List of occult terms

The occult is a category of supernatural beliefs and practices, encompassing such phenomena as those involving mysticism, spirituality, and magic in terms of any otherworldly agency. It can also refer to other non-religious supernatural ideas like extra-sensory perception and parapsychology.

The occult (from the Latin word occultus "clandestine, hidden, secret") is "knowledge of the hidden". In common usage, occult refers to "knowledge of the paranormal", as opposed to "knowledge of the measurable", usually referred to as science. The term is sometimes taken to mean knowledge that "is meant only for certain people" or that "must be kept hidden", but for most practicing occultists it is simply the study of a deeper spiritual reality that extends beyond pure reason and the physical sciences. The terms esoteric and arcane can also be used to describe the occult, in addition to their meanings unrelated to the supernatural. The term occult sciences was used in the 16th century to refer to astrology, alchemy, and natural magic, which today are considered pseudosciences.

The term occultism emerged in 19th-century France, where it came to be associated with various French esoteric groups connected to Éliphas Lévi and Papus, and in 1875 was introduced into the English language by the esotericist Helena Blavatsky. Throughout the 20th century, the term was used idiosyncratically by a range of different authors, but by the 21st century was commonly employed – including by academic scholars of esotericism – to refer to a range of esoteric currents that developed in the mid-19th century and their descendants. Occultism is thus often used to categorise such esoteric traditions as Spiritualism, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and New Age.

It also describes a number of magical organizations or orders, the teachings and practices taught by them, and to a large body of current and historical literature and spiritual philosophy related to this subject.

A 
Abatur (Mandaean)
Abbey of Thelema
Abramelin oil
Acupuncture
Adept
Advent, (Christ.)
Aeon (Gnosticism)
Aether
Akashic Records
Akhetaten
Alchemy
All Souls' Day
Alomancy
Alphabet of Desire
Altar cruet
Amulet
 Amulet, (Christian) see New Testament amulet
Anachitis, a form of divination stone
Anasyrma (Greek)
Anchimayen (Mapuche- S. America)
Animism
Ankh
Anointing, see also Holy anointing oil
Anthesteria, (Greek)
Anthroposophy
Apotheosis
Apparitions - See Ghost
Argenteum Astrum
Ariosophy
Ascended master
Aspergillum
Astral projection, see also Soul flight
Astrological age
Astrological aspect
Astrology
Astrology and alchemy
Astrology and the classical elements
Astrology and numerology
Astrotheology
Athame
Aura
Augury (interpreting omens)
Automatic writing

B 
Banishing
Banshee
Baphomet
Beltane 
Benedicaria (Italian)
Bibliomancy
Biosophy
Biorhythm (pseudoscience)
Black magic
Black Mass
Black Sun
Blarney Stone
Blue (color paint), see Haint blue
Body of light
Boline
Book of shadows

C 
Candle
Cartomancy (divination using playing cards)
Cauldron
Censer, see also Thurible
Centiloquium
Ceremonial magic
Chalice, see also Ciborium
Chaos magic
Charmstone
Chinese astrology
Chromotherapy
Church grim (Christ.-Eng./Nord.)
Ciborium, see also Chalice
Cilice
Circumambulation
Clairaudience (ability to hear voices & sounds super-normally- spirited voices alleging to be those of dead people giving advice or warnings)
Clairsentience (supernormal sense perception)
Clairvoyance (ability to see objects or events spontaneously or supernormally above their normal range of vision- second sight)
Cleromancy
Coco (folklore)
Color symbolism
Color therapy see Chromotherapy
Cone of power
Conjuration (summoning up a spirit by incantation)
 Cosmology, see Religious cosmology
Coven (a community of witches)
Crossroads (folklore)
Crystal gazing, see also Scrying
Cult
Cunning folk traditions and the Latter Day Saint movement
Curse

D 
Da'at
Deal with the Devil
Déjà vu
Demonology
Demiurge
Discernment of Spirits (Christ.)
Djembe (West Africa)
Devil, see also Satan
Divination
Dowsing
Dragon
Drak (mythology) (Germ.)
Dream interpretation
Dybbuk

E 
Earth mysteries
Esbat
Ectenia ( E. Orthodox)
Ectoplasm (unknown substance from body of a medium)
Eight-circuit model of consciousness
Ein Sof
Elemental
Enchanting
Energy (esotericism)
English Qaballa
Enochian
Ephemeris
E.S.P. (extra sensory perception)
Esoteric Christianity, see also Gnosticism
Esoteric cosmology
Esotericism, see also Exoteric
Entheogen
Evil eye
Evocation
Exorcism
Exoteric, see also Esotericism (for Esoteric)
Eucharist

