How to "Level Up" Your Occult Knowledge - Part One

Many of us who become intrigued in occultism, whether we believe in its power or not, often start with books that give us general descriptions of the topics we’re interested in. These descriptions can be gateways to other schools of thought. If you’ve come across #WitchTok, #occulttok, and other social media circles those are also gateways in themselves, but you should know that those bite-sized pieces of information aren’t enough to get the full picture of occult practices.

Many of us who become intrigued in occultism, whether we believe in its power or not, often start with books that give us general descriptions of the topics we’re interested in. These descriptions can be gateways to other schools of thought. If you’ve come across #WitchTok, #occulttok, and other social media circles those are also gateways in themselves, but you should know that those bite-sized pieces of information aren’t enough to get the full picture of occult practices.

The best narrative example I could find to refer to my point is the historical mystery/adventure video game called The Council (Big Bad Wolf & Focus Entertainment, 2018). The protagonist, Louis de Richet, a member of a secret society known as The Golden Order, uses his vast knowledge to investigate the disappearance of his mother, who is the head of the French branch of this society and is well connected with some of the most powerful figures who have shaped the history of the world, such as George Washington and Napoleon Boneparte. There are a variety of skills you can level up to help you investigate Louis’s lost mother, the historical figures who may have been involved with her, and the underlying factors of the case that may or may not be linked to supernatural activity.

Perhaps it’s silly to think a video game would inspire this kind of article, but I really love a mystery/horror story that has a well-read protagonist who applies their knowledge to the mystery itself and the knowledge they use isn’t half-baked, nonsensical fear mongering. In the game, there are five skills listed under each of the three categories, so in three parts, I will briefly go over the skill and how they can be applied to your own research. I hope this article will help those who are new learners of occult topics or those who are already down the road with their research and would like to consider a different approach.

The Diplomatic Skill Set

Knowing the history of a culture accurately means we have to take the time to understand their customs, philosophies, politics, languages and beliefs. The more we know, the easier it will be to dive into the intricacies and nuances of any mysticism that was/is present.

Etiquette

Understanding the sociopolitical customs and norms will affirm why particular views existed. How is masculinity and femininity perceived? How do they act when there’s a holiday or celebration? What do they wear formally or casually? What acts were expected to be done ritualistically? Customs and norms get very misconstrued frequently, even more so when they’re discussed online. Indigenous cultures or other cultures that aren’t commonly discussed especially suffer from misunderstanding and cultural appropriation. Baseless assumptions about any culture will damage your chances of having an objective and respectful viewpoint.

Conviction

As I mentioned before, social media posts give you bite-sized pieces of information that end up with polarized responses; the content is either praised or harshly critiqued. Being critical and constructive about the information you receive is important, but also knowing how to verify the information given to you is easier said than done. Have the conviction to look for a variety of sources, academic or otherwise, that provide a spectrum of viewpoints and help you decide for yourself what the truth is. It’s okay to decide that the topic isn’t clear enough for you to make a decision yet. Just don’t let the forceful or alluring opinions of others persuade you to their side. Objectivity is key, but if you’re someone looking to expand upon your spiritual, religious, or philosophical view, take time to make sure it truly aligns with you.

Politics

The evolution of governance anywhere in the world is common knowledge, but the politics of a country or culture can influence the presence or disappearance of any mysticism that was there. Was there freedom of religion? Did legislation make some forms of spiritualism illegal? Were some religious/spiritual acts considered witchcraft? Was science considered witchcraft? Did their government rely on spirit workers and diviners? Were beliefs syncretized as a result of colonialism or did it happen naturally? Many misconceptions of who stole what belief from who has been a long discussed topic. I think people forget that not every governance had a separation of church and state nor did every government force religion onto others. Religion, spiritualism, science, and philosophy are political tools before they become anything else in governance and the occult has been used in the same manner.

Diversion

In The Council, you use diversion to avoid discussing certain topics with other characters. When it comes to using this skill realistically, it takes one to know one. We have many types of occult and mysticism teachers and scholars locally and online. Some are legitimate, many are not. When you’re looking into any of their published content and notice that their descriptions or responses to questions are ambiguous, that’s diversion. A common example is when a “spiritual leader” will discuss a topic without acknowledging the history or science behind it or misconstruing facts purposely. Additionally, your own type of diversion can help you to be careful about who you discuss these topics with. Discussion about the occult and mysticism can anger or offend people (trust me, I’ve annoyed so many with astrology lol). The educators around us can be good resources for a well-rounded view about a topic for. On a more personal level, using diversion will help you discern who you can and can’t talk to about your preferred topic. Occult does mean “hidden” for a reason without the “woo woo” context that’s often attached to it. Some things need to remain hidden so they’re not recklessly torn apart by others.

Linguistics

Becoming a polyglot is a lifetime goal of mine and I’ve found that it’s helped me tremendously. Learning the fundamentals of the language your occult interests lie can help you understand metaphysical associations with particular concepts and objects. For example, any interest in European paganism will inevitably lead you into herbalism and most likely lead you into the latin roots many herbs were called by. In my experience, African, West Asian, South Asian, and indigenous cultures worldwide are overshadowed by the popularity of European paganism, so make sure to expand your language learning interests. This skill will also help you identify sigils, symbols, and the like.

Thank you for reading. Part two will come out soon.