What is 'new age religion', exactly? I'm still asking that question even after working in a new age bookstore for 15 years. What I mean is that after all of that time I still have no clue as to the core philosophy or central teachings of it. Compared to Christianity, Buddhism ( which is not classed as a religion ), Hinduism and other religions that have a strong identity, I still can't locate a central principle to new age religion.
Which, therefore, is its identity.
While new age religion probably does have a distinct ideology, I have come to define the version I commonly come across as "do it yourself religion". From what I can see, new age religion is essentially "a rejection of formalized religion". Which is probably why it doesn't have an identity, because it is an 'anti-religion'. Which seems to make sense.
- New age religion replaces an authoritarian, masculine, punishing God with a nebulous, generous, magical 'universe'.
- New age religion shifts the focus from worshipping someone else to the self focused form of "valuing yourself".
- New age religion replaces a strict adherence to strict rules with a "free to choose that you believe in" attitude. And if something doesn't "ring true" or gel with you, then you have the option to reject it. Which is a reverse approach to strict discipline because you are guaranteed that everything you practice is pleasing to you.
And that is the key issue and purpose of this article. The rejection of rules and disciplines that challenge your world view and maturity.
While New Age Religion probably does have a genuine basis, any truth to it has been replaced by the aforementioned "do it yourself, pick and choose" random approach to spirituality. From my years of exposure to people who are 'new age', what I can see is that the mish-mash of beliefs, mixture of practices from different cultures and the lack of a central identity all form the perfect storm for one thing.
Confusion. Which is the anti-thesis for the spiritual enlightenment, awareness and insight people are chasing.
As I work in self development, I tend to find that the "discipline free lifestyle" of new age thought and its unruly, ungrounded approach to spiritual freedom are more hinderances to people than a benefit. The idea that you can practice whatever you feel like seems healthy on appearance, but when you realize that the practices, beliefs and ideas that you gravitate toward resonate with your neurosis, then problems begin to come to light.
While I am all for exploring the mystery of life and adopting some form of religious, spiritual or higher perspective of life, you have to be careful with your approach to the invisible, formless realms. You need a clear head, a logical or systematic thought process and above all, a mind that returns to reality every now and then.
While it may sound like a robotic or "head centered" approach to something you need to "explore with your heart", I caution against open free-fall into the world of spiritual thought. Just as a mountain climber checks their gear thoroughly before and after a climb, you need to "tie yourself to something solid" if you are to make the climb. Reality is the perfect thing to use as a basis for exploring spirituality so make sure you return to it often.
Reality is your base camp. Explore spirituality, sure. But return to base camp. Be sensible about it.
But using reality as your basis for exploring spirtual thought ( or any subject you are studying ) goes out the window in modern spirituality. People want "free flight", not a reminder of the problems they seek escape from. I am sorry to tell you that there is a discipline, a "path to follow", even in spirituality. A path that takes into account how the mind works, it's ability for clarity and also how it is prone to illusion. A spiritual practitioner needs to study the design of the human mind first, before any attempt to find God, etc can be attempted.
Studying the mind, and not just its content is the purpose of meditation. Another practice that new age religion and western thought have commandeered and reduced to a "bliss out" experience. Not a study practice.
Concepts such as chakras, auras, crystals, numerology, astrology, yoga, meditation, vegetarianism and a wide range of other subjects are all thrown into the mixing pot of "self exploration". To play with at your leisure. In my mind, these subjects have their merits and are worth exploring to reap the benefits of them. But you need to study them properly. Individually. And in depth. Practice and study one thing and fully explore it. Don't just skim across the surface of it.
For clarity sake, explore one concept like meditation or even crystals, in depth and don't just mix different ideas, philosophies and cultural practices together and expect your mind to make sense of it all.
The large number of otherwise intelligent people who have a "new age mind" that is cloudy, random or lacking in common sense is alarming. New age religion is not to blame, per se. It is a lack of mental discipline that is. The problem comes from how you use your mind and what things you employ in your life that is the problem here.
Human beings think they can use their mind any way they like. Without consequence. We make that mistake because we prize free will and freedom of thinking. While those things are valuable human rights, the freedom to think whatever you like comes with a shadow called "consequence". We reality understand there is a consequence to physical actions, because the consequences are obvious. We don't make the same connection to thinking because of the intangible nature of thought. Which is why new agers consume everything that appears spiritual and have little regard to how all those random concepts affect clear thinking and the mind as a whole.
The funny thing about all of this is that I explore a wide range of these subjects myself and I'm not "poo pooing" any of it. But these words will have come too late for people whose new age ego has been dented. They will have rage quit this article long ago.
As I tell my students, "The mind is a maze without walls. Be careful you don't get lost in their forever." Another reference to the need to come back to reality and stepping out of the mind, stepping out of your beliefs. I am spiritually mind but I am also not stupid. I stay sober to my explorations and keep some sort of leash on a mind that is only too willing to enter into a fantasy world and call it "spirituality". When in fact, it is just thought run wild.
