New Age

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New Age is the term commonly used to designate the broad movement of late 20th century and contemporary Western culture, characterized by an eclectic and individual approach to spiritual exploration and references the supposed coming astrological Age of Aquarius. Self-spirituality, New spirituality, and Mind-body-spirit are other names sometimes used for the movement. ^[1][2][3] Beliefs in New Age ideas are found among diverse individuals, including some who graft additional beliefs onto a traditional religious affiliation. ^[3] Individuals who hold any of its beliefs may not identify with the name, and the name may be applied as a label by outsiders to anyone they consider inclined towards its world view. The New Age movement includes elements of older spiritual and religious traditions from both East and West, many of which have been melded with ideas from modern science, particularly psychology and ecology. New Age ideas could be described as drawing inspiration from all the major world religions with influences from Spiritualism, Buddhism, Hermeticism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Shamanism, Mayanism, Ceremonial magic, Sufism, Taoism, New Thought, Wicca and Neo-Paganism being especially strong.

From this collection of influences have come a wide-ranging literature on spirituality, new forms of music known as "new age music", crafts—most visible in speciality shops and New Age fairs and festivals, and increased interest in the methods of alternative medicine.^[4][5]

Contents 1 Definitions 2 History 2.1 Origins 2.2 Contemporary usage 3 Beliefs 3.1 Teleology 3.2 Spiritual versus scientific knowledge 3.3 Human potential 3.4 Miscellaneous 4 Criticism and skepticism 4.1 Religious and spiritual criticism 4.2 Rationalist and academic criticism 4.3 Ken Wilber's pre/trans fallacy view 5 Underlying assumptions 5.1 Millenarianism 5.2 Syncretism 5.3 Relativism 5.4 Mysticism 5.5 Magical thinking 5.6 Postmodernism 5.7 Holism 6 Terminology 7 New Age approaches to medicine 7.1 Controversy regarding alternative medicine 8 New Age Music 9 LOHAS ("Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability") Demographic 10 See also 11 Footnotes 12 External links 12.1 General 12.2 New Age critics

[edit] Definitions

There is no formal definition of the New Age movement. One academic study suggests that those who sample many diverse teachings and practices from both 'mainstream' and 'fringe' traditions and formulate their own beliefs and practices based on their experiences can be considered as New Age.^[1] Rather than following the lead of an organised religion, "New Agers" typically construct their own spiritual journey based on material taken from the mystical traditions of the world's religions, also including shamanism, neopaganism, and occultism.^[2]

New Age practices and beliefs may be characterized as a form of alternative spirituality or alternative religion. Even apparent exceptions, such as alternative medicine or traditional medicine practices, often have some spiritual dimension—such as a conceptual integration of mind, body, and spirit.

The term New Age is used in a Western or modern context where the Judeo-Christian tradition and/or Positivism are dominant, so the use of "alternative" in New Age thought generally implies a contrast with these dominant religious and/or scientific beliefs. Hence, many New Age ideas and practices in the West contain either explicit or implied critiques of organised mainstream Christianity—emphasis on meditation suggests that simple prayer and faith are insufficient, and beliefs such as reincarnation (which not all New Age followers accept)—challenge familiar Christian doctrines, like those regarding the Afterlife.

New Age is a wide range of ideas and activities, from which participants in the subculture select their own preferred streams to identify with. The question of which contemporary cultural elements can be included under the name of "New Age" , or what it means, is much contested. New Age channelers, for instance, have many points of similarity with Spiritualist mediums. Many spiritual movements, such as neo-paganism and transpersonal psychology partially overlap with it. Many groups prefer to distance themselves from the possible negative connotations of the "New Age" name, such as the media hoopla and commercialism, while others prefer not to use it at all. For example, key individuals in the New Thought Movement, such as Ernest Holmes, have focused on a more scientific approach and do not share beliefs in reincarnation, magic, or channeling. Major efforts to present the New Age as a values-based sociopolitical movement included Mark Satin's New Age Politics (orig. 1976),^[6] Theodore Roszak's Person/Planet (1978), Marilyn Ferguson's Aquarian Conspiracy (1980), and Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin's Spiritual Politics (1994).

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

Some, though not all, of the New Age's constituent elements appeared under the practices of Spiritualism, Theosophy, or some forms of New Thought / the Metaphysical movement, all of which date as far back as the nineteenth century, as does alternative health.^[1][2] These movements in turn have roots in Transcendentalism, Mesmerism, Swedenborgianism, and various earlier Western esoteric or occult traditions, such as the Hermetic arts of astrology, magic, alchemy, and kabbalah. Some of the popularisation behind these ideas has roots in the work of early twentieth-century writers, such as D H Lawrence and W B Yeats.

