Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group of those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from a Greek word, which means within, thus pertaining to interiority or mysticism. Its antonym is exoteric. The term can also refer to the academic study of esoteric religious movements and philosophies, and religious movements or philosophies whose proponents distinguish their beliefs, practices, and experiences from mainstream exoteric and more dogmatic institutionalized traditions. Examples of esoteric religious movements and philosophies include Alchemy, Astrology, Anthroposophy, early Christian Mysticism, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, Kabbalah, Neoplatonism, Magic, Merkabah mysticism, Mesmerism, Rosicrucianism, Taoism, Numerology, Swedenborgianism, Spiritualism, the Alawites, the Theosophy of Jacob Böhme and his followers, and the Theosophical revivalist movement associated with Helena Blavatsky. Although Esotericism refers to the exploration of the inner meanings and symbolism of various philosophical, historical and religious texts, these texts themselves are often central to mainstream religions. Plato, in his dialogue Alcibíades, uses the expression ta esô meaning the inner things, and in his dialogue Theaetetus he uses ta exô meaning the outside things. Aristotle applied this distinction to his own writings. The probable first appearance of the Greek adjective esôterikos (esoteric) is in Lucian of Samosatas The Auction of Lives, written around AD 166. The term esoteric first appeared in English in the 1701 History of Philosophy by Thomas Stanley, in his description of the mystery-school of Pythagoras; the Pythagoreans were divided into exoteric (under training), and esoteric (admitted into the inner circle). The word esotericism was coined in French by Jacques Matter in 1828 and popularized by Eliphas Levi in the 1850s. It entered the English language in the 1880s via the works of theosophist Alfred Sinnett.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:44:39 +0000
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