Western Esotericism Family Tree

Summary

Matt Baker explores Western Esotericism, a diverse spiritual category outside mainstream Christianity and secularism. He traces its roots through ancient Pagan religions and newer movements, highlighting key ideologies like Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, and Kabbalah. The video delves into historical organizations like Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and Theosophy, and modern expressions in Wicca, New Age, and UFO religions. Baker also discusses the influence of esotericism on groups like Mormonism and the Church of Satan, providing a comprehensive map of Western spirituality's hidden currents.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Western Esotericism encompasses spiritual traditions and movements that exist outside of mainstream Christianity and Secularism in Western societies.
• 🔮 The term 'esoteric' refers to knowledge meant for a select few, in contrast to 'exoteric', which is meant for the general public.
• 🏰 Western Esotericism includes older Pagan religions and newer movements that differ significantly from Christianity, but does not include established religions like Judaism or Islam.
• 📚 The modern interest in Esotericism was jumpstarted in the 1600s with the convergence of five main streams: Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Eastern Religious ideas.
• 🌟 Rosicrucianism, emerging in the early 1600s, introduced the idea of a secret society practicing alchemy and other esoteric arts, influencing later movements.
• 🔨 Freemasonry provided a structure for secret societies and had an impact on the development of Rosicrucianism and other Esoteric groups.
• 👑 Notable figures like King Frederick William II of Prussia were associated with Esoteric orders, indicating their historical significance.
• 🔮 Spiritualism, emerging in the 19th century, was influenced by the ideas of Swedenborg and Mesmer, focusing on communication with spirits.
• 🌱 New Thought and Christian Science movements emphasize the impact of mental state on the physical world, reflecting the broader Esoteric interest in mind and spirit.
• 🌟 Helena Blavatsky's Theosophy aimed to re-establish a universal religion with the help of 'Masters' and had a significant influence on later Esoteric movements.
• 🔮 Aleister Crowley's Thelema introduced new rituals and practices, further diversifying the practices within Western Esotericism.

Q & A

What is Western Esotericism?

Western Esotericism refers to a broad category of spiritual and religious traditions and movements that fall outside of mainstream Christianity and secularism in the Western world. It includes older Pagan religions of Europe and new religious movements that differ significantly from Christianity.

Why is the term 'esoteric' used to describe certain spiritual practices?

The term 'esoteric' is used because these practices were historically kept secret and only shared within tight-knit circles due to the dominance of Christianity. It means 'for the inner circle,' suggesting knowledge meant for a select few, as opposed to 'exoteric,' which is for the general public.

What is the relationship between Western Esotericism and the occult?

The terms 'esoteric' and 'occult' are often used interchangeably, with 'occult' meaning 'hidden.' Both terms reflect the necessity for certain spiritual practices to be kept secret due to the historical dominance of Christianity in the West.

How did the 18th-century Enlightenment impact Western Esotericism?

The Enlightenment led to a decline in church authority and an increase in secularism, which allowed for the resurgence of older ideas and the development of new spiritual movements that fell under the umbrella of Western Esotericism.

What are the five main streams of Western Esotericism mentioned in the script?

The five main streams are Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Eastern Religious ideas. These streams came together during the 1600s to spark modern interest in Esotericism.

What is Rosicrucianism and how did it emerge?

Rosicrucianism emerged in the early 1600s with the appearance of three mysterious documents that spoke of a man named Christian Rosenkreuz and his secret society, the Fraternity of the Rose Cross. It combined elements of Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Christian theology.

How did Freemasonry contribute to the development of Western Esotericism?

Freemasonry, originally a network of stonemason guilds, evolved into a social club for elites with a complex structure and secrets. It served as a model for creating secret societies like the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross, which were part of Western Esotericism.

What is Swedenborgianism and how did it influence Western Esotericism?

Swedenborgianism is a spiritual movement based on the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, who believed in communication with spirits of the dead. It influenced the development of Spiritualism and other esoteric practices that sought to communicate with the spirit world.

How did the Theosophical Society and its founder Helena Blavatsky impact Western Esotericism?

Helena Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society, which combined Rosicrucian and Spiritualist ideas with a belief in 'Masters' who held ancient wisdom. Theosophy aimed to re-establish a universal religion and had a significant influence on many later esoteric movements.

What is Wicca and how does it fit into the category of Western Esotericism?

