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A Short History of New Age Movement With Its Concepts, Ideas & Major Publications a creative commons report by Nathaniel Version 1.0 Copyright (c) 2014 by Nathaniel Licensed as Creative Commons By-Nc-Sa 3.0 cover image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67194724@N03/8357065433/in/photolist-dJu9p4
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Support the Commons if you enjoy! This work is free to share and enjoy, thus supporting the global movement for reclaiming the Commons. If you will find this work inspiring or educating, please support the author either by: 1. Doing all your shopping on Amazon.com via the following affiliate link: http://www.amazon.com/? _encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&lin kCode=ur2&tag=astofmi-20 You may wish to do all your shopping ever through this link, bookmark it in your Internet browser :). 2. Or by purchasing the books linked through affiliate links in this work. I receive gift cards from Amazon this way, so that I can add more books to my collection, and publish more creative commons publications. 3. Or by purchasing one of author's books about spirituality, magick, psychic development or Reiki. http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005B63BDQ Grammar Disclaimer So far, this work has not been edited by a professionalist – grammar errors may occur. Please forgive that my non-native English isn't perfect :).
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About author: Nathaniel is a pen name of Wojciech Usarzewicz, who is a Reiki Master Teacher and a spiritual practitioner born and living in Poland, Europe. When people ask him about his pen name, he says "Nathan" is a way easier to pronounce than his real name; thus he publishes his books under "Nathaniel" name. He's an author of numerous books on spiritual subjects: psychic development, Norse runes, New Age, clairvoyance and Reiki. He's not afraid of controversial subjects, because he believes in old latin proverb, "Homo sum...". He lives in Poland, where he teaches Reiki, as well as he practices other spiritual arts. On the path of his own spiritual growth, he had the opportunity to learn from Buddhist and Taoist masters, witches, shamans and many Reiki masters.
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Table of Contents About author: Preface Before “Modern Age” XVIII Century XIX Century First half of the XX century The Second Half of the XX century The 60s 70s The 80s The 90s The XXI Century, So Far Summary
4 5 6 6 7 10 15 17 18 19 21 23 24
Preface I decided to share with with you the history of New Age. Of course, it's just a short version – a detailed history would take hundreds of pages to describe. Today, we may say that New Age is already over 150 years old. Please, enjoy this outline of New Age movement history. It's worth to learn it in order to figure out what originates from what. It helps to define whether modern practices are worth of your time or not :). Let's begin. Let us start with setting the beginning of New Age movement somewhere in the XVIII century. This is the great time of Industrial Revolution. As you can see, not only the industry and economy went through revolution – the great revolution in spirit also begun back there, as it seems.
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P
Before “Modern Age”
re-ancient times, and ancient times with its primal religions, animistic perspective and later on the organized religions had a strong impact over New Age practices. The time between 1950-1990 sees the ressurection of animist practices in its pagan, neopagan, shamanic and neoshamanic ways. The ancient gods of Egypts, Asia, South America or even Greece and Africa, all were reborn thanks to some organizations and groups as considered a part of New Age movement. But mostly, they had no true impact over the creation of New Age movement. Such old concepts, faiths and practices were ressurected in their modern forms by New Age movement, thus becoming a part of this movement, but as unique traditions, had no real impact over the creation of the New Age ideas. Thus, the history of New Age, as I believe, begins in the XVIII century with the Industrial Revolution at hand.
