Every November 18th is observed as Occult Day—a day during which people delve into the mysteries of the universe by studying arcane magical arts. The word “occult” comes from the Latin word “occultare,” which means “secret.” Therefore, the occult was originally used as a term for the hidden mysteries of the universe.

Nowadays, the word has a much different meaning. It’s now seen as the practice of mysticism, spirituality, or even the study of esoteric arts involving magical symbolism, rituals, and culture.

This holiday is one that many people are going to want to observe in their own way if they choose to observe it at all. Some people will take this holiday seriously as a day to express their love for their religion, while others will enjoy this holiday less seriously.

The History of Occult Day

We have managed to trace this holiday back to about 2001. We saw several newspaper articles reporting that some people were observing this holiday. However, what we couldn’t find was any reference to this holiday before that date. That’s why we’re going to assume that Occult Day began in 2000 or 2001. Unfortunately, what we don’t know is who first invented it.

Some Interesting Facts About the Occult

We can’t observe Occult Day without taking the time to actually learn some things about the occult, so we decided to do some research and find out what we could. The following facts are what we uncovered, and we think they’re perfect for anyone wishing to know more about the esoteric.

• Crystal balls can be traced back to before the 1st century. They were used by the Druids for foretelling the future.
• Tarot cards come from the Egyptians. They didn’t really gain popularity, however, until the 18th century when they were seen as a form of divination.
• A witch’s ladder is a knotted cord, sometimes made of hair, that’s used to aid in a spell.
• William Butler Yeats and Arthur Conan Doyle are said to be members of a modern-day occult movement known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Observing Occult Day

As we stated earlier, this is a holiday that some people are going to avoid like the plague, and others are going to want to observe faithfully. It depends on whether occult practices align with a person’s worldview.

If it doesn’t, it’s perfectly fine not to observe this holiday, just be respectful to those who do. People can share the word about this holiday using the hashtag #OccultDay on social media.