Wicca is a modern, eclectic form of Neo-Paganism that is strongly associated with the concept of witchcraft. It lacks a central structure and allows for individual practitioners to incorporate Wiccan customs into their lives as they see fit, making it a part of the diverse field of Western Esotericism.

How is the New Age Movement related to Western Esotericism?

The New Age Movement is an umbrella term that encompasses various esoteric movements, including Neopaganism, Theosophy, Spiritualism, and New Thought. It is characterized by a lack of central leadership and structure, leading to a wide range of beliefs and practices among its adherents.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Introduction to Western Esotericism

Matt Baker introduces the concept of Western Esotericism, explaining that it encompasses spiritual practices and beliefs outside of mainstream Christianity and Secularism. He highlights that Western Esotericism includes older Pagan religions and newer movements distinct from Christianity. The term 'esoteric' is derived from its secretive nature due to historical suppression, contrasting with 'exoteric' which is public-facing. Baker also touches on the term 'occult', meaning 'hidden', and mentions the sponsor 80,000 Hours, an organization providing free career advice with a focus on positive global impact and the consideration of AI's role in the future.

05:05

🔮 The Historical Roots of Esotericism

The video delves into the historical roots of Western Esotericism, outlining five main streams: Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Eastern Religious ideas. These streams were re-energized during the 1500s due to the Renaissance and Reformation, leading to the emergence of Rosicrucianism in the early 1600s. The narrative continues with the development of Freemasonry and its offshoots, including the Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which introduced influential magical rituals. The segment also covers the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and the Martinist Order, highlighting their contributions to esoteric thought.

10:06

🧙‍♂️ The Influence of Esotericism on Other Movements

Matt Baker explores the influence of esotericism on other movements, such as Mormonism, where early leaders were Freemasons, and the New Church founded on Swedenborgianism, which posits the existence of angels and demons influencing the living. Franz Mesmer's ideas on an invisible force leading to healing practices and the birth of Spiritualism are discussed, along with its decline and persistence in certain regions. The New Thought movement and its emphasis on the power of positive thinking are also covered, including its offshoots like Christian Science.

15:09

🌐 Theosophy, Anthroposophy, and Thelema

The paragraph discusses the rise of Theosophy, founded by Helena Blavatsky, which combined Rosicrucian and Spiritualist ideas, aiming to re-establish a universal religion. It also touches on the controversial aspects of Theosophy, such as Blavatsky's 'root races' and the influence on Ariosophy and the Thule Society. The narrative moves to Anthroposophy by Rudolf Steiner and its integration of spirituality with scientific method. Lastly, it covers Aleister Crowley's Thelema, characterized by its focus on ceremonial magic, and its impact on later esoteric movements like Wicca, the Church of Satan, and Scientology.

20:13

🌱 Neo-Paganism and the New Age Movement

The final paragraph covers Neo-Paganism, distinguishing between reconstructionist groups that aim to revive ancient Pagan religions and Eclectic Neo-Paganism, which promotes general Pagan ideas without focusing on a single tradition. Wicca, as a prominent form of Eclectic Neo-Paganism, is highlighted for its lack of central organization and its association with witchcraft. The New Age Movement is described as an umbrella term for various esoteric practices, including elements from UFO religions like Raëlism. The video concludes by suggesting further exploration of these topics and promoting the 80,000 Hours newsletter.

Keywords

💡Western Esotericism

Western Esotericism refers to a broad array of spiritual and religious traditions that fall outside the mainstream Western religious institutions, particularly Christianity and secularism. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices, including those related to ancient Pagan religions and new religious movements that significantly differ from Christianity. In the video, Western Esotericism is the central theme, with the speaker exploring various esoteric traditions and their historical development.

💡Gnosticism

Gnosticism is an ancient religious movement that existed during the early centuries of the common era, and it is considered by some as a Christian heresy or an early form of Christianity that was distinct from the Nicene Christianity. Gnostics believed in the dualistic nature of the universe, where the material world is seen as inherently evil, and the spiritual world as good. The video mentions Gnosticism as one of the main streams that contributed to the development of Western Esotericism.

💡Neoplatonism

Neoplatonism is a philosophical system that originated in the 3rd century CE with the Greek philosopher Plotinus. It posits that the physical world is good but exists in a state of darkness, and the ultimate goal is to move towards the light, which emanates from 'the One,' the source of all being. In the context of the video, Neoplatonism is highlighted as a reaction to Gnosticism and as a precursor to modern Western Esotericism.

