Occult means hidden, that's all. However, in modern usage it summons up images of dark sorcerers in black robes, chanting ritual spells in arcane language, or, to a few, Wiccans dancing at midnight in the woods, so let's go with those images. Occult teachings supposedly lead to knowledge and power. Cults of various sorts use this promise to lure initiates, as did the old Mystery religions. Of course, there are also solo practitioners of these arts.
How anyone can use the term occult is beyond me? In the old days, established religions persecuted followers of these beliefs, so, yes they were occult, hidden. It was a matter of survival. However, nowadays, you cannot go into any bookstore without seeing row upon row of books purporting to give you access to arcane knowledge and vast power. Just glance through any of the 'New Age' and 'Spiritual' sections. So the idea of hidden is long gone, and thus, perhaps, the word 'occult' should be replaced with 'esoteric' for accuracy's sake.
Magick is the bending of the fabric of the Cosmos to your will. As I stated in an earlier post, if you are hungry, go to the fridge and make a ham sandwich, you have worked magick. All technology is magick; we have just come to accept most of it as ordinary, and, for the most part, that is fine.
It seems that if we manipulate the World of Classical physics, we are okay. Example: if I build a car, and use sound engineering, no problem. If I make a simple electrical device, no problem. However, when we begin to manipulate things we do not understand, it becomes problematic. Example: nuclear energy. We barely have the tiniest understanding of sub atomic processes, just a few mathematical formula that seem to be somewhat accurate as models for some of what happens. But, we rushed madly ahead and ended up building bombs that can destroy the World. Yes, we also get electricity from nuclear reactors, but we still have a bit of a problem with those, primarily, what do we do with those spent fuel rods? We bury them in caves and abandoned mine shafts but, evidence clearly shows that the radioactive materials eventually seep into the groundwater/ (If you live near such a site, you may want to consider taking iodine tablets, just a thought).
Now, despite such a lesson, you have scientists ready to plunge even deeper into levels of reality we do not grasp. Thank God, the Large Hadron Super Collider seems to break down frequently Lord knows what might happen otherwise. Even worse are those who babble, quite seriously of such things as Anti-gravity and zero-point energy to be obtained from hyper-dimensional physics. If this sounds like mumbo jumbo, it is. They are only a tiny step away from summoning demons. Actually, a few scientists have done that. I do not have time now, but if interested, do a little research on the doings of the Stanford Research Institute and their work on Remote viewing, Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, and the like. If you do not find their work credible, remember, the US Government took them very seriously and we have much evidence that the old Soviet Union did the same sort of work. By the way, by all accounts, they were fairly successful, sort of, but, on a few occasions, the results were disastrous.
Of course, all this is not enough for some and they seek deeper magick. Well, let's see. There are 2 types, black and white magick. Black magick is the seeking of power for personal gain and/or to harm others. Even a practitioner like Crowley dislike the dark magick. He claimed that since it came from dark emotions such as anger and fear, it was unpredictable; that even when it worked it had unintended side effects.
White magick, as the Wiccans and others will tell you, is done for the benefit of others. You would think that would make it just fine, a nice thing to do. Well, no. You see, every action has a multitude of consequences, many of them unintended. When you muck about with energies and powers you do not understand, your good intentions do not necessarily control the outcome, and not a one of the many schools of magick can explain what goes on in their rituals. Most, claim that they summon any of a variety of spirit beings and compel or entice them into doing the sorcerer's bidding. The more modern schools speak of contacting hyper-dimensional beings and having them work for the sorcerer. Still others, such as Crowley, said that the images of spirit beings and the rituals to invoke them simply opened up powers innate, but untapped, within humans. In short, and in plain English, none of these folks had a clue what they were doing.
Sometimes, these workings produce results, to small degrees usually, but, occasionally on larger scales. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, usually, like all things, a mixture. It does seem that the greater the power sought, the more likely it is to produce bad results. How does it work out for the sorcerer? Generally, not too well. Any society ruled by wizards, from the ancient shamen to the Priests of Egypt, to the lamas of Tibet, have all fallen. Throughout Europe and the Americas, such practitioners were dealt with harshly and their spiritual powers certainly did not help them. Crowley died a penniless heroin addict. My advice, stay away from any promise of magickal power. When in doubt, remember Jesus' prayer which specified, 'Thy will be done.' Run it by your Creator and see if you get approval. For example, He (or She, I only use He out of convention) does not seem to mind such things as planes and microscopes and electric lights, but summoning the Dark Powers is unacceptable.
Or, for those less religiously inclined, remember how, in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo kept trying to give the Ring to other, more powerful folks, such as Gandalf, Tom Bombadil, and various Elves. All refused knowing that however good their intents, the power would corrupt them.
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