New Age is not a complete teaching. Rather, it is a general direction of human thought that has arisen as a result of the search for a new ideology corresponding to modern reality. It is a kind of human rebellion against outdated ideas, norms and restrictions.
The need for a new teaching arose among enlightened people who could no longer be satisfied with the religious dogmas prevailing over society. At the same time, science, which gave man many priceless discoveries and inventions, ignored or was skeptical about spiritual search.
Thus, a spiritual vacuum arose between religion and science - the optimal environment for creating a new worldview. The term "new age" itself is translated as "new era". However, it has other names, namely "New Age" and "Age of Aquarius". However, the New Age has become a vivid confirmation that everything new is, in fact, only well-forgotten old.
BACK TO THE ROOTS
The immediate impetus for the emergence of new age was the rapid development of science and information technology in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. It was at this time that information about Eastern teachings poured into Europe and America, historical documents and the results of archaeological excavations, which had not previously been widespread, became available. Added to this was an increase in the general level of literacy in developed countries, an emancipation of the individual as a result of two world wars, an exacerbation of the taste for life, and the thirst for a higher meaning of life.
In a word, humanity rushed into a new era, rediscovering history, cultural heritage, pagan rituals and science fiction. In the middle of the last century, New Age had already flourished in Europe as a developed subculture, although its modern name first appeared in the American press in the 80s. It was at this time that the current became widespread.
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By and large, the New Age marked the triumph of freedom. At the same time, he did not have an organized structure, but was a multitude of scattered communities, professing ideas and concepts of an exceptional nature. They were born and cultivated only within these groups, but they had something in common. All of them were aimed at developing additional capabilities of the human body and personality. This included the eastern systems of physical culture (yoga, qigong, as well as some types of martial arts), meditation practices, ancient types of healing, all kinds of mystical teachings, attention to supernatural phenomena and occult practices, and even magic.
THE GREAT SEVEN
It is almost impossible to explain the already formed plurality of New Age. But the main thing in it is that everyone has a chance to find something that meets his individual spiritual or physical needs, create his own ideology and unite with like-minded people. But this is exactly what a thinking person needs. The choice of ideas and directions is incredibly wide. New Age organically combines:
1. Monism is a teaching based on the idea that the entire universe comes from a single divine energy that unites all things. Therefore, man, as a part of this Universe, is a participant and creator of the infinite cosmic reality, the bearer of the divine Self. This concept is most fully described in the book "Turning Point" by Fritolof Capra.
2. Pantheism. The term is used in New Age to refer to anything and everything. That is, God is everything, which means that a person must discover God within himself. For this, he chooses the path leading to the disclosure of his divine essence.
3. Belief in reincarnation and karma.
This allows you to count on achieving perfection, even if not in this life.
4. Unity of religions. A person is free to choose any system of belief, any path to truth and spiritual perfection. And it doesn't matter which way to go, because they all lead to the same goal.
5. Personal transformation. This means the transformation and development of the personality through mystical or psychic experience. Various healing practices are used in the New Age. The main idea is that a person is a part of the natural world order, and his physical health should be provided exclusively by natural practices - gymnastics, chiropractic, massage, energy techniques, diet, etc. The improvement of consciousness completes the series.
6. Planetary vision. New Age adherents view the Earth as a single living organism that produces and preserves life. This is the ideological platform of various environmental groups, etc.
7. Eschatology - the doctrine of the finiteness of the fate of man and the world, belief in the afterlife and subsequent rebirth.
Notable New Age Followers
SHIRLEY MACLEIN. The Hollywood actress is considered one of the most famous New Age prophets. All over the world, her books are sold in huge editions, in which she talks about the history of her spiritual quest, about the beginning of her doubts about Christianity and about meeting people who believed in reincarnation.
JOHN DENVER. At the height of his fame, the American pop star gave up concert activity and devoted himself to society. He was interested in issues of environmental protection, human rights, space research. Denver was passionate about the unification of humanity and felt like a part of this world. His charity concert in Chernobyl in favor of the victims of the disaster at the nuclear power plant became a vivid evidence of this.
TINA TURNER. According to the famous singer, from childhood she tried to grow spiritually and walk the right path. She found her way in reading mantras and chanting prayers - from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism. Interpreting the texts, she popularizes the formulas of world religions under the slogan: "We are all one!"