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XVIII Century
his is the time when first ideas are being born: mersmerism, a kind of energy healing; spiritism, which defines itself as a way to contact the spirits; spiritualism, which was a more religious version of spiritism, was also introduced by Fox sisters. To be more specific, both spiritism and spiritualism developed in XIX century, officially, but it is the XVIII century that sees the beginning of these ideas. Also, in XVIII century, we can see the beginning of interest in paranormal phenomena by scientific community. Mesmerism popularized the idea that there is an unseen energy, which is a life force for all living beings. This is the precursor of the hands-on-healing systems that will develop further in the -6-
XX century. Spiritism and spiritualism popularized the ideas that beyond the physical world, there's also an another world, a spiritual one. This suggested the possibility to contact the spirits and ghosts. Those two schools of thought became a foundation for future New Age ideologies and groups, because they offered people a different perception upon reality than the Christianity promoted. New ideas and thoughts had offered an alternative to an established point of view. Nevill Drury promotes the idea that there are four primary trends that create the foundation for modern New Age. First, the already-mentioned mermerism. Second one are the theories of Emanuel Swedenborg, a researched from Sweden, who, thanks to his mystical experiences, devoted his life to Christian Mysticism and published a lot of works in the art of spirituality. This man is also responsible to create the concept that Angels do have a gender and there can be male and female angels. The third trend is, of course, the Theosophy, created by Helena Blavatsky. The fourth trend is the spiritual activity of George Gurdjieff. Personally, I would generlize in this case, and suggest that not simple Gurdjieff, but the work of all gurus and hindu masters should be called the four trend. Of course, we cannot forget about other ideas, like occult traditions, including Hermetism, astrology, cabballah, alchemy and many forms of magick, that also influenced the growing New Age movement, by walking out of the shadow, in which these “arts” remained since the ancient times.
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XIX Century
he first half of the XIX century sees the introduction of the New Thought movement, initiated by Phineas Quimby, a student of Anton Mesmer, the creator of Mesmerism mentioned -7-
earlier. The New Thought used to evolve and expand the ideas of Mesmerism and mix them with ideas originating in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. New Thought believed that physical matter is merely an illusion, and any illness is created by thoughts and “sick” ideas and concepts. Illness was meant to begin in person's mind, not in person's body. The doctrine of New Thought include a belief that humanity is divine in its nature, and that our mind is the only reality. Actually, according to New Thought, it is the mind that creates physical matter. Based on these ideas, Quimby created a clinic, in which people were supposed to be able to heal themselves through healing their thoughts and ideas. On the beginning of the XX century, New Thought ideas will evolve beyond health issues, into other aspects of life. For example, Napoleon Hill and Wallace Wattles used New Thought as a base for their concepts of the Law of Attraction, which later on became known thanks to the movie and book “The Secret”. One of the students of Quimby was named Mary Baker Edda, who later on created “Christian Science Society”, which exists for this day. In the XIX century, in its 50s, a major person appears on the scene – her name is Helena Blavatsky. She used to say that she has met a “Master”1 in 1851 in London. This “Master” person was supposed to introduce Blavatsky into the art of Eastern spirituality. In the coming years, Blavatsky was supposed to travel to Mexico, Egypt, Canada and Asia, where she was supposed to learn from shamans and spiritual masters. In 1864, she supposedly spent few years in Tibet, where she 1 This “Master” person was never identified by any name, gender, age or cultural origin. -8-
reported she has learned from “Ascended Masters”. This “Ascended Masters” concept will later on evolve. It still exists and it does have its followers. In the 70s of the XIX century, Blatavsky created the famous Theosophical Society – it was the year 1875, to be specific. Her primary coworkers were collonel Henry Steel Olcott and William Q. Judge. The Society's goal was to popularize Blavatsky's teachings. These teachings were a simplified version of Hindu and Buddha teachings “suited” for the Western world, mixed with traditional, European magical approach and Christianity to some degree. Helena Blavatsky wrote her first famous book , “Isis Unveiled”, focused on Hindu mysticism, and published it in 1877. Because of Blavatsky, among others, we now use the concepts of Chakras, Nadis (energy channels) and Kundalini force within modern New Age ideas. Also, it was Theosophy who first begun to popularize the Hindu concept of reincarnation. In 1888, Blavatsky wrote and published another famous book “The Secret Doctrine”, in which she described many concepts of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, beliefs and practices. What's interesting, this is the very first book, in which the term New Age appears, and it's related to esoteric practices and spiritual growth. In the 80s of the XIX century, Charles and Myrtle Filmore created the organization known ans Unity. The doctrine of this movement was almost exactly the same as the doctrine of the Society of Christian Science, but one new element was added: the belief in reincarnation, which was becoming more and more popular among Western people. In the same years, words are becoming popular about the lost world of Agharta. This trend of ancient lost civilization evolved in the future, and it's responsible for popularizing the names of Atlantis, Lemuria -9-
and Shangri-La. This is also a trend influenced by Theosophy. Blavatsky herself popularized the ideas of many stages of evolution of human civilization and ancient forgotten continents. It's worth mentioning that in the 80s we observe the creation of short-lived occult order known as the Order of the Golden Dawn, which practices and traditions strongly influenced modern magical and esoteric movements. In the 1891 Helena Blavatsky passed away, and the Theosophical Society leadership was taken over by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater. Near the end of the XIX century, Yoga begins to spread in Europe, but it won't be until the 40s of the XX century that Yoga becomes popular. The end of XIX century sees one more important book – “A Dweller on Two Planets” authored by Fredrick Sencer Oliver. In this book, Oliver describes a secret city hidden under Mount Shasta, and mentions about Lemuria as well. The Mount Shasta in United States became a major place of interest for people interested in New Age ideology, and it's related to the concepts of Ascended Masters, UFO and Native American Spirituality.
