New Age
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | "The general consensus is that Hubczejak’s real genius lay in his precisely calculated ability to marshal the confused, bastardized, late-twentieth-century ideology known as “[[New Age]] thinking” to his advantage. He was the first of his generation to see beyond the ridiculous, contradictory and outmoded superstitions it adopted to the fact that New Age thought appealed to a very real suffering symptomatic of psychological, ontological and [[social breakdown]]. Beyond the repellent mix of fundamentalist eco-babble, attraction to tradition and the “[[sacred]]” which they inherited from their spiritual forebears, the [[Esalen Institute |Esalen commune]] and the [[hippie|hippie movement]], New Agers had a genuine desire to break with the twentieth century, its [[immorality]], its [[individualism]] and its [[libertarian]] and [[antisocial]] aspects. It testified to the anguished awareness that a society cannot function without the unifying axis of some kind of religion; it was, in effect, a call for a new paradigm." --''[[Atomised]]'' (1998) by Michel Houellebecq | ||
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| - | '''New Age''' is the term commonly used to designate the broad movement of [[late 20th century]] and contemporary [[Western culture]], characterised by an [[eclectic]] and [[individual]] approach to [[spirituality|spiritual]] exploration. '''Self-spirituality''', '''New spirituality''', and '''Mind-body-spirit''' are other names sometimes used for the movement. | + | |
| + | '''New Age''' is a term applied to a range of [[spirituality|spiritual]] or [[religion|religious]] beliefs and practices that developed in [[Western culture|Western nations]] during the 1970s. Precise scholarly definitions of the New Age differ in their emphasis, largely as a result of its highly [[eclecticism|eclectic]] structure. Although analytically often considered to be religious, those involved in it typically prefer the designation of '''spiritual''' or '''Mind, Body, Spirit''' and rarely use the term "New Age" themselves. Many scholars of the subject refer to it as the '''New Age movement''', although others contest this term and suggest that it is better seen as a [[milieu]] or [[zeitgeist]]. | ||
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| + | <!--History of the New Age--> | ||
| + | As a form of [[Western esotericism]], the New Age drew heavily upon a number of older esoteric traditions, in particular those that emerged from the occultist current that developed in the eighteenth century. Such prominent occult influences include the work of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]] and [[Franz Mesmer]], as well as the ideas of [[Spiritualism]], [[New Thought]] and [[Theosophy (Blavatskian)|Theosophy]]. A number of mid-twentieth century influences, such as the [[UFO religions]] of the 1950s, the [[Counterculture of the 1960s]], and the [[Human Potential Movement]], also exerted a strong influence on the early development of the New Age. The exact origins of the phenomenon remain contested, but there is general agreement that it developed in the 1970s, at which time it was centred largely in the United Kingdom. It expanded and grew largely in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular within the United States. By the start of the 21st century, the term "New Age" was increasingly rejected within this milieu, with some scholars arguing that the New Age phenomenon had ended. | ||
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| + | <!--Core Beliefs--> | ||
| + | Despite its highly eclectic nature, a number of beliefs commonly found within the New Age have been identified. [[Theology|Theologically]], the New Age typically adopts a belief in a [[Holism|holistic]] form of divinity that imbues all of the universe, including human beings themselves. There is thus a strong emphasis on the spiritual authority of the self. This is accompanied by a common belief in a wide variety of semi-divine non-human entities, such as [[angel]]s and [[Masters of the Ancient Wisdom|masters]], with whom humans can communicate, particularly through the form of [[Mediumship#Channeling|channeling]]. Typically viewing human history as being divided into a series of distinct ages, a common New Age belief is that whereas once humanity lived in an age of great technological advancement and spiritual wisdom, it has entered a period of spiritual degeneracy, which will be remedied through the establishment of a coming [[Age of Aquarius]], from which the milieu gets its name. There is also a strong focus on healing, particularly using forms of [[alternative medicine]], and an emphasis on a New Age approach to science that seeks to unite science and spirituality. | ||
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| + | <!--Sociological factors--> | ||
| + | Centred primarily in Western countries, those involved in the New Age have been primarily from middle and upper-middle-class backgrounds. The degree to which New Agers are involved in the milieu varied considerably, from those who adopted a number of New Age ideas and practices to those who fully embraced and dedicated their lives to it. The New Age has generated criticism from established Christian organisations as well as [[Modern Paganism|modern Pagan]] and [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous communities]]. From the 1990s onward, the New Age became the subject of research by academic scholars of [[religious studies]]. | ||
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| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[2012 phenomenon]] | + | * [[Advaita Vedanta]] |
