Esotericism and Occultism in the Service of Hatred
In the shadows of history, nestled between the annals of political movements and the pages of mystical texts, lies a curious and often unsettling fusion — esotericism and occultism within far-right politics. The terms themselves — esotericism and occultism — evoke images of secretive societies, arcane rituals, and a thirst for knowledge that dwells beyond the reach of the ordinary. Yet, the entanglement of such mystical undercurrents with the ideology of European right-wing factions opens a pandora’s box of moral and ethical conundrums, a subject that demands a closer, more critical look.
At the core of this intertwining lies a paradoxical liaison: esoteric and occult practices, which often preach enlightenment and spiritual emancipation, have, at times, been harnessed to fuel ideologies that propagate division, racial supremacy, and hatred. The examples are historical and varied, forming a lineage of dark mysticism that has occasionally infiltrated the echelons of political power.
Take Ariosophy, with its blend of Theosophy, Germanic mythology, and racial hierarchies — a mysticism brewed in the cauldron of pre-World War II sentiment. It’s deeply troubling that the tendrils of Ariosophy crept into the ideology of the nascent Nazi party, influencing individuals like Himmler and Rosenberg. This form of mysticism twisted the concept of spiritual evolution, molding it into a grotesque pseudo-scientific racial theory. The spiritual mission it championed was no enlightened quest but a disastrous pursuit of a so-called pure race, catalyzing some of the darkest chapters of the 20th century.
Then there’s fascist mysticism, as seen in Mussolini’s Italy, which illustrates the ease with which the human psyche can be swept away by a cult of personality and the glorification of antiquity and violence. Such mystical fascism was a toxic cocktail of power worship and a revulsion for democratic and Christian ideals. The involvement of figures like Julius Evola paints a picture of an esoteric intellectualism twisted to justify authoritarian rule and the suppression of the masses.
The occultism entwined with Nazism perhaps represents the most vivid and disturbing fusion of the esoteric with the political. The fascination with the Holy Grail, astrological divinations, and the pursuit of occult relics speak to a perverse infusion of mysticism into the mechanisms of a genocidal regime. It illustrates a profound irony: a regime that projected itself as the pinnacle of rationality and science was simultaneously groping in the dark, seeking to appropriate the mystical and supernatural to its advantage.
Post-war developments like Esoteric Nazism and the neo-Nazi movements that ensued, with figures like Savitri Devi and Miguel Serrano at the helm, showcase an insidious continuity of these ideas. The mythical and cosmic battles they imagine, draped in the veneer of ancient wisdom and spirituality, are a stark reminder of the enduring lure of such esoteric narratives for those seeking a grand, albeit twisted, cosmic significance in their ideologies.
Finally, the Traditionalist School, with its call to primordial truth and rejection of modernity, has been a bedfellow to right-wing politics more often than one would hope. Here we find a yearning for a return to ‘authentic’ values — yet this nostalgia often glosses over the complexities and pluralities of history and human experience. It provides an intellectual scaffolding for ideologies that are antithetical to diversity and democracy, utilized by figures like Evola and Dugin to endorse authoritarian and nationalistic policies.
The phenomenon begs us to be vigilant and discerning, to recognize when esoteric knowledge is being subverted by ideologies that seek to divide rather than unite. It calls for a reclaiming of esoteric wisdom from the clutches of these dark alliances, to remind us that the true purpose of hidden knowledge should always be to illuminate, not to cast shadows upon our collective humanity.
