Esotericism is the study of knowledge and systems of thought which are usually intended to be philosophical or ethical and mystic. Although most esoteric knowledge was once held in secret, it is now commonly taught openly. It is generally distinct from organized religion, which teaches more openly. While esotericism tends to focus on personal enlightenment and internal spirtual practice, organized religion or exotericism tends to focus on outer spiritual practice and ritual and on laws that govern the society.

Many groups or schools of thought embrace an esoteric tradition or philosophy:

• Alchemy
• Astrology
• Freemasons
• G. I. Gurdjieff
• Gnosticism
• Kabbalists
• Magic
• Nazi mysticism
• Occultism
• Rosicrucians
• Trappists
• Shamanism
• Sufism
• Vajrayana (Esoteric Buddhism)
• Yoga

See also

• Esoteric knowledge
• Exoteric
• Esoteric programming language
• List of Buddhist topics
• List of spirituality-related topics
• Mystery religion
• New Age
• Occult
• Qigong
• Western mystery tradition

Esotericism is from the latin Esoterra, meaning "within the world." It is a word meaning anything that is occult, a latinate word meaning "hidden" (from which we get the term occlusion). The opposite of this is Exoterra or Exotericism, which means something "without the world," i.e. public. Esotericism gives reference to anything private, specifically such things which are or were forced to be kept private due to fears of persecution. As such, esoteric societies are oftentimes religious and "heretical," or somehow proscribed. Examples of this include the composite of science, philosophy, religion, history, and fancy called Alchemy (which in turn was called 'The Esoteric Brotherhood', mainly by its adherents). The words itself CONNOTES the religious, but in fact only DENOTES the private.

bg:Езотеризъм da:esoterisk de:Esoterik et:Esoteerika fr:Ésotérisme nl:Esoterie pt:Esoterismo