From Mystical Secrets to Common Sense Practices

The holistic and esoteric fields encompass a variety of human activities, from alternative medicine to fortune-telling.

The holistic and esoteric fields encompass a variety of human activities, from alternative medicine to fortune-telling. They are notoriously difficult to define and categorise, but can be broadly described as practices or occurrences involving claims or phenomena that cannot be supported by scientific research. Without pertaining to be comprehensive, this brief overview of holistic and esoteric terms that you are likely to encounter in the bobshop holistic and esoteric category is designed to help users navigate this often mystifying field.

Aromatherapy consists in using essential oils extracted from plants. After being mixed with another substance (such as vegetable oil or alcohol), these essential oils can be applied to the skin, sprayed in the air, poured into bath water, and so on. Depending on the type of oil, the effect on the body may be calming or stimulating. Some essential oils can cause irritation when applied to the skin or headaches and nausea when inhaled.

Astrology purports to glean information about humans and their affairs from the movements and relative positions of celestial objects. Astrology is often associated with systems of horoscopes which are based on the movement of the Sun, Moon and planets through the twelve signs of the zodiac and on their relative positions. Most people check their horoscopes just for fun. However, placing trust in horoscopes when making decisions can certainly be detrimental.

Crystals are credited with the ability to store, transmit, and transform energy, which makes them crucial in the pursuit of health, wellness, and spirituality. Every crystal is presumed to have a different purpose. Some stones are said to heal the body, other to help deepen intuition during meditation.

Crystals and stones are a thing of beauty, so contemplating or handling them can arguably soothe the soul and improve one’s mood. However, the practice of crystal healing can be harmful if it induces a person with treatable illness to forgo proper medical channels.

Feng shui is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonising with one’s environment. It is used to determine the most favourable position of everything from household furniture to a tomb. Today, feng shui is often associated with interior designs and many of its principles make perfect sense (decluttering, letting in natural light, bringing plants indoors, and so on). On the other hand, a money frog in the hallway can be a charming ornament, but don’t expect it to really make you wealthy (even if you position it to face inwards).

Psychic and paranormal can encompass anything from telepathy and out-of-body experience to clairvoyance, levitation, automatic writing and aura reading. Needless to say, none of these phenomena have been confirmed in controlled settings.

Reiki is a form of alternative medicine developed in Japan that uses palm healing or hands-on healing to transfer energy from the practitioners to the patients. During a session, the client can remain fully clothed while the practitioner places her or his hands on or near the client’s body in a series of hand positions. While Reiki hasn't been proven effective at treating health conditions, there are indications that it may help reduce anxiety, fatigue and pain. Some see it as a relaxation tool and a complement to traditional medicine.

Runes are the letters in runic alphabets that were used in several Germanic languages of northern Europe before the adoption of the Latin alphabet. Runes saw a revival in the 19th and 20th century. Several different systems of runic magic and divination have been published to date. Runes are popular among Wiccans and modern pagans and are usually used for fortune telling.

In 1999, several Runic alphabets were added to the Unicode Standard which is implemented in many computer operating systems and in computer software. Version 10.0 contains 136,755 characters covering 139 modern and historic scripts, as well as multiple symbol sets.

Tarot consists of cards that are used to gain insight into the past, current and future event. Traditionally, a tarot deck has 78 cards with five suits. Besides fortune-telling, tarot cards are used in certain card games, which was their original purpose when they were introduced in Renaissance Italy in the 15th century.

Wicca, sometimes also called pagan witchcraft, is a religious movement developed in England during the first half of the 20th century. Wicca finds its origins in pre-Christian pagan religions. Traditionally it is duotheistic or bitheistic, as it involves worshiping two Gods, female and male. However, some Wiccans practice polytheism, pantheism or monotheism. Wicca often involves magic rituals and spell-casting for healing, protection, fertility, or to banish negative influences.

For a more in-depth look into of some of the practices mentioned here, check out the bobshop selection of holistic and esoteric articles.