Esotericism

Esotericism refers to the body of doctrines and knowledge presented as reserved for initiates, as opposed to teaching open to all, known as exoteric. The word comes from the Greek esōterikos, “from within.” In everyday use, it covers a vast field: Hermeticism, Kabbalah, alchemy, astrology, tarot, Theosophy and New Age currents. Historians now study it as a cultural current of Western thought in its own right, without ruling on the validity of its teachings.