Esotericism

Sufism () is a mystic body of religious practice found within Islam that is characterized by a focus on Islamic purification, spirituality, ritualism, and asceticism.

rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces

Gnosticism (; Koine Greek: ) is a collection of different religious and philosophical ideas and systems that fully developed by the mid-2nd century among sects of early Christianity and other faiths. It is not a singular, homogeneous tradition or religion, but an umbrella term used by modern scholars to describe different groups and beliefs that shared certain characteristics. These diverse Gnostic groups generally emphasized personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) above the authority, traditions, and proto-orthodox teachings of organized religious institutions. The Gnostic worldview typically d

thumb|upright=1.2|Latin translation of Joseph Gikatilla|Gikatilla's Shaarei Ora

The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysticism. It can also refer to paranormal ideas such as extra-sensory perception and parapsychology.

15th-century philosophical idea that views all religious traditions as sharing a single truth or origin

alt=Refer to caption|upright=1.2|thumb|An illustration of Agartha within the hollow Earth, from Walter Siegmeister's 1960 book Agharta Agartha (variously spelled as Agharta, Aghartta, Agharti, among many other spellings) is a legendary kingdom said to be on the inner surface of the Earth. Though the story has many different versions, Agartha is usually said to be in Central Asia and led by a powerful figure sometimes called the King of the World, who secretly influences the surface. Later versions connect it to the belief in a hollow Earth. The idea of Agartha has been a popular subject in eso

alt=|thumb|A Baul from Lalon|Lalon Shah's shrine in Kushtia, Bangladesh thumb|upright|Ektara, a common musical instrument of Bauls

thumb|right|upright=1.4|The apocryphal letter of Sultan Mehmed II to the Pope (), published by [[Nicolae Iorga. Series 4: 1453–1476, Paris; Bucharest, 1915, pages 126–127]] Apocrypha () are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture, some of which might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity. In Christianity, the word apocryphal (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings that were to be read privately rather than in the public context of church services. Apocrypha were edifying Christian works that were not always initially included as canonical scriptur

range of related ideas and movements that have developed in the Western world

term used by various esoteric forms of spirituality and alternative medicine