New Age Spirituality – Morning Has Been All Night Coming ( Part 22 )
There are certain things that, for one reason or another, have never been able to make sense to me. One of these is New Age spirituality. It seemed too theoretical and not tangible enough as a movement that I could actually interact with in my own life. As time went on and more people around me became exasperated with traditional organized religion and began embracing the idea of a spiritual awakening in their own way, my curiosity grew immensely. At times, I would play devil's advocate in the sense that I attempted to carefully listen to their perspective, yet when pushed to believe it, I could not.
On a surface level I can understand and agree with much of what New Age spirituality purports to be. There is something definitely attractive about the idea that there is a deeper meaning behind everything we can see and touch; therefore, there must be more to life than has been programmed for us by society. To some degree, this conviction is true. There is a much deeper meaning behind many aspects of daily living, but the New Age movement often goes too far in assuming that meaning is connected to some cosmic plan that is going to unfold in the future.
It's one thing to study the history of religion and trace its origins all the way back to Ancient Egypt and Sumer, but it's quite another to claim that all wisdom can be obtained from there. To be fair, this is not the belief among most New Age devotees. Nevertheless, it is those who do hold such strong convictions that have helped to create a very high level of disdain from me.
These are the people that have nothing but disdain for traditional organized religion while at the same time they constantly make every attempt to sound like they're making some sort of argument that only another enlightened being in their ranks would understand. It's quite annoying, really.
Having been raised in a family of true believers, I've always been very proud of the fact that I inevitably question everything. Perhaps this could be perceived as my search for the ultimate truth, or maybe it's simply an act to avoid taking sides. To me, intellectual honesty is always a good way to gain great insight into a subject. Honestly though, I would have been perfectly content with the status quo had it not been for certain contradictions in religious dogma.
As a result of being an intelligent, goal-oriented person, I became very frustrated with the fact that I wasn't being allowed to participate in the discussion on certain theological matters. It seems that many traditional religions would rather retain power over their followers by playing these sorts of games than allow for rational discourse on matters that are deemed to be sacred.
It's here where I believe most people struggle to understand how New Age spirituality plays a greater role today. I think it's human nature to desire answers to the big questions we all have about the universe, life and everything. This is why people will often seek out something bigger than themselves in times of great despair. But what if that which you are searching for doesn't exist? Then how do you cope with the reality of your situation?
In my darkest hour, I found myself to be in this very position. In a very real sense, I was not just lost; I was buried alive within my own existence. I was forced to ask some of the most difficult questions that a soul can ever ask. I had no choice but to face my greatest fears head on. It was terrifying, but it was also the greatest opportunity that life has ever offered me.
As an extension of my willingness to accept this challenge, I became very open-minded about new things. Even though I refrained from drinking the Kool-Aid, I was still willing to interact with those who knew how to live and love this new way of thinking and feeling. In reality, I was searching for a way to entertain my curiosity about life in the absence of the need for answers. To be fair, I only took hold of this attitude for about three years.
As time went on, however, I realized that the more I was able to pull from these new ideas and philosophies the more I was able to create inner balance. Although this may not be a universal truth, it is not without proof.
As I stated in the first article of this series, the most important thing for me was to keep things simple. I've never been one to attach to many possessions or maintain an overly complex daily routine. It's not that I don't enjoy the pleasure of life's little pleasures, because I do; but I also understand that these things can become a distraction if you allow them to be.
I've always found that there is less of a distinction between the mundane and the extraordinary when it comes to understanding what makes life meaningful. The more you focus on the mundane, you lose touch with your ability to live freely. I can tell you from experience that freedom is fleeting, whereas a life filled with simple pleasures is something that will never expire.
Conclusion
The New Age movement is one that helps to keep me centered. More than anything, it has helped me to understand that there will always be things in life that make you feel out of balance; therefore, it's important to do what you can to create balance. This is a skill that a person can cultivate over time and take with them anywhere they go.