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[[image:esoterik1.jpg|thumb]]

[[image:esoterik1.jpg|thumb]]

The term '''Esotericism''' stems from the Classical Greek word ''esoterikós'', which means "within" or "inwards". It originally meant secret lore. Today's meaning is for the most part identical to the more modern ''New Age'' or ''New Occult''.<ref>Bochinger, Christoph (1994): 'New Age' und moderne Religion. Gütersloh</ref> The term Esotericism used to apply to rites and customs within closed societies, that were hidden from outsiders and kept secret from them. Today it stands for a big number of very different doctrines and convictions, that are based on assumptions, according to which a scientific, rational description of the world is impossible. Consequently all esoteric doctrines share a common property: They are not testable and can not be falsified, but are represented with the claim of absoluteness. There is no commonly accepted single esoteric lore, and such lore is not desired by the esoteric scene.

The term '''Esotericism''' stems from the Classical Greek word ''esoterikós'', which means "within" or "inwards". It originally meant secret lore. Today's meaning is for the most part identical to the more modern ''New Age'' or ''New Occult''.<ref>Bochinger, Christoph (1994): 'New Age' und moderne Religion. Gütersloh</ref> The term Esotericism used to apply to rites and customs within closed societies, that were hidden from outsiders and kept secret from them. Today it stands for a big number of very different doctrines and convictions, that are based on assumptions, according to which a scientific, rational description of the world is impossible. Consequently all esoteric doctrines share a common property: They are not testable and can not be falsified, but are represented with the claim of absoluteness. There is no commonly accepted single esoteric lore, and no such lore is desired by the esoteric scene.

==General==

==General==