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First half of the XX century
e now meet, for the first time, with Alice Bailey and Krishnamurti. Alice Bailey was a member of the Theosophical Society. She stated that Krishnamurti, a young Hindu boy back then – was a messiah, an incarnation of Christ. Bailey stated this in 1906. Krishnamurti finally neglected this idea and his role as a messiah in 1926. He broke his ties with the Theosophical - 10 -
Society and dissolved the “Order of the Star”, then creted the “Krishnamurti Foundation of America”, which exists for this day. Notice that some sources suggest that the Order of the Star was created by Krishnamurti. In anyway, the KfoA focused on popularizing Hindu mysticism. Krishnamurti described himself as the antiguru, standing in the opposition of the growing guruistic movement in America at the time. The Guru movement in America is responsible for many concepts popular within New Age: the importance of destroying ego; the importance of serving your guru-master. The concept of “guru” itself was later on used by many sect and cult movements around the world. Even earlier, Alice Bailey herself left the Theosophical Society in 1923 to create her own group, “Acane School”. At the beginning of the XX century, starting with 1901, another great mystic begun his work. His name was Edgar Cayce. He became famous thanks to this abilility to psychically state medical diagnosis throught his clairvoyant abilities. Another skill of his brought him fame, as he used to channel information, through psychical means, about Atlantis and alternative history of human civilization. Cayce created an organization called Association for Research and Englightenment, which exists for this day. Thanks to Cayce's work, the fame of Atlantis itself became far stronger. We credit Cayce also for popularizing interest in general alternative history. The beginning of the XX century is a witness of another major event, the end of the Order of the Golden Dawn. Becaue of the breakdown, some of the Order's members published the Order's teachings. This events and publications influenced the future magick movements, and the esoteric community received a greater popularization of Tarot cards. - 11 -
The end of XIX century and the beginning of the XX century is also a witness to the revival of norse runes because of the works of Guido Von List. Von List also created his own system of magick, based on Futhark alphabet created by himself. He named it “Armenian Futhark”. Based on Von List's ideology, the occultists lead to the revival of runes, unfortunately merging it with ideology that evolved into Nazi occult ideology. The creation of the Thule society and the use of runes in dark Nazi practices lead to turning away from the runes once more in the coming years. Later on, runes revival will take place, but the runes will be consireded to be a simple tool of divination. Somewhere in Japan, between 1900 and 1920, a unknown Buddhist lay monk named Usui Mikao creates Reiki – a method of spiritual healing, which is going to become very popular in the coming years. The ideals of New Age, invented in the XIX century, were being popularized by, among others, The Antrophosophic Society, created by an ex-Theosophist, Rudolph Steiner, in 1913. The Theosophical Society evolved as well. One of the leaders of the Society, after the death of Helena Blavatsky, C. W. Leadbeater created, in 1916 in London, the “Liberal Catholic Church”. It's worth to mention that both Theosophy, the Antrophosophic Society and Arcane School, belief in the concept of new coming of Christ, the messiah (this explains the Krishnamurti). One way or another, they are related to Christian religion, even if they popularized the ideas of Hindu faith and Buddhism. In 1917, Elsie Wright and Frances Gfiffiths took photos of small beings called Fairies, in the town of Cottingley. The photos were studied by many parapsychology experts of the time, but only after many years it became apparent that the photos were faked. - 12 -