💡Hermeticism

Hermeticism is a philosophical and religious tradition based on the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic figure of Greek and Egyptian origin. It focuses on practical ways to understand and interact with the spiritual world through alchemy, astrology, and magic. The video discusses Hermeticism as a significant influence on Western Esotericism, particularly in the development of practices aimed at spiritual transformation.

💡Kabbalah

Kabbalah is a form of Jewish mysticism that developed during the Middle Ages. It involves a complex system of understanding the nature of God, the universe, and the human soul through the study of esoteric texts. The video script mentions Kabbalah as one of the five main streams that contributed to the modern interest in Esotericism, sharing common themes with other esoteric traditions.

💡Rosicrucianism

Rosicrucianism is a philosophical secret society said to have been founded in the early 17th century, symbolized by the rose and cross. It has its roots in the ideas of alchemy, Hermeticism, and Kabbalah. The video describes Rosicrucianism as a movement that emerged in the early 1600s with the appearance of mysterious documents, which led to the formation of secret societies and contributed to the resurgence of esoteric thought.

💡Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization with a complex organizational structure and a history of secrecy. It originated as a network of guilds for stonemasons but evolved to include non-masons, particularly among the elite. The video explains how Freemasonry provided a model for the organization of esoteric societies, such as the Rosicrucian secret societies, and influenced other movements, including Mormonism.

💡Spiritualism

Spiritualism is a religious movement that emerged in the 19th century, which believes in communicating with the spirits of the dead. It was influenced by the ideas of Emanuel Swedenborg and Franz Mesmer. The video script discusses Spiritualism as a significant esoteric movement that gained popularity in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with some spiritualist churches still existing today.

💡Theosophy

Theosophy is an esoteric philosophy founded by Helena Blavatsky in the late 19th century. It seeks to uncover the ancient wisdom that underlies all religions and to promote the idea of a universal human religion. The video mentions Theosophy as a major influence on Western Esotericism, combining elements from Rosicrucianism, Spiritualism, and other esoteric sources.

💡New Age Movement

The New Age Movement is a spiritual movement that emerged in the late 20th century, characterized by a broad interest in spirituality, holistic health, and alternative healing. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs and practices, including those from Neopaganism, Theosophy, and UFO religions. The video describes the New Age Movement as an umbrella term for various esoteric practices and beliefs, reflecting a contemporary approach to spirituality.

Highlights

Western Esotericism encompasses non-traditional spiritual practices in the West, excluding mainstream Christianity and secularism.

Esotericism includes older Pagan religions and new religious movements distinct from Christianity.

The term 'esoteric' implies knowledge meant for an inner circle, in contrast to 'exoteric' for the general public.

The 'occult' refers to hidden knowledge or practices, often due to historical suppression by dominant Christian ideologies.

80,000 Hours is a non-profit providing free career advice with a focus on positive global impact, including considerations of AI.

Five main streams of thought during the 1600s contributed to the modern interest in Esotericism: Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and Eastern Religious ideas.

Rosicrucianism emerged in the early 1600s with documents detailing the travels and teachings of Christian Rosenkreuz.

Freemasonry, with its complex organization and secrets, influenced the formation of Rosicrucian societies.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn allowed women and was based on Ancient Paganism, influencing later esoteric groups.

Swedenborgianism introduced the idea of spirits influencing the living, which contributed to the rise of Spiritualism.

New Thought movement emphasizes the impact of mental state on the physical world, with roots in the teachings of Phineas Quimby.

Theosophy, founded by Helena Blavatsky, combines Rosicrucian and Spiritualist ideas, aiming to re-establish a universal religion.

Aleister Crowley developed Thelema, focusing on ceremonial magic, which continues to influence esotericism.

Wicca, a popular form of Neo-Paganism, lacks a central structure and emphasizes individual practice and worship of nature.

The New Age Movement is an umbrella term for various esoteric movements, including UFO religions and a belief in spiritual helpers.

The term 'New Age' is associated with the transition from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius, suggesting a new phase of spiritual awakening.