F 
Fama Fraternitatis
Familiar spirit
Fasting in religion
Feng shui
Feri Tradition
Fern flower (Baltic region & Slavic beliefs)
Figs in the Bible (Biblical)
Filakto (E. Euro.)
Firewalking
Florida Water
Flying ointment
Folk belief
Folk religion
Food- see Sacred food as offering, (see also Libation)
Four-leaf clover
Fortune-telling
Fraternal order, see also List of general fraternities
Freemason

G 
Galdr (Old Norse)
Gargoyle
Gematria, see also Numerology
Gemstones in the Bible, see also List of plants in the Bible
Geocentric model, see also Heliocentrism
Geomancy
Geomantic figures
Ghouls
Ghost hunting
 Glossolalia, see Speaking in tongues
Gnome
Gnosis
Gnosis (chaos magic)
Gnosticism, see also Esoteric Christianity
Gnostic mass
Goblin
Goetia
Golem
Gradobranitelj
Graphology
Gray magic
Great Work (Hermeticism)
Great Work (Thelema)
Greater and lesser magic
Grimoire
Guardian angel

H 
Hadit
Haint blue (Hoodoo)
Hamingja (Norse)
Hamsa
Hand of Glory
Haruspex
Haunted
Hedgewitch
Heliocentrism see also Geocentric model
Hellfire club
Hermeticism
Hestia (Greek)
Hexagram
Hex
Holy Guardian Angel, see Guardian angel
Holy anointing oil, see also Anointing
Holy water
Homeopathy
Homunculus
Hoodoo
Huaychivo, (Mayan)
Huna

I 
I Ching
Ifa
Imbolc
Imp
Incantation
Incense
Iconoclasm
Incorruptibility
Incubus, see also Succubus
Initiation
Invocation

J 
Jinx
Jumbee (Colombian, Venezuela, Caribbean)
Juju

K 
Kabbalah
Karzełek (Slavik)
Kia (magic)
Kirlian Photography
Kumina (Afro-Jamaican)
Kundalini energy

L 
Lamen (magic)
Lammas
Lampadomancy
Law of contagion
Left-hand path and right-hand path
Ley line
Lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram
Libation, see also Sacred food as offering
 Light, see Ceremonial use of lights
Liminality
List of alchemists
List of astrologers
List of channelers (mediumship)
Lists of deities
List of general fraternities
List of good-luck charms
Lists of legendary creatures
List of lunar deities
List of Mesopotamian deities
List of mythological objects
List of Old Testament pseudepigrapha
List of plants in the Bible, see also Gemstones in the Bible
List of solar deities
List of spirituality-related topics
List of Thelemites
List of theological demons
List of occultists
List of occult symbols
List of psychic abilities
List of vampiric creatures in folklore
List of religion see Outline of religion
Liturgy
Literomancy
Lithomancy
Lemures (Roman)
Lucifer
Luciferianism
Lughnasadh (Gaelic)

M 
Magic (paranormal)
Magic circle
Magic square
Magic word
Magical formula
Magical thinking
Magick
Maleficium (sorcery)
Mami Wata
Martinist
Mass (liturgy)
Mathers table
Maypole
Mediumship
Melchizedek
Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)
Mephistopheles
Merkabah mysticism
Mesmerism
Metaphysics
Methods of divination
Metoposcopy see also Phrenology, Physiognomy
Mojo (African-American culture), see also Sachet
Molybdomancy
Mood ring
Mystery religion
Mysticism

N 
Nagual
Navigium Isidis, (Roman/Egyptian)
Necromancy
Necronomicon
Neodruidism
Neopaganism
Neotantra, see also Tantra & Plastic shaman
New Age
Neoshamanism
New Thought
Night terror, see also Sleep paralysis
Nisse (folklore) (Scandinavian)
Noa-name (Polynesian)
Nominalism
Nuit
Numen (Latin)
Numerology, see also Gematria

O 
Obeah and Wanga
Obsession (Spiritism), see also Spirit possession
Occultism
Odic force
Omen
Oneiromancy
Oneironautics
Onychomancy
Orans
Ordination
Osculum infame
Otherworld
Ouija
Ouroboros

P 
Paganism
Palmistry
Paranormal
paraphernalia
Parapsychology
Paten (Cath.)
Peijaiset (Finnish)
Pentacle
Penuel
Philosopher's stone
Phrenology, see also Metoposcopy
Physiognomy, see also Metoposcopy
Planetary hours
Planchette
Plastic shaman
Pneumatic (Gnosticism)
Podea 
Poltergeist
Poppet
Potion
Power Animal
Pow-wow (folk magic)
Precognition, see also Retrocognition
Pseudepigrapha
Psionics
Psychic
Psychic surgery
Psychic vampire
Psychopomp
Psychonautics
Psychometry
Pyramid power
Pyx (Cath.)

