New age spirituality has no established hierarchy, creed, official website, text, or international headquarters. There is no membership process, no fee or anything associated with conventional religions; anyone can join by simply embracing some of the ideas or practices.
Beliefs
In a nutshell, new age spirituality is a curious and highly individualized mix of monism (everything is one), pantheism (God is everything and everything is God), Hinduism, Taoism, Gnosticism, and/or Buddhism.It should be noted that not all New Agers hold the following beliefs nor engages in all the listed practices, but some of the most commonly held ideas and popular activities are:
- Unlimited human potential – The belief that God, the cosmic life force and the creative spark, is everywhere and in all people.
- Ecological sensitivity – Often including the belief that the planet is a living organism, called Mother Earth.
- Emphasis on holistic health – Practices include a plethora of alternative healing techniques - everything from acupuncture to psychic healing to crystal therapy.
- Meditation – Clearing the mind of negative thoughts and energy; a means of relaxing and also opening oneself up to the divine; may involve some kind of mantra. This can involve spending time at a new age retreat center, often in beautiful, natural settings.
- Divination – Using tarot cards, astrology, or psychic readings to predict the future.
- Channeling communication – Consulting with psychics, channelers, teachers or astral projection, and so on.
When it comes to defining God, New Agers have various views, Most are pantheistic, believing that God is everything and everything is God including humans. Others are panentheistic, believing that God is everything and also beyond everything. In most cases, God is viewed as impersonal and powerful, a life force that can be appropriated and harnessed for personal enrichment and cultural change.
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