Transcripts

Hi. This is Matt Baker. Today I’m going  to show you a family tree of religious  

organizations and movements associated  with Western Esotericism. Now, obviously,  

the first thing I need to do is explain  what Western Esotericism is. For the  

last 1600 years or so, the Western world  (meaning Europe and all the places settled  

by Europeans) has been dominated by just one  religion: Christianity. In addition to this,  

ever since the 18th century Enlightenment, there's  also been a second major player in the West:  

Secularism, which is based primarily on trusting  what has been learned from modern science.

Well, Western Esotericism is basically  anything that does not fall into either  

of these first two categories. So, this would  include anything related to the much older  

Pagan religions of Europe as well as to any new  religious movements that differ significantly  

from Christianity. However, I should note  that it does NOT include the standard forms  

of other well-established religions  such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism,  

and Buddhism. So, basically Western  Esotericism is a sort of grab bag for  

anything in the West that is considered to  be a non-traditional form of spirituality.

Now up until recently, such alternatives were  either prohibited or at least severely frowned  

upon— resulting in followers having to operate  in secret. Which is why the word “esoteric” is  

used. You see “esoteric” means “for  the inner circle” — in other words,  

it’s stuff that’s only meant to be understood by  a very small, very select group of people. It’s  

the opposite of “exoteric” — which means “for  the outside world” or “for the general public”.  

Another word that’s often used interchangeably  with esotericism is the “occult”. The word  

“occult” simply means “hidden” so you can  see that both terms represent the fact that,  

due to Christianity being so dominant  in the West for so many centuries,  

anything else had to be kept a secret,  only to be discussed in tight-knit circles.

Now, before we take a look at the family tree,  I want to tell you about today’s sponsor:  

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Okay, so back to the family tree of Western  Esotericism. At the top, I show 5 main  

streams that came together during the 1600s to  jumpstart the modern interest in Esotericism. The  

first three are all ideologies that competed with  Christianity during the first few centuries CE and  

then were basically stamped out when Christianity  became dominant. The first is Gnosticism, which,  

depending on your viewpoint was either a Christian  heresy or simply an early form of Christianity  

that lost out to Nicene Christianity. Basically,  it held that the physical world is altogether bad  

and that therefore one should seek to gain  knowledge about the hidden, spiritual world  

instead, which is altogether good. Neoplatonism  was, in a way, a reaction to Gnosticism,  

founded by the third century Greek philosopher  Plotinus. It held that the physical world was in  

fact good but was simply existing in the darkness.  The goal therefore was to Move towards the Light!,  

which emanates from the “the One”, the source of  all being. Hermeticism held similar views about  

the One but focused more on practical ways to  understand and use the spiritual world through  

things like alchemy, astrology, and magic. The  name comes from a legendary figure called Hermes  

Trismegistus, who is associated with both  Hermes from Greek mythology and Thoth from  

Egyptian mythology. He supposedly wrote several  texts, which passed down certain knowledge that  

had been given to humans in the very deep  past. In contrast to the first three streams,  

Kabbalah developed during the Middle Ages. It’s a  form of Jewish mysticism but actually shares much  

in common with the first three streams in that it  distinguishes between an unknowable one true God  

and the knowable emanations that have been  revealed by God. Finally, there’s a fifth stream,  

which represents all of the various ideas taken  from Eastern Religions, which had been known in  

the West to some extent during ancient times  but were then basically ignored until the Age  

of Exploration, which brought Westerners  in touch with them again. Now, obviously  

I could say much more about each of these five  streams but that was just a very quick overview.

Okay, so during the 1500s, all of these older  ideas started to resurface in Germany due to  

the Renaissance (which involved an interest  in classical antiquity) combined with the  

Reformation (which involved the decline of church  authority). Eventually things coalesced in the  

early 1600s with a movement called Rosicrucianism,  which began when three mysterious documents  

suddenly appeared and started to be shared  around. They introduce a man named Christian  

Rosenkreuz (which means Rose Cross) who  travelled the world, learning ancient,  

universal truths from many different sources  and who then created a secret society called  

the Fraternity of the Rose Cross, which  practised things like alchemy. Now,  

whether these documents were meant to be taken  as allegories or were simply created as hoaxes,  

we don’t really know. But in a time when Western  science was in its infancy and held a lot of  

promise, many people grabbed hold of the ideas  in them and started to explore them further.

