While evangelical or fundamentalist groups may consider anything occultic "satanic", this is simply not true. Yes, there is a group that calls themselves Satanists. And yes, there are some that even worship an entity they believe to be called Satan. However, you'd be hard pressed to find a New Ager, Wiccan, or Pagan (for example) who worships an entity named Satan or participates in "evil" rituals or atrocities against humans or animals. In fact, most occultists are into elevating human consciousness, Light Bearing and Light Bringing, celebrating Mystery and the sacred, connecting with the Divine, and promoting peace within and without.
But this is simply not good enough for some zealous religious folks. In their mind, anything "hidden" or not under the direct auspices of a particular sacred text, religious figure, or church doctrine is "satanic"--as are things that do not have a rational, "scientific" explanation. This is somewhat ironic, especially in the case of Christianity. There is nothing rational or scientific about Jesus' virgin birth, miracles, nor His resurrection--and yet these tenants are an intrinsic part of the Christian faith. Even within Christianity, for example, there is a belief among some denominations that the Pentecostal traditions of speaking in tongues, laying on of hands, and prophecy are satanic or occultic!
So what kind of groups or beliefs fall under the term "the occult"? Quite a few, actually. Esoteric spirituality is one such realm. Remember, the word occult means anything mysterious or out of the realm of the "natural" world. So, in a sense, if a man from 1300 A.D. time traveled to the present day, he would no doubt find our cars, airplanes, microwaves, televisions, MRI's, and telephones quite "occultic"! And, depending on his religious beliefs, even "satanic". It doesn't matter that what appears as phenomenon to him is actually easily explained by science; all this man knows is that it's outside the realm of his experience and beliefs.
More and more people are discovering the connections between mind and body and spirituality and science. Even esoteric spiritual traditions offer astonishing prescience for scientific discoveries. In the late 1800's, Madame Blatavasky-- founder of the occultic society known as the Theosophical movement-- commented "and can it be that light is also substance?", as well as other insights which show a foreknowledge of the wave/particular duality of light. This was, of course, quite contrary to the established science of the day. Yet, quantum physics is now proving what many esoteric and occultic traditions have taught for millenia.
Some Occultic Organizations, Teachings, & Practices
Kabbalah
Divination (including Tarot, scrying, and bibliomancy)
Mormonism (LDS)
The Paranormal
The Knights Templar
Priory of Sion
Astrology
Alchemy
Mysticism
Paganism (including Wicca and Shamanism)
New Age
Unity Church
New Thought
Freemasonry
Rosicrucianism
Gnosticism (including the Mary Magdalene and Jesus debate)
Anthroposophy
Theosophy
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Builders of the Adytum
Individuals Considered Occultists
Joseph Smith (Mormon Prophet)
Heraclitus
Pythagorus
Jesus Christ
Plato
Hermes Trismegistus/Thoth
Rudolf Steiner (founder of Anthroposophy and Waldorf education)
Plotinus
King Solomon (Old Testament)
Julian
Carl Jung
Roger Bacon
Pope Silvester II
Pope Honorius III
Merlin
Paracelsus
Nostradamus
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Isaac Newton
William Blake
Edgar Cayce
Arthur Edward Waite
Aleister Crowley
William Butler Yeats
Dion Fortune
Robert Graves
The Magi (the astrologers/wise men who brought gifts to Jesus)
Of course, these lists are not comprehensive but merely illustrates that what is considered "occultic" is really in the eye of the beholder. Anything that is mysterious, hidden, unexplained, or misunderstood could be considered occultic or a part of the occult.
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