Occultist
An occultist is a person who believes in or practices occult arts, such as ritual magic, astrology, alchemy, seances, or other activities claiming the use of secret knowledge or supernatural powers or agencies.
The designation of "occultist" is usually self-assigned by the individual.
Definition
Simply believing in magical systems does not generally qualify one to be considered an occultist. Most occultists are also authors, either of magical grimoires or other esoteric or metaphysical texts. Some occultists focus on one type of occult art, Tarot cards, for example.
It is very rare to find occultists who are solely researchers or authors and do not also practice some form of the occult arts, even if they do not actually believe in the magical power of such acts.
Performing research into grimoires often requires occultists to learn (or otherwise translate) a variety of languages in order to read and understand their contents. The most common of these are:
- Latin
- Greek
- Hebrew
- French
- German
Famous occultists
This list comprises and encompasses people, both contemporary and historical, who are or were professionally or otherwise notably involved in occult practices.
Historical
- Johannes Trithemius (1462 - 1516) German Benedictine abbot and founder of cryptography.
- Johann Weyer (1515 - 1588) Dutch physician, demonologist, and follower of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.
- John Dee (1527 - 1609) English mathematician, and court astronomer to Queen Elizabeth I.
- John Heydon (1629 – 1667) English Neoplatonist occult philosopher, Rosicrucian, astrologer and attorney.
- Francis Barrett (1770/1780 - 1802) English occultist and author.
Early modern
- Jacques Collin de Plancy (1793 - 1881) French occultist, demonologist and writer.
- Eliphas Lévi (1810 - 1875) French author and ceremonial magician.
- Samuel L. MacGregor Mathers (1854 - 1918) founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
- A.E. Waite (1857 - 1942) author, member of Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, creator of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot.
- Papus (1865 - 1916) pseudonym for Gérard Encausse, occult author.
- Aleister Crowley (1875 - 1947) English occultist and ceremonial magician, founder of the Thelema religion.
- Pamela Colman Smith (1878 - 1951) British Golden Dawn member, artist who designed the Waite-Smith tarot deck.
- Dion Fortune (1890 - 1946) considered one of Great Britain's most famous occultists.
Contemporary
- Frederick Santee (1906 - 1980) American child prodigy, medical doctor, and founder of the Coven of the Catta.
- Israel Regardie (1907 - 1985) author, magician, and pupil of Aleister Crowley.
- Sybil Leek (1917 - 1982) British witch, astrologer, and author.
- Anton LaVey (1930 - 1997) American author and founder of the Church of Satan.
- Damien Echols (b.1974) American author and ceremonial magician.
- Travis McHenry (b.1980) American author, Tarot creator, and ritual magic practitioner.