[Starman]

The word “occult” is highly misunderstood; it merely means that which is hidden in plain sight. In the medical field occult means something that is not readily seen or is not readily visible. But in common English language it refers to the “supernatural.”

My Qabbalistic studies bought me in contact with Rosicrucian’s and Theosophical practices; all three of these groups were involved in metaphysical and alchemical perspectives. One of the themes was that of “true magic.”

The teaching was that the science, and art, of true magic could be found in uncovering seemingly hidden relationships. When you find the relationship between things what you do with that relationship might seem miraculous to others who are not aware of those relationships.

It is a common theme in spirituality that all things are connected; that there is a oneness of being. This premise puts everything in contact with everything else. To perceive the relationship between things in metaphysics is called “practical occultism.” With the knowledge of relationships we can perform seemingly magical things in our lives.

In my opinion there is no such thing as “luck,” and coincidence just means when things coincide or come together. Everything in physical existence came from something which had already existed. Human beings come from their parents, who already existed, and all of our inventions, things we create, are an extension of ourselves.

All religions, in some way, are connected to something which came before them. Nothing is original, nothing stands alone. Everything is either an adaptation, extension, or reaction, to something which came before. Actual magic is the practice of uncovering hidden relationships. If all is one then everything is relating, or reflecting, everything else. Of course there are people who do not believe in a oneness of being.

When something happens to me I can trace it back to something I thought, said, felt, or a way that I acted. In my opinion this is the relationship between my expressions and what I experience. For me they are one and the same. Relationships are one of the most important things on this planet, and the relationship which we have with ourselves does effect other people, as well as ourselves.