The Occult as a mode of knowing and a way of relating to the world

The world of experience hides in the world of the unseen. How deep is the unseen? What hides beyond the eye? What forces are at play beyond the physical that we normally perceive? Gaining insight into these forces, to discover what they are and learn how they influence our world is a way of gaining knowledge of the world and in that it might become a mode of knowing in itself. Knowing these forces helps us know the world. The study of that which is hidden is the study of the Occult. In ancient philosophy the occult was seen as a tool to unlock the secrets of antiquity, a form of ancient wisdom. It is as old and wide spread as humanity itself. Yet in the modern world the occult has been discarded and dismissed as superstition and pseudoscience. Since it concerns itself with the unseen, its subject of study is not the material and as a result it escapes the grasp of the empirical sciences. We can't measure it nor prove its existence. Although sometimes the occult is explained by science by process of which the phenomena becomes de-occultisted, such as with magnetism, which was once a subject of study of the occult as it concerns an unseen force. This might show us that while much of the occult is now still seen as unreal and pseudoscientific, it might in fact turn out to be something real where for now it just stays out of the reach of science. The fact that science rejects anything they are not able to measure or prove as unreal seems a big limitation and a lack of open-mindedness. This has however not always been the case as the 9th century Islamic philosopher al-Kindi regarded occultism as a natural science, which was very much legitimate and held in high regard, as mentioned before that ancient philosophy saw occultism as a respectable tool. An example of an occult practice is astrology. It follows from the rational principle that what is above is below. We observe what happens on earth and we observe what happens in the heavens. We look for patterns and draw connections. This way we learn how what is below reflects what is above. So it starts with astronomy and transforms into astrology. al-Kindi describes how stars as well as words and actions emit astral rays that are capable of influencing the cosmos. An example of this is prayer.

This was also described by another 9th century philosopher, al-Razi, where he described it as a mode of knowing. Even though it is not an exact science, it can still offer us insights. Many cultures throughout history believed in it, so we cannot easily dismiss it, as otherwise they would not have put so much value on it. It is also a science unlike medicine, where practicing it won't hurt us if it turns out to be false. It is a harmless science.

Many of the occult practises are seen are described as magic, which is the manipulation of the world through control of unseen forces. God played a big part in these occult practises of religious occultists, where praying is a way of manipulating the world by asking for an intervention from a higher being, be it God or, in Christianty, also sometimes a saint, or in other religions natural forces, such as rivers, clouds or trees. Here we can see how occultism is more than a mode of knowing, it is also a practice. It is a way of relating to the world.