I am intelligent. You are intelligent. So use your intelligence and common sense when exploring spirituality. I wish this was the central dogma to new age religion. I really do.
'New age thinking' is one of the top 5 most common ( and deep ) issues I see in my clients. Having to weed out unruly thought is a challenge. It is made harder when someone is convinced that being 'discipline free' is the key to freedom. While I may sound like the 'thought police', you have to realize that the human mind is a thing that actually has "design rules" and instructions to it. It's a "machine" in a sense and works like a camera. It is good at focussing and does so by ignoring the wider and bigger picture. That mechanism to ignore is the danger here because new agers think they are "highly awakened" and ignorance is not on their radar.
The traps of new age thinking ( not the real religion, whatever that is ) are many. And unfortunately, these traps are practiced as virtues.
Feeding any old information into your mind is problematic. Especially when that information is second hand or has not grown organically, from a down-on-the-ground, Earthly, real experience. When you add concepts and beliefs together, that don't have a clear connection to each other, then you are on course for problems. When thoughts gel with each other, you form a strong understanding and build awareness. When thoughts swim randomly inside the fishbowl on your shoulders, what you end up with is a strange way of approaching life.
From what I can see, ( the false version of ) new age religion is the prime cause of life problems in many people I have come across. I also tend to think that new age thinking is a "common sense blocker". And not a sharp, clear and insightful attribute to have.
Which is one of the reasons why leadership is a weak area in new agers. But more on that in another post.
New age thinking, as a thought process or thought pattern, is a style of thinking that is so erratic and some cumbersome that actually gets in the way of thinking clearly. Rather than provides sharper insight and clarity. Again, I am not debunking concepts like chakras, etc as mythos. I am talking about the problem caused by a mindset of multiple subjects, thinly studied, that exist due to personal belief and not because of a bedrock of true understanding.
New age thinking is often a neurosis, not a path to enlightenment. A neurosis or "sick discipline" that only gets worse because people will defend their beliefs and dogma vehemently. They will defend them not because their beliefs are true. But because they have fused their identity to these concepts and use them like a life raft to save them from drowning in the realities of life.
Escapism is a subtle but constant plot-line in new age thinking. When the real truth comes out, new age thinking is often an escape from some fear people have. When you delve into someones new age thinking processes, you very rarely find peace of mind. Or sublime tranquility because they have found their spiritual home.
Rather what you find is the use of the mind to escape, avoid and run from reality. Which is the real reason why Nirvana, heaven, etc are the goals in many a persons mind. "Rejection of life" is the reason for new age thinking, when you boil it down. Which is ironic.
New age thinking, the unhealthy version I mean, is a clever method of escaping the reality of life. Which is a completely understandable tactic because life can be difficult. And the mind can easily be used to provide a false sense of freedom at the flick of a few thoughts.
Simplicity, dealing with reality and working with your current life situation is the anti-thesis of new age, escapist thinking.
Which is a shame because people have the capacity to perform at a very high level, given the right use of their faculties.
While many of you think I am doing a hatchet job on "modern spirituality", I'm not. I am a defender of it.
As I find in my own discipline, flower therapy, new age concepts and other natural therapies have crowded out the traditional and the original methods of plant-prescription. To the point that flower therapy has become a lawless dicipline and a watered down version of the potent medicine that it is. As a result, I have started a complete rewrite of the practice of flower therapy and removed everything from it that does not revolve around the study of plants and nature. Which includes all of the 'spiritual ideas' that grow like weeds in the practice. The aim is to reveal a practice of plant medicine that is far superior to the "do it yourself", new age version commonly taught and written about.
While there are spiritual elements even to my rewrite of flower therapy, they are based on an observation of nature and natural laws. Not just added ad hoc because I wanted to raise the practice to enlightened heights.
The purpose of this article is clarity people. If you perceive an attacking tone, you are right. It is an attack on confusion and the virulent fake spirituality that has replaced the real one. It's good to explore these subjects but only on the priviso that you realize that "belief" does not guarantee "truth". Or accuracy. Or the way the universe actually works. Belief is merely a perception and is just the way you view things. That is all. So in that light, be careful about consuming any old belief ( especially 2nd hand ones ) because they may end up causing you to become blind to reality. And real spirituality.
As I find, people are quick to become defensive about their spiritual beliefs. Not because a challenge is offensive. But because they have built their identity, their ego, around a range of "higher" concepts that are shaky in their foundations. These people have found their freedom by picking and choosing the rules they follow and rejecting the rules that challenge them and their maturity. Doing so grants you a false freedom. A freedom in your mind that does not always translate to freedom in real life.
At this stage, I am open to finding the real version of 'new age religion'. If you know what it is based on, leave a comment below. I am genuinely interested. And interested in removing the fake version so that the real one can exist. But until I do find that clear principle, my radar is set to finding the fake kind. And rooting it out of peoples minds because some people are trapped in a mirror maze of thought and are far from finding their freedom.