Around the same time, over in England and  Scotland, the foundations of modern Freemasonry  

were being laid. Originally a network of local  guilds for actual stone masons, eventually the  

guilds started allowing wealthy individuals  to join and over time, things went from being  

centered on overseeing the construction trade to  being more of a social club for elites that had  

a complex organizational structure and held all  sorts of secrets. This proved useful for those  

interested in Rosicrucianism because it provided  a model for creating Rosicrucian secret societies,  

the first of which was the Order of the Golden  and Rosy Cross, founded in Germany in the 1750s.  

Take note that, in order to be a member of  the Order, one also had to be a Master Mason.

Now, if there’s one thing that I can say with  confidence about the Rosicrucians is that they  

made some really cool charts. I’m not going  to attempt to explain any of them — because  

I’m not sure that I could — but basically, they  combine ideas taken from stuff like Hermeticism  

and Kabbalah in an attempt to explain the world in  a way that at least LOOKS orderly and scientific  

while at the same time retaining certain elements  from Christian theology. Probably the most well  

known member of the Order of the Golden and  Rosy Cross was King Frederick William II  

of Prussia, who was the successor  to Frederick the Great. However,  

following his death, the order eventually  fizzled out. A bit later though, in 1865,  

a similar organization was established in  the UK called the Societas Rosicruciana  

in Anglia (or SRIA for short). It  actually still exists to this day.

But perhaps more well known is the Hermetic  Order of the Golden Dawn, which copied the  

structure of the Societas Rosicruciana but made  two very important changes. First, it allowed  

women to join and second, it modelled itself  on Ancient Paganism instead of maintaining ties  

to Christianity. Members of the Order included  William Butler Yeats and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as  

well as A. E. Waite and Pixie Smith — those last  two being the creators of the popular Rider–Waite  

Tarot deck. However, the most important thing  about of the Order of the Golden Dawn is that  

it introduced certain rituals and ceremonies  that supposedly involved powerful magic.  

These rituals would go on to be used by other  esoteric groups that I’ll talk about later on.

Another secret society that modelled  itself on Freemasonry and which had  

connections to Rosicrucianism was the Élus Coëns,  

meaning the Elect Priests — their full name  being the Order of Knight-Masons Elect Priests  

of the Universe. This organization later inspired  a Frenchman who went by the name Papus and who  

founded the Martinist Order (which, despite its  logo having a Star of David, was not Jewish).

Now before I move on, away from  Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry,  

I should mention the influence that Freemasonry  had on Mormonism. LDS founder Joseph Smith as  

well as the next three LDS Presidents are all  known to have been Freemasons and there are  

definitely some similarities between certain  LDS rituals and symbols and the rituals and  

symbols used within Freemasonry. So while the  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is  

not generally considered to be a part of Western  Esotericism, it does have some esoteric elements.

Okay, I now want to move over to another early  movement within modern Western Esotericism:  

Swedenborgianism, named after the Swedish  polymath Emanuel Swedenborg. Among other things,  

Swedenborg promoted the idea that some humans  remain on earth after death, either as angels  

or demons and that such spirits can influence the  living. While not an official Christian doctrine,  

the idea that dead loved ones can live on as  ghosts or angels is definitely a common folk  

belief held by many Christians today. It was  certainly a belief held by Joseph Smith, who  

claimed to have been visited by the angel Moroni,  who had previously lived on earth as a human.

Anyway, Swedenborg did not establish a church  during his lifetime but after his death,  

some of his followers did, and it became known as  the New Church. Overlapping with the lifespan of  

Emanuel Swedenborg was that of a German physician  named Franz Mesmer, whose name became the basis  

for the word “mesmerized”. He taught the idea  that there exists an invisible force that  

connects all things and that this force can be  manipulated in order to promote healing. In fact,  

he developed certain techniques to do so. But  here’s where things get interesting. Eventually,  

Swedenborg’s ideas and Mesmer’s ideas were  combined to form the idea that certain techniques  

can be used to manipulate and communicate  with the invisible spirits of dead relatives.

Thus, the movement known as Spiritualism was  born, with the three Fox sisters becoming some  

of the very first mediums, although they were  later revealed to be frauds. Spiritualism was  

all the rage during the late 1800s and early  1900s but eventually it lost its popularity  

as science improved. Nevertheless, there are some  spiritualist churches in the US that still exist  

to this day, and these are now united under  the National Spiritualist Association. And,  

in Latin America, a certain branch of spiritualism  called Spiritism (founded by Allan Kardec)  

remains extremely popular.  Its largest organization,  

the Brazilian Spiritist Federation  has almost 4 million members.