Q 
Qabalah
Qareen
Quantum mysticism
Quareia

R 
Radiesthesia
Radionics
Regalia
Reiki
Renaissance magic
Retrocognition, see also Precognition
Rhabdomancy
Rosicrucianism
Rougarou, see also Werewolf
Rūḥ , Islamic
Rumpology
Runecasting
Runic magic
Rusalka (Slavic)

S 
Sabbath, see also Witches' Sabbath 
Sachet, see also Mojo (African-American culture)
Sacrament
Salamander, see Cultural depictions of salamanders
 Salt, see Blessed salt
Samhain
Satan, see also Devil
Satanic panic
Satanism
Scrying, see also Crystal gazing
Séance
Secret Chiefs
Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)
Seeress (Germanic)
Seidr (Old Norse)
Selkie (Celtic & Norse)
Siren
Sefirot
Servitor (chaos magic)
Seven Rays
Seventh son of a seventh son
Sex magic
Shachihoko (Jap.)
Shadow person
Shamanism
Sheela na gig
Shekhinah (Hebrew)
Shem HaMephorash (Hebrew)
Shrovetide, (pre-Lent)
Sidereal and tropical astrology
Sefirot (Hebrew)
Sigil
Sigil of Baphomet
Sigillum Dei
Simiyya, (Islamic)
Simurgh (Persian)
Skin-walker
Sleep paralysis, see also Night terror
Smudging
Sorcery
Soul flight, see also Astral projection
Speaking in tongues, see also Xenoglossy
Spell
Spirit possession, see also Obsession (Spiritism)
Spiritual warfare (Christian)
Square and Compasses
Stigmata
Stole (vestment) (Cath.)
Stregheria
Subtle body
Succubus, see also Incubus
Sunwise (deosil), see also Widdershins
Supernatural
Sylph
Sympathetic magic
Synchromysticism

T 
Table of correspondences
Tabernacle (Hebrew Bibl.)
Talisman
Tantra, see also Neotantra
Tau cross
Tau (mythology)
Tau robe
Tarot divination
Tattva vision
Thaumaturgy
Theophany
Theurgy
Thurible, see also Censer
Tithe
Tools see Magical tools in Wicca
Totem
Transubstantiation (Cath.)
Trance
Tree of life
Tree of life (biblical)
True Will

U 
Unclean spirit
Underworld
Undine
Unicursal hexagram
Ukehi (Jap.)
Urim and Thummim
Ursa Major

V 
Valkyrie
Vampire
Vashtu, East Indian version of feng shui (geomancy)
Vision (spirituality), see also Theophany
Vision quest
Vitalism
Vlach (Balkan)
Votive offering
Voodoo death
Voodoo doll
 Vodun- see West African Vodun
Vril

W 
Walpurgis Night
Wake (ceremony)
Wand 
White magic
Wicca
Widdershins, see also Sunwise (deosil)
Witchcraft
Witches' Sabbath
Witch ball
 Witch hunt- see Modern witch-hunts
Witchcraft and divination in the Hebrew Bible
Will-o'-the-wisp
Werewolf, see also Rougarou
Wendigo
Worship

X 
Xenoglossy, see also Speaking in tongues
Xipe Totec (Aztec)
Xmucane and Xpiacoc (Mayan)
Xōchipilli (Aztec)
Xōchiquetzal (Aztec, classical Nahuatl)

Y 
Ya sang
Yahweh
Yesod
Yggdrasil (Old Norse)
Yowie (Aust. abor.)
Yule

Z 
Zalmoxis
Zamzam water (Islamic) see Zamzam Well
Zduhać (Serb.)
Zener cards
Zephyrus (Greek)
Zeus (Greek)
Zodiac
Zohar
Zombie
Zoroastrianism
Zorya (Slavic)
Zos Kia Cultus

References