Esotericism facts for kids
Esotericism is about secret knowledge for a small group of people. Esotericism also describes mystical, spiritual or occult viewpoints (point of view). Esotericism studies Gnosticism, Yoga, Alchemy, Magic, Spiritualism, Hypnosis, Astrology, Meditation, Mysticism, and Occultism. Many followers of Abrahamic faiths, particularly Christianity and Islam, have criticized Esotericism as black magic. Esotericism in religion is called "obscurantism".
Esotericism can also be about understanding symbolism and hidden meanings of many different books. They include religious books, philosophical books and books about history. They use these books as their texts.
Esoteric groups
- Alawites
- Anthroposophy
- Rosicrucians
- Kabbalah
- Freemasons
- Knights Templar
- Theosophy
More reading
- Guénon, René (2001) Insights Into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism
- Borella, Jean (2004) Guenonian Esoterism and Christian Mystery
- Bhattacharyya, Benoytosh (1980) An Introduction to Buddhist Esoterism
- Guénon, René (2005) Insights Into Christian Esoterism
- Schuon, Frithjof (2000) Survey Of Metaphysics And Esoterism World Wisdom Books, Incorporated
Images for kids
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The tree of life as represented in the Kabbalah, containing the Sephiroth.
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A colored version of the 1888 Flammarion engraving
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The Magician, a tarot card displaying the Hermetic concept of "as above, so below." Faivre connected this concept to 'correspondences', his first defining characteristic of esotericism
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A later illustration of Hermes Trismegistus
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Sculpture of the Horned God of Wicca found in the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall
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London's Warburg Institute was one of the first centres to encourage the academic study of Western esotericism
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Prominent scholar of esotericism Wouter Hanegraaff
See also
In Spanish: Esoterismo occidental para niños