As it turned out, the illustrations of the fairies were cut out from a small book for children. This is known as The Faires of Cottingley (or Cottingley Fairies). This is the time when first scientific societies for parapsychology researched became popular. This event also influeced the interest in local folklore from the spiritual and magical point of view, but also influenced the interest in nature spirits. A popular researcher among spiritual movement, Carl Gustav Jung, wrote about the coming of New Age, but it was the exTheosophist, Alice Bailey, who first used the term “New Age” in the context of the coming Age of Aquarius. She meant the introduction of the astrological era, and the described it in her book, “Discipleship in the New Age”, published in 1955. Now, thanks to the “invention” of a paperback cover, more books are going to be published. In 1921, Alfred Watkins defines the idea of Ley Lines, but it went without notice until 1936. That time, a famous ex-member of the Order of the Golden Dawn, Dion Fortune, published her novel, “The Goat Foot God” in which she suggests that Ley Lines are esoteric pathways passing through the country (she meant Great Britain), connecting sacred places. This theory expanded to the whole world, suggesting the existance of the global spiritual net, connecting world's places of power togheter. It's possible that because of Watkins and Fortune, new trends of New Age were created, inspiring people to study the places of power and old places of religious cult. Personally, I would suggest that althought Watkins and Fortune ignited the interest in places of power and the concept of global spiritual net, this way of thinking became truly popular only later, thanks to the revival of pagan beliefs, in its reconstructional and neo-pagan ways.
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In 1928, a popular novel is published, “The Call of Cthulhu”, authored by H. P. Lovecraft. It's one of his most popular novels. Lovecraft inspired many other authors and readers, igniting greater interest in the occult arts among “normal” folks, and his concepts today known as the “Cthulhu Mythos” may have influenced the interest in alternative histories and the popular, among New Age followers, trend of believing in ancient astronauts, which later on became very popular thanks to the works of Erich von Daniken. In 1930 a man named Guy Warren Ballard appears on stage. After his mystical experiences on already-mentioned Mount Shasta, where Ballard supposedly experienced a vision of Saint Germain, Ballard created the Saint Germain Foundation. Ballard was an ex-member of the Theosophical Society who researched further into the concept of Ascended Masters. On the highest place of this new panteon, Ballard placed the controversial Saint Germain. In 1936, Dr Robert D. Stelle popularzied the idea of lost civilization by creating the Lemurian Fellowship organization. At the same year, George Adamski publishes his book, the “Wisdom of the Masters of the Far East” igniting a great interest in the Far East knowledge. In 1945, Ray Palmer publishes his book, “I Remember Lemuria”, which was inspired by Palmer receiving a secret language of the Atlantis from Richard Shaver. One year later, George Adamski supposedly observed a strange object in the sky in a shape of the cigar. Similar objects were visible in the XIX and early XX century as well, but only one year later, in 1938, Kenneth Arnold, being on a plane, officially sees the very first UFO. From this, a ufological movement evolved, by many researchers considered to be an integral part of New Age movement. - 14 -
In the 1940s, Gerald Gardner, along with his wife, founds the Bricket Wood Coven. They begin to spread the practice of Wicca. In the coming years, Wicca craft will become very popular, and it will be one of the major factors for the pagan revival in the second half of the XX century. Yoga is once again popularized, this time in the United States, but later on, it will be prosecuted. The year 1949 is also very important for New Age movement. This is the first year when the magazine “Fate” is being published. The very first issue created by Ray Palmer became very popular, and the magazine itself is being published for this day. At the same time, George Adamski publishes his short story about a journey through space, “The Pioneers of Space”, which helped him create another work, “Inside the Space Ships”, evolving the ideas of alien civilization within New Age concepts.
