly surprised. His teachings immediately resonated with me, but I must confess I had been out there on the fringes flopping around for quite a while. Just over 2 years ago I redirected my efforts and began to focus my reading and study in an area of the occult and esoteric fields I had never even considered and these efforts lead me to discover Zain's work. Work that has remained conspicuously in the "wide open" for around 100 years. I would call his method a "Western Esoteric" approach, that has distinct Egyptian influences, rather than a synthesis of garbled Eastern Mysticism and Western Pagan beliefs.

Good Hunting!!

Occult...Anything that has nothing to do with Jesus.

a reply to: Specimen

Occult...Anything that has nothing to do with Jesus.

how utterly devoid of substance! A specimen of lazy thinking



from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occult

The occult (from the Latin word occultus "clandestine, hidden, secret") is "knowledge of the hidden". In common English usage, occult refers to "knowledge of the paranormal", as opposed to "knowledge of the measurable", usually referred to as science.

a reply to: TheJourney

What specifically are you studying?

Somebody else's regurgitated belief systems that may or may not have any connection to reality, or to making your life better?

Just answer this:

Has is made your life better? Has it helped make other people's lives better? How about the greater good? Are we all better off because of your studies?

a reply to: SystemResistor

So if I take a 5year old kid and do a purifucation ritual ala Abremalin the mage I WILL be able to CONTROL an entity that is timeless, incredibly intelligent and not to mention completely against humanity once the attending angel tells the kid what I must do.
"The Scared Writings of Abremalin the mage"
In order to alter reality on a basic level you are opening doors that will never close.
God ,Satan,NO you are trusting an entity that is beyond material reality WILL infact obey your rituals at all times?


I don't think so folks.