Studies in Occultism; A Series of Reprints from the Writings of H. P. Blavatsky / No. 1: Practical Occultism—Occultism versus the Occult / Arts—The Blessings of Publicity

The Aryan Theosophical Press Point Loma, California 1910
See Book List at the end of this volume for the other numbers of this Series and also for other Theosophical literature.

Occultism is not magic, though magic is one of its tools.
Occultism is not the acquirement of powers, whether psychic or intellectual, though both are its servants. Neither is occultism the pursuit of happiness, as men understand the word; for the first step is sacrifice, the second, renunciation.
Occultism is the science of life, the art of living.— Lucifer , Vol. I, p. 7.

As some of the letters in the Correspondence of this month show, there are many people who are looking for practical instruction in Occultism. It becomes necessary, therefore, to state once for all:—
( a ) The essential difference between theoretical and practical Occultism; or what is generally known as Theosophy on the one hand, and Occult science on the other, and:—
( b ) The nature of the difficulties involved in the study of the latter.