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The Second Half of the XX century
n the 1950, dr William Sadler creates the Urantia Foundation based on the teachings channeled by Sadler's patients. This organization published a quite huge book, ”The Urantia Book”. Two years later, George Van Tassel begins to channel beings from Ashtaru. In the 50s, the entire modern channeling movement grows in size and popularity, but it won't be until many years later when the channelings of Seth ignite the channeling trend for good. The concept of channeling suggests using psychic abilities to contact with non-physical spiritual beings in order to learn from them. This practice is somehow controversial – a lot of spiritual practitioners warns that you never know who's on the other side and what are the true intentions of the channeled entity. - 15 -
In the 1950, the very first teachings of Hawayo Takata began to spread, slowly. She teach the method of Reiki, created 50 years earlier by Mikao Usui. This method will become the most popular method of energetic healing in the coming 60 years. In the 1953 George Adamski continues his work to popularize the idea of alien civilization afer meeting an alien from Venus in California. Along with desmond Leslie, Adamski publishes his work, “Flying Saucers Have Landed”. In 1954, John C. Lilly builds his first Isolation Tank, which is used to experiment with sensory deprivation. This device will later on help in researching extra-sensory perception, which, in result, will help research the altered states of consciousness. In the same year, another organization is created, the Unarius Academy of science, created by Ernest and Ruth Normans. In 1955, George King creates the Aetherius Society and King beungs to channel alien beings. It's possible that because of King's work, we now observe trends of alien and interplannetary organizations with its quite physical spiritual masters and teachers. Now, the term “New Age” becomes stronger thanks to the already-mentioned book by Alice Bailey, “Discipleship in the New Age, volume II”, and within many small books and leaflets, the term of Indigo children appears for the first time. In 1957, Tony Neate and Murry Hope creates the Atlanteans Society. The same year witnes the creation of the orgnization of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The orgnization's name is Regeneration Movement Foundation and it's core product is the Transcendental Meditation. This form of meditation becomes popular thanks to The Beatles, who used to study from the person of Maharishi.
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The 60s The cultural revolution gives the opportunity to New Age to become far more organized movement, not just a fade concept. In the 60s, the Esalen Institute in California is created by Michael Murphy and Richard Price (1962). Also, The Findhorn Foundation is set up in 1962 in Findhorn, Scotland. In Findhor, for this day there is an ecovillage that is considered to be a British center of the New Age movement, to say the least. At the same year, the Churge of All Worlds is created. What's interesting, it's quite possible that it was Findhorn where the colors were assigned to chakras. The chakras concept in New Age originates in Hindu tantric tradition of the Shakti cult. This idea was passed to the West by the Theosophical Society. Originally, it was deities, not colors, to be assigned to each of the chakras so that the Shakti followers could easily recognize the meaning of the chakra. The colors were supposedly assigned in the West right in the middle of Findhorn New Age community. Still, it's just a theory. At last, in 1963 a book is published that is considered to be the true beginning for the trend of channeled books: “Seth Material” authored by Jane Roberts. At the same time, thanks to “The Dawn of Magick” by Lous Pauwels and Jacquese Bergier, a new concept is introduced: that the life on Earth is a result of an alient intervention. In the future, Erich von Daniken will explore this idea further. In 1966, thanks to works of Gavin Arthur, the term “The Age of Aquarius” receives its modern, as we understand it, meaning. At the same year, Jean Houston and Robert E. L. Masters publish the results of experimenting with LSD which ignited further
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interest in the altered states of consciousness. In 1967, Knud Weiking gains contact with a “Master” who introduces himself as Orthon.2 Few years earlier, another person, Richard Grave, encountered the same “Master”, and even earlier, the name Orthon was used by a being that contacted George Adamski in California. In 1968 another revolution begins that will influence the paths of Shamanism, neo-shamanism and animist for years to come: “The Teachings of Don Juan” by Carlos Castaneda are published. Currently considered to be a collection of fake stories, nevertheless, they have influenced the revival of “primal spirituality” concept. At the same time, Erich von Daniken publishes his first book, “Chariots of Gods” which hit the general public with the concept of alternative history and ancient astronauts for good. In 1969, John Michael publishes his “The View Over Atlantis”, strengthening the idea of Atlantis and alternative history. In the 60s, another big oranization is born, named ISKCON, created by Swami Prabhupad. The orgnization, originating from United States, is known today as Hare Krishna. Growing number of neo-hindu groups results in greater interest in Yoga practice – again. 70s In the 1970, a concept of breatharianism is born – an ability to feed on light or breath, and it's introduced by Wiley Brooks. In the same year, Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet create the Montesorri International, an educational orgnization. 2 Probably it was not the same “Master” who came in touch with Helena Blavatsky. - 18 -