STEVEN SPIELBERG. The films of one of the most prominent American directors, despite the mixture of genres, fascinating plot and masterful production, also have a powerful program setting. Such works as "Contacts of the third degree", "I. Ti. - Extraterrestrial "," Back to the Future "," A Gang of Dummies "fit perfectly into the philosophy of new age.
GEORGE LUCAS. His famous Star Wars saga was the first film to embody the idea of divine "power", an intuitive connection with the "other world", with "departed teachers" who are called upon to lead humanity into the New era.
THE Eve of the Spiritual Revolution
The collection and synthesis of all sorts of ideas in the New Age has a very clear justification. It is the belief that modern humanity is living in a transitional period of entering a new era. The Earth is moving from the sign of Pisces to the constellation of Aquarius. At the same time, Newagers believe that the era of Pisces was pale and amorphous, and the era of Aquarius will be bright and brilliant. When happy changes come, no one really knows, but it's worth preparing for it. After all, the era of Aquarius marks the flourishing of humanism, brotherhood and … occultism. In short, a golden age for everything
humanity. However, this hardly needs to be taken literally.
The last century really showed not one, but several “faults”, and after each of them the world changed irrevocably. Most likely, the "era of Aquarius" is not so much an astrological landmark as a symbol of the need for global changes in the minds of the masses. In fact, New Agers associate the reign of heaven on Earth with a revolution, but that has nothing to do with a bloody revelry of the crowd. This is a revolution in the sphere of the spirit, which will certainly provide a breakthrough into the world of freedom and equality.
GURU OF NEW TIME
To date, there are enough works that reveal the many faces of the New Age movement. Among the authors and thinkers are several prominent figures, including Alice Bailey, Anne Besant, Elena Blavatskaya, Carlos Castaneda, Theodore Roszak, Pyotr Uspensky, Ken Wilber, and others. In Russia, the most notable figures are Boris Bolotov and Andrei Sidersky.
It is curious that a movement designed to fill the vacuum between a purely material scientific worldview and religion has become the object of criticism and denial from both science and the church. The first accuses his supporters of harmful charlatanism, the other - almost of Satanism that is destructive to the soul. In fact, the visible results of New Age activity are harmless and positive. Building communities on one or more of the above traditions, adherents of the movement adapt them in accordance with their own needs and understanding, turning them into widely available technologies.
In fact, anyone who visits today in America, Western Europe and Russia the center of martial arts, gymnastics, studying the methods of meditation, using contactless massage, reading mantras, believing in the existence of aliens or keeping a talisman-talisman on his chest, can safely consider himself a glorious the new age community.
As for the reaction to the movement on the part of world confessions, it is quite understandable. For example, some areas in the New Age cultivate the practice of channeling - the direct transfer of information from angels and higher teachers to humans. The books of some masters, such as Lee Carroll, Steve Rother, Neil Donald Walsh, have sold millions of copies, and their lectures attract numerous audiences.
THROUGH THE POINT TO GLORY
Many neo-religious movements and sects have emerged from the New Age movement in the world, both in the West and in the East. For example, the Osho school is very famous all over the world, which has developed a multifaceted system of dynamic meditations. International Sufi schools are very popular, using the experience accumulated over the centuries to improve the spirit without tying it to Islam.
And the Japanese neo-religion Oomotokyo inspired the creator of aikido, Morihei Ueshibu, to adapt this martial art on the postulates of non-violence.
But even here there were scandals. Thus, the Aum Shinrikyo school in Japan, which professes teachings based on Hinduism, Tantric Buddhism and Christianity, was implicated in terrorist activities. And the free interpretation and use of other folk traditions arouses the protest of their original bearers. And yet, despite the lack of consistency, the influence of New Age on a variety of life spheres is very great.
Experts no longer run the risk of denying the importance of the wellness techniques that have become widespread thanks to the New Age, and the cultural fruits of the movement simply cannot be counted - these are films, music, philosophical and environmental works. Within the framework of the movement, serious trends are also emerging that aim at preserving authentic traditions, systemic comprehension and comparison of various worldviews, practices and ways of thinking, the development of a universal humane philosophy, the reconciliation of religion and science, and the achievement of mutual understanding between peoples.
Of course, New Age ideas have a long way to go. The movement has enormous potential to bring spiritual revival to a new stage in the growth of our civilization.
"Line of Fate" March 2012
