The best defence against this sort of stuff is ignorance. From my experiences, knowing opens these 'doors'. It doesn't make you immune, but staying away from it certainly helps.
Then again, I look at these techniques as part of what makes me human. And living and being is dangerous. I'll embrace these things, to know thyself. It is a very dangerous road. I know the Buddhists also talk of the same, saying the route I take is the quickest to enlightenment, but also one that can have disastrous consequences (usually to myself).
> Is it that we don't cross paths with them as often as we did, or perhaps the concern to protect oneself in the past was overblown, or perhaps they don't even exist?
Oh, they exist alright. I've met many, and butted heads against a few. Go no further than reddit.com/r/occult . There's 40k members subscribed. There's a healthy book selection at the local bookstores over Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft, and Occultism.
One thing, is the secrecy is still in effect. Even I created a throwaway to disambiguate my normal tech persona from this. If people at my workplace found out what I believe and do, who knows what would happen. Mockery, derision, fright, anger, indolence. Ive had those aimed at me, by both atheists and christians (but usually christians).
> I admit I am very skeptical, but it's been interesting topic to discuss.
That's fine. So was I. And in a way, I still am. I'm talking with someone with a background in physics about further ways to make sensors that can bring the occult to physical world. Instead of this realm being all eerie, and shrouded, I want to blow this idea of occult wide open, so that all may participate. That, as you can probably understand, angers quite a lot of people.