New Age Spirituality – Morning Has Been All Night Coming ( Part 1 )
New Age spirituality is a philosophy and practice that has been developed since the mid-20th century. In this blog post, we explore the top 10 aspects of New Age spirituality that may make it appealing to you! By understanding these aspects, it will be easier to decide whether you should get involved in this type of spiritual practice.
The first aspect we will explore is as follows: Spirituality invites something new; it's always changing and growing.
Spirituality invites something new; it's always changing and growing.
There is no one "god." Rather, there are many ways to view and experience God (or the divine), and many paths that lead to growth of the individual soul. There are no rules when it comes to practicing spirituality. Each person is free to create their own system of beliefs, practices, rituals, and ceremonies. Spirituality is a way of life that one can adapt as he or she grows in life and awareness.
One more aspect we will explore is as follows: Spirituality is about finding meaning and purpose in life.
Spirituality is about finding meaning and purpose in life.
The New Age movement has been described as a broad-based and loose network of spiritual practitioners, holistic health practitioners, psychics, self-help authors, motivational speakers, mentors, gurus and the like. This movement has been defined by its focus on esoteric development within the context of a holistic approach to spiritual enlightenment. This is much different from the more structured environments of many mainstream religious groups.
The final aspect we will explore is as follows: Spirituality leads to a direct and personal experience of God.
Spirituality leads to a direct and personal experience of God.
A person who becomes consumed with New Age spirituality will look for ways to better understand everything in the world around them. Studying eastern religions, such as Taoism, Buddhism, and especially Hinduism will aid in this effort. When one becomes successful at attaining a direct experience of the divine, he or she has created a deep personal relationship with God.
Now, let us begin exploring these aspects of New Age spirituality in greater detail!
1. New Age Spirituality Is Based on Early 20th Century Advances in Science and Human Consciousness
New Age spiritual teachers have been influenced by ideas about brain activity and human consciousness that were developed between 1945 to 1970. In the early 20th century, science made great strides in understanding how the mind works. Through advances such as the electron microscope and the invention of radium, scientists were able to see into previously inaccessible realms.
This century also saw great advances in understanding human consciousness. Pioneers such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and William James studied how the human brain worked and how it interacted with the outside world. Freud's theories about repression of memories are well known. Jung popularized the concept of the collective unconscious, which means that all humans share certain ideas and emotions. James' theory of pragmatism called attention to the importance of experience.
The New Age movement focuses much more on experience than it does on doctrine. Because all spiritualities involve some form of belief or doctrine, the New Age is usually considered a religion; however, it is not always structured like a typical religion because its beliefs and practices are constantly changing.
The New Age movement is also based on the human potential movement that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. This movement was driven by interest in eastern religions. New age ideas about what it means to be human are influenced by the human potential movement, which believes that humans are not bound by traditional gender or sexual roles, and they can become whatever we want to be. None of these ideas originated with the New Age, but they have been incorporated into it.
2. New Age Spirituality Invites "Spiritual Activism"
New Age spirituality often focuses on social and environmental issues. The most typical forms of activism in this movement have to do with animal rights and environmentalism, but the focus can be made very broad indeed. Some people with this type of spirituality are concerned that humankind is entering into a third age of darkness and that we need to take responsibility for our actions and for the environment we live in.
To respond to these concerns, New Age spirituality encourages people to take action about these issues. It also asks for people to take responsibility for themselves and to make choices that will impact their lives positively or negatively. Some people see this as a form of "spiritual activism." [1]
3. New Age Spirituality Encourages People To Live by the Principles of Nature
Many New Age authors and teachers believe that the universe is a living entity, and that all living things have a purpose in life. One leader of this movement, Richard Tarnas, wrote a book documenting the influence of great thinkers and artists on Western civilization throughout history. He believed that if people followed the principles that informed their work, it could help them find their own purpose in life.
For example, Mozart is associated with balance and harmony. If a person is balanced and harmonious in his or her life, he or she can find meaning in it.
Conclusion
We have discussed the major aspects of New Age spirituality. To conclude, we would like to note that New Age spiritualities are unique in many ways.
Most religions involve a specific set of beliefs and practices. There is no such thing as orthodoxy in these religions.
In contrast, New Age spirituality runs the risk of being diluted by too many beliefs, practices, and rituals all running concurrently. This leads to what some consider watered-down spirituality or "spiritual materialism.