Mark L. Prophet dies three years later and from the moment on, he is known as the Ascended Master Lanello. In the 70s, a new magazine is being published, named New Age Journal, which further on strengthens the term “New Age”. Hundreds if not thousands of New Age bookstores is being launched in the 70s in the USA. In the 1973, Claude Vorilhon creates the organization known as “The International Raelian Movement”, and a year later, New Age receives another term describing a collection of ideas: Earth Mysteries, which collects the mysteries of Earth. This term has been introduced by an unknown author in a book “Whole Earth Catalogue”, referring the term to the energetic system of Earth, similar to that of a human system of Nadi and Chakras. In the 1975 another spiritual school of techniques is introduced: “The Course in Miracles” in the book under the same title. It is authored by Helen Shucman and William Thetford. In the future, more spirtitual and inner growth techniques will be developed based on the Course in Miracles. The late 70s witness yet another new trend that will evolve further from the moment on. Starhawk publishes her “The Spiral Dance”, which will influence the feminist movement and the concept of the awakening of female energy as an integral part of both material and spiritual realm. Also in the 70s, the works of Ralph Blume, especially “The Book of Runes”, become a source of revival for norse runes, which are considered for time being as a method of divination. Later on, runes will be returned to the growing Asatru and Heaten pagan movements. The 80s In the 80s, another major book is published: “Out on a Limb”, - 19 -
an auto-biography by Shirley MacLaine, in which the author explains her mystical experiences. Based on this, a TV show will be later creaeted, that will popularize the New Age themes further. In the 1980, “The Aquarius Conspiracy” is published, authored by Marilyn Ferguson. This book will strengthen the concept of the coming Aquarius Age. In the meantime, the Findhorn Foundation officially begins creation of the ecovillage in Scotland. At the same year, a book “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman hits the bookstore. This work will ignite the interest in the ideals of the Far East, and it will inspire people for generations to come. In 1980, Hawayo Takata passed away, and the worldwide journey of Reiki begins. The Reiki movement will ignite the interest of people and medical community in alternative therapies along with holsitic health evangelists and chinese medicine practitioners. In 1982, Nancy Ann Tappe publishes another influential book: “Understanding Your Life Through Color”, which is the first book ever that identifies some behavior of kids with the term “Indigo kids” - this book, through the works of other authors, Doreen Virtue for one, will push the concept of Indigo origin into the minds of many New Age readers. In the 80s, we first encounter the name of Deepak Chopra who joins the Transcendental Meditation movement. He will become a popular author of New Age books in the future. In the 1987 we see the first global meditation, organized by Jose Arguelles, a man responsible for the 2012 scare to some degree. This meditation was supposedly be a celebration for the alignment of the planets, an event which cannot be confirmed by astronomical sources. Jose Arguelles is an author of the “Mayan Factor”, a book that introduces the concept of the end of - 20 -
civilization in 2012. In some way, the 2012 boom inspires the mass media to use the term “New Age” even further to desribe a community of people interested in meditation, alternative therapies and psychic powers. In the 1988, Barbara Marcinak begins to channel information from the Pleiadians. The 80s is the time when the number of New Age books and magazines grows and grows. j. Z. Knight creates a movement around a channeled being called Ramtha which will inspire people through a future movie, “What the Bleep do We Know?” Once again, Yoga is growing in popularity. The practice of Yoga experienced times of growth and times of prosecution in the past 100 years, but since the 80s, we observe that the interest in Yoga, no longer strongly lined to New Age practices, is growing and growing for this day. The years 1950-1980 is the golden age of New Age movement. It's the true beginning and, perhaps, the true end. Many new organizations and concepts were born in these years, showing that the people do need spirituality – materialism is not enough. The second half of the XX century sees the struggle to reborn the ideas of spiritual growth among people. For many, the years 1950-1980 are somehow romantic. The next years are merely a strengthening commercialization of spirituality within the New age movement. The 90s In 1991, David Icke publishes his book, “The Truth Vibrations”. This man will later on influence the conspiration movement. In the same year, Lee Carrol and Jan Tober influence the concept of Indigo children further by creating “Kryon Light Groups”. - 21 -
