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An Argument For The New Age
Defending The Ideas Against Closed Minds
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Introduction
This article was a response to an attack in a newspaper about the paranormal and
matters such as astrology and tarot. I was so annoyed at this article, which was
poorly researched and utterly close-minded, that I wrote a response. I never sent it
to the newspaper but will post it here, somewhat modified, as an argument for those
matters which are not quantifiable, provable (apart from the fact that they work!)
or tangible. The author was trying to say that there was no validity in anything
spiritual, that it was better to change the world with politics than with personal
development and that programmes like the X-Files were a government's way
of distracting the people from the issues it wanted to hide...
New Age
I find myself annoyed when I hear attacks on matters paranormal and of the New Age
movement which are founded on a great deal of opinion and not a great deal of
understanding of that which is criticized. On the surface, the New Age may well
seem to be "quackery" but it is as well to know what the New Age actually is and
isn't. Too
often, the term is used to lump together all methods of self-exploration and
world-exploration, from the totally valid to the outrageously absurd, but perhaps a
more accurate definition would be in terms of an interest in the deeper meanings of
our lives - a religion, or philosophy, which encompasses many different traditions.
All religions have their strong and their weak points: in the case of the New Age, the
strength is in the self-exploration and, through that, seeing how this human potential
can be employed to better the world. At the opposite polarity, one gets what my
friends Cindy Pavlinac and Tom Graves call "newage" - which rhymes with and
resembles sewage - where the spiritual ideal becomes a toy behind which the
irresponsible can hide.
In both points, the New Age does not differ significantly from the pure and the
contaminated sides of any world view - and that means, also, the scientific world
view.
Astrology and tarot
Astrology and tarot, to name but two, are separate traditions and disciplines in
their own right, much older than what we now call the New Age. Readings performed
by an expert are the result of years of deep study and, denying all but
intuitive logic, are
remarkably accurate. True astrology has got nothing to do with newspaper columns; it is a
skilful discipline of perception and observation that can only be appreciated if one
takes the time to consult an expert rather than condemning from afar. Likewise,
Mystic Meg’'s abysmally tacky style has nothing to do with the real art of tarot. And
to be honest, even though there is no "scientific proof" that both these methods work,
the world does not have to be defined in terms of science. Science is just one way of
viewing the world: not the only one. Anything that guides a person to look
more closely at themselves must surely be of value.
To view the world from a purely scientific or just plain anti-spiritual angle is
just as blinkered as a so-called spiritual person trying to convert others to
"the only true way". Each and every individual has their own path, and what we often
forget is that the only person we ever have a right to change is ourself. People
should be allowed to deal with life as they will, the only modifier perhaps being the
rather wise Wiccan sentiment, An it hurt no one, do thy will.
Touching spirits
In the Western culture, we have lost touch with our spiritual side and forget that in
many other cultures, religion/spirituality and politics walk hand in hand. Naturally,
religious conflict occurs; this is the result of the sewage end of faith. But, in
general, where a nation is more in touch with its inner wisdom, there is not the
sense of hopelessness which exists in, for example, Britain. It is too easy - and
convenient - to confuse the pure spirituality of an individual with the manipulation
of a governemt. A faith of whatever kind can, and often does, create a great deal of
comfort.
Small wonder, then, that the British have started to seek a sense of meaning in
their high-rise office blocks. Nothing like the New Age movement would grow if it were
not required.
There is much more to this world than can be seen or explained away with logic. With
the increase of interest in spiritual matters, people are perhaps being attracted to
self-improvement and will naturally gravitate towards the improvement of their world.
I agree wholeheartedly with making the best of what we have, but I have yet to meet a
spiritual person who looks forward to the afterlife as the be-all and end-all of their
existence. People live in the moment, live by what they sense is right for them,
regardless of what they are told (usually by people who are too afraid to do the
same). If they look forward to something, it's on this Earth and in their
living future.
These are amongst the most caring, the most content and competent people I know, and
many of them actively combine political with personal spiritual beliefs to try build
the world they want.
Paranormality
As far as the paranormal is concerned, this is a different issue altogether from the
New Age. Again, I see no reason why humans should not be interested in such matters;
it'’s only like another hobby, no different from football, for example. Very few
people take it to the extreme - sitting on top of hills waiting for a visitation,
for example - but even if they do, it’s nobody'’s business but their own. Nobody would
bat an eyelid if they were to buy their favourite football team'’s season ticket and
go see all the matches, after all.
The popularity of the X Files may be
that it'’s a series of cracking good tales; most people have a healthy interest in the
weird and wonderful. I say healthy, because escapism is essential for our recovery
from a rather heavy world; and anything that stimulates the imagination has got to be
an improvement on discussing who's doing what with whom down at the local pub.
I do not see any of this as being a government'’s ploy to make people look the other
way; we don’t need an excuse to look the other way, if that is what we choose to do.
We have a right to choose how we perceive our own worlds and a right to choose the
way in which we alter it. Some choose politics and organisations like trade unions;
others start with themselves and work from the inside out.
The long and the short of this is that the best attitude by far is "to each their own".
Slamming an issue such as New Age spirituality and making it into a political evil
seems distinctly pointless. It seems much more productive to let us all get on with
our own choices and to try and improve our world in the ways we feel most comfortable,
rather than trying to force us into moulds and organisations which do not suit us at
all.
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An Argument For The New Age
Defending The Ideas Against Closed Minds
This page created 15 Jun 1997
Last update 07 Nov 2003
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