Another esoteric movement that can be traced  to Franz Mesmer is New Thought, although its  

founder was actually a follower of Mesmer named  Phineas Quimby. The main idea behind New Thought  

is that one’s mental state can have an impact on  the physical world. So if you've ever been told to  

“think positively” or that you can “manifest”  good things into your life, you can thank Phineas  

Quimby for that. There are several New Thought  organizations that still exist today, including  

the Unity Church as well as several groups that  use the “Religious Science” label. Also connected  

to the New Thought movement, even though they  don’t acknowledge it, is “Christian Science”  

(officially the Church of Christ, Scientist).  Their founder, Mary Baker Eddy happened to be a  

student of Phineas Quimby and she incorporated  many of his ideas into her own movement.

So, as you can see from the chart, it was during  the 1800s that Western Esotericism really took  

off and went in a bunch of different directions.  Well, of the many esoteric figures who were active  

during this period, perhaps the most important was  a Russian-born woman known as Helena Blavatsky,  

who founded the Theosophical Society. Her system  of thought, known as Theosophy (meaning God  

wisdom) combined for the first time, all the ideas  that the Rosicrucians had been exploring with the  

ideas and practices coming out of the Spiritualism  movement. So, like other occultists, she believed  

that there had once been — in the very deep  past — a sort of universal human religion  

that had eventually been lost, even though hints  of it could be seen in every religion. However,  

she also believed that there were certain  “Masters” who lived throughout history,  

who knew about this original truth, and with  whom she communicated. Her goal was thus to  

re-establish a universal religion, with the help  of these Masters, some of whom were still alive  

and living in Tibet. Take note that the logo  for the Theosophical Society combines many  

ancient religious symbols, including a snake  eating its tail (which is associated with  

alchemy) but also a Star of David, an Egyptian  ankh, a Hindu om and even a swastika (which,  

before its association with Nazism, had been used  for centuries by Buddhism and other religions).

However, there is in fact a real link between  Theosophy and the racist ideas promoted by the  

Nazis. One of Blavatsky’s ideas involved what  she called “root races” which were connected  

to lost continents like Atlantis and Lemuria.  She taught that the so-called “Aryan race” was  

currently the most advanced one — an idea which  led to a movement called Ariosophy (meaning  

“wisdom of the Aryans”). This, combined with the  Völkisch Movement (which was an early Neo-pagan  

movement that sought to connect Germany back  to its original roots) led to the formation of  

various occult groups such as the Thule Society  — from whom the Nazis got the idea to use the  

swastika as their main symbol. Now, keep in mind  that the overall influence that the occult had on  

Nazism is often overstated, in an effort to make  the Nazis seem even more evil and sinister than  

they were (as if that was necessary). In reality,  while there was likely some influence, the Nazis  

were far more concerned with their political  agenda than they were with spiritual matters.

Theosophy also had a direct influence on  Anthroposophy, which was founded by Rudolf  

Steiner and which you might know about through  its network of Waldorf schools. It attempts  

to combine spirituality with the scientific  method and places a big emphasis on free will.

Now, if the most important esotericist  of the late 1800s was Helena Blavatsky,  

then the most important esotericist of  the early 1900s was undoubtedly Aleister  

Crowley. He was originally a member of  the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn  

but then went on to develop his own system of  thought, known as Thelema (which is a Greek  

word meaning “divine will”). It all started  during his honeymoon in Egypt in 1909 when  

a spirit supposedly dictated to him a text  called The Book of the Law. By this point,  

the Order of the Golden Dawn had fallen apart  and Crowley had started his own organization,  

called A.A. It was therefore through A.A. and  also through another organization he joined  

called O.T.O. that he introduced Thelema. Like  other esoteric idealogies, Thelema combines ideas  

from a bunch of different sources, however, it  stands out in that it puts more of a focus on  

ceremonial magic, which it calls Magick (with a  c.k.) in order to distinguish it from illusionist  

magic. These ceremonies included lots of weird  stuff, including sexual stuff and this combined  

with Crowley’s general libertine lifestyle  made him an extremely controversial figure.

