Setting goals is an important step towards success, but there is one logical step that comes before. That step consists in finding out what is your current position.

Part of knowing where you are consists in knowing where your beliefs and faith lie. This post is the second in that direction (the first one is about Humanism) and covers a movement that is often misunderstood, criticized and condemned for its beliefs and values. However, it still manages to fascinate an increasing number of people from all around the world.

The New Age movement

New Age is the term commonly used to designate the broad movement of late 20th century and contemporary Western culture, characterized by an eclectic and individual approach to spiritual exploration. Self-spirituality, New spirituality, and Mind-body-spirit are other names sometimes used to refer to it.

New Age teachings became popular during the 1970’s as a reaction against what some perceived as the failure of Christianity and the failure of Secular Humanism to provide spiritual and ethical guidance for the future. Its roots are traceable to many sources: Astrology, Channeling, Hinduism, Gnostic traditions, Spiritualism, Taoism, Theosophy, Wicca and other Neo-pagan traditions.

The modern New Age movement started in England in the 1960’s where many of its sources were well established.

Because there is no centralized hierarchy, doctrine or membership there are no formal or definitive definitions for the New Age movement. The movement can be described as a compilation of metaphysical, Eastern-influenced thought systems that unite theology, nature, and philosophy.

The main phrases that reveal the focal point of New Age thought are “feel-goodism”, “moral relativism” (situational ethics) and “pluralism” (universal tolerance).

The phrase “New Age” refers to the “Aquarian Age” - to signify the new era of spiritual enfoldment as foretold in astrology. This Age is expected to bring in peace and enlightenment, as well as reunite humans with “god.”

An important New Age doctrine is “The Doctrine of Evolutionary Godhood“. Evolutionary Godhood means, in a nutshell, that mankind will soon see itself as god - the “Christ principle.” This doctrine opposes the Bible which says that we are sinners: “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12, NIV) and that our nature is corrupt: “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath” (Eph. 2:3, NIV).

Some authors, such as Deepak Chopra, Fritjof Capra, Fred Alan Wolf and Gary Zukav, have linked quantum mechanics to New Age thinking in order to form a genre which is sometimes known as quantum mysticism, often in connection with the Law of Attraction.

The New Age movement has reached a stage of maturity in which wheat is being separated from the corn. Yet, it still comprises a broad spectrum of activities from the commercial rip-off to unselfish dedication to serve mankind spiritually.

Many people have New Age beliefs but do not wish to be associated with the New Age name because it reminds them of the turbulence associated with the uprising of the younger generation in the late sixties and the lamentable drug excrescences. However, surveys of U.S. adults indicate that around 20% of Americans hold at least some New Age beliefs. And that percentage is probably higher in the eastern regions of the globe.

New Age beliefs

An individual identified with New Age thinking may subscribe to one, some or all of these:

• Belief in synchronicity. A belief that coincidences have spiritual meaning and contain spiritual lessons;
• Belief in Pantheism. All that exists is God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are all Gods. New Agers do not seek God as revealed in a sacred text or as exists in a remote heaven, they seek God within the self and throughout the entire universe;
• There is a cosmic goal and a belief that all entities are (willingly or unwillingly) cooperating towards this goal;
• All individuals have a purpose in life and a lesson to learn;
• Interpersonal relationships are opportunities to learn about one’s self;
• Spiritual beings (e.g. angels, ascended masters, elementals, ghosts, and/or space aliens) exist and will guide us, if we open ourselves to their guidance;
• There exists a common core within all religions which renders dogma and religious identity irrelevant;
• Intuition is a more appropriate guide than rationalism, scientific skepticism or the scientific method.
• Ancient civilizations such as Atlantis existed and left behind relics and monuments such as the Great Pyramid and Stonehenge, whose true nature has not been discovered by mainstream historians;
• Certain geographic locations emanate psychic energy, and such places were considered sacred in religions throughout the world;
• Western science neglects parapsychology, meditation, and holistic health to its detriment;
• Science and spirituality are ultimately harmonious. New discoveries in science (e.g. evolution and quantum mechanics), when rightly understood, point to spiritual principles;
• The human mind has much greater potential than that ascribed to it, and is capable of overriding physical reality. The ultimate level of human potential has only been realised by a few spiritual masters;
• Children are being born today with a more highly developed spiritual power than earlier generations;
• A positive attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything;
• A certain critical mass of people with a highly spiritual consciousness will bring about a sudden change in the whole population;
• Humans have a responsibility to take part in positive creative activity and to work to heal ourselves, each other and the planet;
• Meditation, yoga, t’ai chi ch’üan, Qi Gong, reiki, and other Eastern practices can assist in realizing one’s potential;
• Humans have potential healing powers (such as therapeutic touch) which can be developed to heal others through touch or at a distance;
• The food eaten influences the mind as well as the body. It is generally preferable to eat fresh organic vegetarian food which is locally grown and in season;
• Fasting can help achieve higher levels of consciousness;
• Consciousness persists after death as life in different forms;
• The afterlife exists for further learning through reincarnation and/or near-death experiences;
• Rocks and crystals have psychic energies that can aid meditation and healing;
• Dreams and psychic experiences are spiritually meaningful;
• Fairies live in nature or gardens, are generally described as human in appearance and having magical powers. Some New Age Wiccans use fairy magic for inspiration and healing;
• Belief in Monism. All that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy;
• Belief in Panentheism. God is all that exists. God is at once the entire universe, and transcends the universe as well;
• Belief in reincarnation. After death, we are reborn and live another life as a human. This cycle repeats itself many times. This belief is similar to the concept of transmigration of the soul in Hinduism;
• Belief in Karma. The good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. This belief is linked to that of reincarnation and is also derived from Hinduism;
• Origin of Universe and Life. The universe, life, and matter were not created by God but “are” God. The universe and life emerged out of the creative power of the eternal universal life force;
• There’s no evil. According to the New Age beliefs, there is no original sin, no Satan, and no evil. Most believe people make “mistakes” when they are ignorant of the power of goodness, which is God, within themselves and others. Some believe evil is perpetuated through accumulation of past-life wrongs and spiritual ignorance;
• An Aura is believed to be an energy field radiated by the body. Invisible to most people, it can be detected by some as a shimmering, multi-colored field surrounding the body. Those skilled in detecting and interpreting auras can diagnose an individual’s state of mind, and their spiritual and physical health;
• Personal Transformation. A profoundly intense mystical experience will lead to the acceptance and use of New Age beliefs and practices. Guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation, and (sometimes) the use of hallucinogenic drugs are useful to bring about and enhance this transformation. Believers hope to develop new potentials within themselves: the ability to heal oneself and others, psychic powers, a new understanding of the workings of the universe, etc. Later, when sufficient numbers of people have achieved these powers, a major spiritual, physical, psychological and cultural planet-wide transformation is expected;
• Universal Religion. Since all is God, then only one reality exists, and all religions are simply different paths to that ultimate reality. The universal religion is be visualized as a mountain with many sadhanas (spiritual paths) to the summit. Some are hard; others easy. There is no one correct path and all paths eventually reach the top. New Agers anticipate that a new universal religion which contains elements of all current faiths will evolve and become generally accepted worldwide.
• New World Order. As the Age of Aquarius unfolds, a New Age will develop. This will be a utopia in which there is a world government, an end to all wars, disease, hunger, pollution, and poverty. Gender, racial, religious and other forms of discrimination will cease. People’s allegiance to their tribe or nation will be replaced by a concern for the entire world and its people;

So, are you a New Ager?

Although I agree with some of the New Age beliefs, I can’t identify myself with the movement. That is because I simply disagree with too many of its concepts. That is even if some previous articles that I have written may have brushed with some New Age beliefs.

What about you? Are you a New Ager? What is your opinion about the New Age movement? Do you think it will continue to expand? What do you think of the New Age beliefs?

I would love to hear and discuss your opinions about this in the comments.

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