Spirituality vs. Occult

Originally Posted by Deusdrum

Nightowl - Maybe Spirituality is a word more suited to 'new age' & occult a word suited to old school..

Is there more tolerance now of spiritual beliefs and practices? I believe so, at least in the western world. Maybe there is no difference other than in people's perception. On the one hand, you have tried and true traditional practices and beliefs, though maybe they can tend towards rigidity, stagnancy in some instances.

Then there is the new frontiers of our current modern age, incorporating the old with the new, and maybe (at least attempting to) improve upon the elements of the old systems which no longer serve a productive/beneficial purpose. Then again, maybe its all a case of history repeating, and Spiritual is Spiritual, and much of the new age systems, beliefs practices is sometimes a matter of trying to fix something that ain't broke.

So now i have brought past vs. present/future into the equation which i had not really anticipated. Maybe it's all just me analyzing appearances based on popular culture, and i agree Silvergirl that at heart it may be that they both fall under the same umbrella, which is immune to being called one or the other, and just is.

Here is another twist to the topic could it boil down to conformist vs non conformist? Individual vs group? Personal/private vs community? One is usually drawn to what they feel comfortable in and this includes spiritual practices.

I think many of the beliefs blend and borrow from another and often what one was taught will often determine whether it is considered occult. Though I beleive there is not such a hard line on what is thought of as occult anymore...

[Deusdrum]

Nightowl - Ah yes, that sort of was in the back of my mind as well, individual vs. group. Or public vs. private. Maybe something remains 'occult' until it has achieved enough public approval so that it may be practiced openly without fear of ridicule, stigma or persecution.

Originally Posted by Deusdrum

Nightowl - Ah yes, that sort of was in the back of my mind as well, individual vs. group. Or public vs. private. Maybe something remains 'occult' until it has achieved enough public approval so that it may be practiced openly without fear of ridicule, stigma or persecution.

Yeah D. I agree that makes sense to me...

nightowl

Spirituality is about THIS and the occult is about THAT.
The first is more about here and now and self and Self. The second is more about the past and the other and Other.

You get the same sort of results for both if you google. Esoteric, traditional, ancient, all bring up closely related stuff..you really gotta add words to get specific.

But spirituality encompases even religions or agnostic beliefs. Occult, is magic based. As in manipulating the world around you in some way. Not good or bad. But christianity or buddism wont come up for occult. While satanism and wiccan will.

Originally Posted by Docha

You get the same sort of results for both if you google. Esoteric, traditional, ancient, all bring up closely related stuff..you really gotta add words to get specific.

But spirituality encompases even religions or agnostic beliefs. Occult, is magic based. As in manipulating the world around you in some way. Not good or bad. But christianity or buddism wont come up for occult. While satanism and wiccan will.

And yet Christianity resorts to prayer and ritual... sounds like magic to me. ;)

Hmm, on second thought, I think that the main "differences" between the occult and spirituality is simply the way society has been taught to portrey the two things.

So, in a way those differences technically aren't "real" its just another example of peoples limited perception of things and how seeing a small part of something large can throw anyones perceptions and opinions off and turn them into judgements and assumptions.

I still say the two are the same thing, but also that people tend to overlook that and focus on the minute details of each thing and blow them out of proportion so that suddenly the occult revolves around riturals, paganism and secret societies full of wise cloaked men.....and suddenly spirituality is all about meditation, the inner self and soulmates and so on and so forth.

.....am I making sense to anyone other than me here? Lol

[Silver]

Definitely some grains of truth in there, Sangress. I think the way people think about these are bubbling away, people are changing how they look at this whole kettle of fish called religion and spirituality and beliefs.

Occult is, ‘supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena : ...of, involving, or relating to supernatural, mystical, or magical powers or phenomena :...
beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or experience; mysterious : ...’

Much of what is called occult is energy work that seems to be mystical, supernatural, or phenomena because others don’t understand it. Organized religion is fond of making any energy work that isn’t in their sphere to be taboo & the work of Satan. When this energy work is miracles by church figures this is fine & the ones doing it are made saints & revered!!! When this energy work is by those outside of the church it is occult & they are burned alive (in other times).

Organized religion tends to be a specific spiritual belief system w/ set worship practices & usually a central founding figure. Usually laden w/ many moralistic good/bad constructs & rules. Seldom tolerant of other religions.

Spirituality is, ‘... of, relating to, or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things ... of or relating to religion or religious belief‘
Spirituality is a very broad category that extends waaaaay beyond organized religion. It is about the nature of & relationship between the energies we call God (Universe) & the human soul/spirit.

Metaphysics ... deals with ... abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space.’ (Computer dictionary quotes) Metaphysics doesn’t necessarily have a spiritual connotation, but it can overlap.

Metaphysics & modern post-organized religion spirituality blend very nicely as our energetic/spiritual journey is about continually & eternally exploring our connection to the Universe. As we move into higher Ds, it is less & less about what we think of as any type of religion & more about the Universe continually (re)creating itself.

[Silver]

Some more really great points, mattie.