In the 1993, James Redfield self-publishes his book, “The Celestine Prophecy”, another popular work that will inspire countless people to seek their spiritual truths. In the 1995, Deepak Chopra founds his “The Chopra Center for Well Being” in California. In the 1995, Neale Donald Walsch publishes his “Conversations with God” - a book that will change the life of countless people. The year 1997 sees a great success for Findhorn Foundation and its ecovillage – in the recent years, the village introduced many new ideas that mixed economy with spirituality together. The orgnization is recognized by United Nations. Findhorn' works will influnece the growing New Society movement.3 The spiritual healing method of Reiki is recognized as a useful and working energetic healing practice because it's introduced, with great success, in hospital and medital facilities of different sort. Research on energetic medicine advance further. In the 1999, Carol and Tober publish their book, “The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived”, which will influence the concept of Indigo kids further. The 90s is the time when the number of psychic mediums able to contact with the spirits, and Tarot card readers grows up expedientally. First TV shows with live psychic readings and ghost hunting goes live. The 90s is also the time when the expansion of the Internet rushes the spiritual business further. The amount of websites and on-line New Age business booms. 3 The New Society Movement – it is a simple term to describe the growing number of people interested in sociological and economical changes in the world. This movement explores the ideas of eco-buildings, permaculture, co-operatives, ecology and more. - 22 -
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The XXI Century, So Far
he public is inspired by a movie “What The Bleep Do We Know” created by the channeled movement of Ramtha. But even more people are inspired in 2004 when a movie, based on a book, “Peaceful Warrior”, hits the theaters. The first 10 years of the XXI century sees how the old New Age spiritual ideas slowly fade, and the new paths grow up. These new paths of spirituality sees not a Western mixture of Easter practices, but a serious growing interest in Easter practices. With growing number of Easter teachers of Yoga, Taoism, Buddhism and more, it's finally possible to learn from the source, and not from the Western evolutionary forms of Easter spirituality. The XXI century observes the growing popularity of TV shows focusing on paranormal subjects with mediums and clairvoyants and ghosts hunters. The year 2007 sees the premiere of another breakthrough – a movie “The Secret” is released. Countless people become interested in the Law of Attraction and manifestation. Although a very simplified version of spiritual truths, this movie, and the following book, will influence many people to change the world for better.
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B
Summary
etween 1995-2010, we see as the New Age is slowly beginning to evolve into two primary movements: the commercialized spirtiuality of New Age with little spiritual worth, and the New Society movement, which utilizes spiritual teachings and practices to popularize new economic ideas, ecobuilding techniques and theories to truly change the world for better. In a way, the modern New Society movement wouldn't be possible without the influence of New Age ideas in the last 200 years. At the same time as old New Age paths were being commercialized more and more, an interest in anthropological research, animism, primal religions and more serious Eastern traditions evolved, as well, inspiring people for noncommercialized spiritual pursuits, which for this day influence the way our consciousness and awareness both expand into the different areas of our life. The spiritual programs for creating global peace through introduction of Hindu concepts were replaced by social and economical programs. The practices of meditation and popularization of Buddhism inspired the global ecological movement. Whether the ideas of Indigo kids or Ascended Masters are good or bad from the spiritual point of view, whether Reiki is a worthy method of healing, and whether Transcendental Meditation is controversial or not, there is no doubt that the real change that we observe these days – the change in economy, society and ecology – has been, more or less, influenced by New Age thought.
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Some sources: Beside controversial Wikipedia, multiple websites and all the books mentioned in this work, I've used the following sources: 1. Greer, J.M., The New Encyclopedia of the Occult. [Published by] Llewellyn Publications 2003. 2. Guiley, R.E., The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. [Published by] Facts On File 2007. 3. Guiley, R. E., The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft & Wicca. [Published by] Facts On File 2008. 4. Whitworth, B., New Age Encyclopedia. A Mind, Body, Spirit Reference Guide. [Published by] New Page Books, Franklin Lakes 2003. 5. New Age Movement Timeline at: http://www.shangrala.org/father/RELIGIONS/11NewAg e/Timeline-6.html#top
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