Occult came from the Latin word “celare” which means “to hide”. This term was adopted by Renaissance scholars to refer to the rituals and initial Greek, Egyptian, and Roman religions. It is now used to describe and call the practices or systems which relate to magic, astrology, or any secret knowledge or power.
The common aspects of occultism are alchemy, witchcraft, divination, and magic. This has gained a negative reputation as it has been known to rely on evil spirits to gain personal power. However, others claim that its morality depends on how the supernatural power is gained and used.
For instance, a group of women call themselves as a “coven of white witches” and perform rituals to harness harmony and protection. Medically, the term occult also means “hidden” as in a common test that involves screening for small quantities of blood in stool samples that may indicate colon cancer.