Esoteric Doctrine
Esoteric doctrines are "hidden doctrines" or "secret traditions" as Freemason A.E. Waite (2003: 5) puts it. These are teachings that are either obscured with EPMO, protected by secretive societies and rituals, or otherwise kept out of "public" view and understanding.
Esoteric doctrine is often elite doctrine in as much as the concepts, ideas, and archetypes taught in esoteric doctrine are geared towards creating individuals embedded in hierarchy, comfortable with the expression of authority, and willing to perpetuate the inequalities and hierarchies of this world.
Individuals studying esoteric doctrine are often taught, either overtly or covertly, that they are smarter, more enlightened, or more evolved than those who do not have access, or who cannot "understand" esoteric doctrine. The acceptance of this presumed superiority is typically a pre-requisite for accessing the "hidden" meanings and inner circles of esoteric systems.
See Also
The Book of Slavery
The Book of Power
References
Waite, Arthur Edward (2003). The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. Kessinger Publishing.
