What is the occult?
Religious writers often use the word occult, but what does it mean? According to the Oxford American Dictionary, occult can be defined as
1. secret, hidden except from those with more than ordinary knowledge. 2. involving the supernatural, occult powers. The occult [involves] the world of the supernatural, mystical or magical.
In everyday usage, occult usually is used to refer to spiritual practices that focus on secret knowledge gained through personal experience or attempts to communicate with spirits. The term is used in reference to everything from ancient earth religions to modern conversations about ghosts and hauntings.