| - | *[[Blavatsky]] | + | * [[Higher consciousness]] |
| - | *[[Biofeedback]] | + | * [[Higher self]] |
| - | *[[Centering prayer]] | + | * [[Hippie]]s |
| - | *[[Eco-communalism]] | + | * [[Hypnosis]] |
| - | *[[Higher consciousness]] | + | * [[Mantras]] |
| - | *[[Hippies]] | + | * [[New Age communities]] |
| - | *[[Mantas]] | + | * [[New religious movement]] |
| - | *[[New Age communities]] | + | * [[Paradigm shift]] |
| - | *[[New Age music]] | + | * [[Peace movement]] |
| - | *[[Holotropic breathing]] | + | * [[Reincarnation]] |
| - | *[[Hypnosis]] | + | * [[Rerikhism]] |
| - | *[[Paradigm shift]] | + | * [[Philosophy of happiness]] |
| - | *[[Peace movement]] | + | * [[Social theory]] |
| - | *[[Philosophy of happiness]] | + | * [[Spiritual evolution]] |
| - | *[[Rebirth]] | + | |
| - | *[[Social conditioning]] | + | |
| - | *[[Social equality]] | + | |
| - | *[[Spiritual evolution]] | + | |
| - | *[[Transcendental meditation]] | + | |
| - | *[[Transpersonal psychology]] | + | |
| - | *[[Woodstock]] | + | |
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"The general consensus is that Hubczejak’s real genius lay in his precisely calculated ability to marshal the confused, bastardized, late-twentieth-century ideology known as “New Age thinking” to his advantage. He was the first of his generation to see beyond the ridiculous, contradictory and outmoded superstitions it adopted to the fact that New Age thought appealed to a very real suffering symptomatic of psychological, ontological and social breakdown. Beyond the repellent mix of fundamentalist eco-babble, attraction to tradition and the “sacred” which they inherited from their spiritual forebears, the Esalen commune and the hippie movement, New Agers had a genuine desire to break with the twentieth century, its immorality, its individualism and its libertarian and antisocial aspects. It testified to the anguished awareness that a society cannot function without the unifying axis of some kind of religion; it was, in effect, a call for a new paradigm." --Atomised (1998) by Michel Houellebecq |
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New Age is a term applied to a range of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices that developed in Western nations during the 1970s. Precise scholarly definitions of the New Age differ in their emphasis, largely as a result of its highly eclectic structure. Although analytically often considered to be religious, those involved in it typically prefer the designation of spiritual or Mind, Body, Spirit and rarely use the term "New Age" themselves. Many scholars of the subject refer to it as the New Age movement, although others contest this term and suggest that it is better seen as a milieu or zeitgeist.
As a form of Western esotericism, the New Age drew heavily upon a number of older esoteric traditions, in particular those that emerged from the occultist current that developed in the eighteenth century. Such prominent occult influences include the work of Emanuel Swedenborg and Franz Mesmer, as well as the ideas of Spiritualism, New Thought and Theosophy. A number of mid-twentieth century influences, such as the UFO religions of the 1950s, the Counterculture of the 1960s, and the Human Potential Movement, also exerted a strong influence on the early development of the New Age. The exact origins of the phenomenon remain contested, but there is general agreement that it developed in the 1970s, at which time it was centred largely in the United Kingdom. It expanded and grew largely in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular within the United States. By the start of the 21st century, the term "New Age" was increasingly rejected within this milieu, with some scholars arguing that the New Age phenomenon had ended.
Despite its highly eclectic nature, a number of beliefs commonly found within the New Age have been identified. Theologically, the New Age typically adopts a belief in a holistic form of divinity that imbues all of the universe, including human beings themselves. There is thus a strong emphasis on the spiritual authority of the self. This is accompanied by a common belief in a wide variety of semi-divine non-human entities, such as angels and masters, with whom humans can communicate, particularly through the form of channeling. Typically viewing human history as being divided into a series of distinct ages, a common New Age belief is that whereas once humanity lived in an age of great technological advancement and spiritual wisdom, it has entered a period of spiritual degeneracy, which will be remedied through the establishment of a coming Age of Aquarius, from which the milieu gets its name. There is also a strong focus on healing, particularly using forms of alternative medicine, and an emphasis on a New Age approach to science that seeks to unite science and spirituality.
Centred primarily in Western countries, those involved in the New Age have been primarily from middle and upper-middle-class backgrounds. The degree to which New Agers are involved in the milieu varied considerably, from those who adopted a number of New Age ideas and practices to those who fully embraced and dedicated their lives to it. The New Age has generated criticism from established Christian organisations as well as modern Pagan and indigenous communities. From the 1990s onward, the New Age became the subject of research by academic scholars of religious studies.
See also
- Advaita Vedanta
- Higher consciousness
- Higher self
- Hippies
- Hypnosis
- Mantras
- New Age communities
- New religious movement
- Paradigm shift
- Peace movement
- Reincarnation
- Rerikhism
- Philosophy of happiness
- Social theory
- Spiritual evolution