But regardless of what one thinks of Aleister  Crowley, there’s no doubt that his influence  

on esotericism continues to this day.  For example, near the end of his life,  

he became friends with Gerald Gardner, who  helped develop what is now known as Wicca.  

Crowley’s writings also influenced Anton LaVey,  who founded the Church of Satan, and even L. Ron  

Hubbard, who invented Scientology (although, as I  mentioned in my video about atheist denominations,  

it’s important to know that the Church of Satan  doesn’t actually believe in a real Satan).

Now, speaking of Wicca, let me now say a few  things about Neo-Paganism. The word Pagan  

comes from the Latin word for “rural” and was used  during the rise of Christianity to describe those  

who followed the older, polytheistic religions  instead. These religions eventually all went  

extinct, being stamped out by Christianity  which is why Pagans today are referred to  

as “Neo-Pagans”. Now, there are basically two  main types of Neo-Paganism. First there are the  

reconstructionist groups which try to literally  bring back or “re-construct” particular Pagan  

religions exactly as they would have been followed  in ancient times. So, for example, Hellenism is  

an attempt to bring back the worship of Greek  gods whereas Heathenry is an attempt to bring  

back the worship of German gods. In contrast,  Eclectic Neo-Paganism is more of a mish-mash  

in which general Pagan ideas and practises are  promoted without necessarily focusing on just  

one type. So, one example would be Druidry, which  promotes harmony and worship of nature gods in  

general and is far less exact in its aims,  unlike Celtic Reconstructionism, which is.

However, of all the types of Eclectic  Neo-Paganism, Wicca is by far the most  

popular and most well known. Originating in the  UK, it is strongly associated with the concept  

of “witches” (after all the word Wicca is simply  the Old English word for “sorcerer”). But unlike  

other types of esotericism, Wicca has no central  structure or organization. Most practitioners  

simply practise on their own, incorporating Wiccan  customs into their life as they see fit. Now,  

I should put out that while Wicca tends to attract  slightly more women then men, there are in fact  

male Wiccans and the word witch can be used for a  male. Some Wiccans do put a stronger emphasis on  

the Divine Mother and hence there is some overlap  with another group called the Goddess Movement.

Alright, now the last thing I need to do is  explain how the New Age Movement fits into  

all of this. Nowadays, a lot of the things  we’ve been discussing simply end up being  

labelled as “New Age”. That’s because New Age did  in fact end up incorporating a bunch of different  

esoteric movements under one big umbrella.  So, for example, it draws from Neopaganism,  

Theosophy, Spiritualism and New Thought. However,  it also borrows elements from one of the newest  

types of esotericism: UFO religions.  These started springing up in the 1950s,  

following the famous Roswell incident. The  best known UFO religion is probably Raëlism,  

led by a Frenchman that goes by the name Raël.  According to Raëlism, all of humanity’s stories  

about God or the gods are actually based on  memories of an advanced species of aliens  

that visited earth in the distant past, which  it calls the Elohim. They also teach that the  

Elohim continue to visit earth and that they  communicate with the group’s leader, Raël.

Now, when it comes to New Age, things  are not as specific as that. After all,  

there is no central leadership or any structure  at all to the New Age movement so different people  

who practice New Age often believe different  things or at least focus on different things. So,  

while not all New Agers believe in aliens, it’s  not uncommon for New Agers to believe in some sort  

of “helpers” whether they be divine spirits, dead  relatives, or extraterrestrials. The term New Age  

itself has a direct connection to outer space. You  see, every 2000 years or so, the Spring Equinox  

moves from one Zodiac constellation to another.  We’ve been in the Age of Pisces since around the  

time of Jesus but will soon be entering the Age of  Aquarius — although the precise moment when this  

will occur is impossible to know for sure. So the  idea is that humanity will enter a new phase of  

spiritual awakening whenever this happens and that  already certain people (those who are particularly  

sensitive, spiritually-speaking)  are already at the higher level.

Okay, so that was just a very brief look at  how all the various movements within Western  

Esotericism are related. Like all of the  episodes in these denomination-type videos,  

a lot more could obviously be said about each  group. But the goal here was to simply give  

you the lay of the land. If you want to explore  any of these topics further, I suggest that you  

check out channels such as Esoterica and Angela's  Symposium, which I’ll look to in the description.  

And while you’re there, don’t forget to sign  up for the free newsletter from 80,000 hours.

Thanks for watching.