A weekly Journal of Christian liberalism and Socialism called The New Age was published as early as 1894. ^[7] In 1907 it was sold to a group of Socialist writers headed by Alfred Richard Orage and Holbrook Jackson. Other historical personalities were involved, including H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and William Butler Yeats; the magazine became a forum for politics, literature, and the arts. ^[8][9] Between 1908 and 1914 it was instrumental in pioneering the British avant-garde, from vorticism to imagism. After 1914, publisher Orage met P. D. Ouspensky, a follower of G. I. Gurdjieff, and began correspondence with Harry Houdini, becoming less interested in literature and art, and an increased focus on mysticism and other spiritual topics, and sold the magazine in 1921. According to Brown University, "The New Age helped to shape modernism in literature and the arts from 1907 to 1922". ^[10]

In the English-speaking world, we should make special mention of study groups devoted to American trance-diagnostician Edgar Cayce, who inspired many of today's "channelers". The British neo-Theosophist Alice Bailey published a book titled Discipleship in the New Age in 1944, and had used the terms "New Age" and "New Era" in reference to the transition from the astrological age of Pisces to that of Aquarius. Another early adopter of the term was the American artist mystic and philosopher Walter Russell, who spoke in an essay of "…this New Age philosophy of the spiritual re-awakening of man…", also published in 1944. The Findhorn Foundation, an early New Age intentional community in northern Scotland founded in 1962, played a significant role. The movement in Russia has been heavily influenced by the legacy of Nicholas Roerich and Helena Roerich, who taught in the Theosophical tradition. Another former Theosophist, Rudolf Steiner and his anthroposophical movement, is a major influence, especially upon German-speaking New Agers. In Brazil, followers of Spiritist writer Allan Kardec^[11] blend with the Africanized folk traditions of Candomblé and Umbanda.

[edit] Contemporary usage

The subculture that would later take on the descriptive term "New Age" already existed in the early 1970s, based on and continuing themes originally present in 1960s counterculture.^[12] Although more rock than new age in genre, the 1967 major hit musical Hair with its opening song "Aquarius" and the memorable line "This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius" showed the emergence of the New Age concept into mainstream awareness.

Use of the term New Age began in the mid 1970s, reflected in the title of a new monthly periodical, the New Age Journal, and was taken up by several thousand small metaphysical book and gift stores that increasingly defined themselves as "New Age bookstores".

In the mid 1980s, the term was further popularized by the American mass media to describe the alternative spiritual subculture, including activities all the way from meditation, channeling, reincarnation, crystals, psychic experience, to holistic health or environmentalism, or belief in anomalous phenomena, or for other “unsolved mysteries” such as UFOs, Earth mysteries and crop circles^{[citation needed]}. By the late 1980s, a range of new publications had appeared to serve the marketplace of these ideas, including Psychic Guide Magazine (later renamed Body, Mind & Spirit), Yoga Journal, New Age Voice (a New Age music specialty magazine) and trade publications such as New Age Retailer, NaPRA ReView ("New Age Publishing and Retailers Association"), and others.

Diverse activities of this subculture, or subcultures, might include: participation in study or meditation groups, attendance at lectures and fairs; the purchase of books, music, or different products such as crystals or incense; healing or energy pyramids; or patronage of fortune-tellers, healers and spiritual counselors.

Key moments in raising public awareness of this subculture include the publication of Linda Goodman's best selling astrology books Sun Signs (1968) and Love Signs (1978), the October 1967 musical Hair, and its opening song "Age of Aquarius", the Harmonic Convergence organized by Jose Arguelles in Sedona, Arizona in 1987; and the wave of interest in the broadcast of Shirley MacLaine's television mini-series Out on a Limb (also 1987). This was an autobiographical account of her mid-life spiritual exploration. Also influential are the claims of channelers such as Jane Roberts (Seth) and J.Z. Knight (Ramtha), as well as revealed writings such as A Course In Miracles (Helen Schucman),^[13] , The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield),^[14] Mutant Message Down Under (Marlo Morgan), Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch), Love Without End: Jesus Speaks by Glenda Green, and some of the writings of Deepak Chopra.

[edit] Beliefs

Recent surveys of U.S. adults indicate that around 20% of Americans hold at least some New Age beliefs.^[15][3]

Those who categorize themselves as New Age followers have a diverse set of beliefs that differ widely across individuals, groups and locations; ^[1][2] an individual identified with New Age thinking may subscribe to one, some or all of these:

[edit] Teleology

• Belief in synchronicity. A belief that coincidences have a spiritual meaning, and contain spiritual lessons to teach those that are open to them.

• Everything is universally connected through God, participating in the same energy^[16]

• There is a cosmic goal and a belief that all entities are (willingly or unwillingly) cooperating towards this goal

• All individuals have a purpose in life and a lesson to learn

• Interpersonal relationships are opportunities to learn about one's self and relationships are destined to be repeated until they are healthy^[1]

• This is a time of great transformation for the Earth and human consciousness. Certain dates have a special significance in these changes. The Harmonic Convergence in 1987 was one, and there are others to come in 2011 or 2012.^[17][18][19]

[edit] Spiritual versus scientific knowledge

• Intuition is a more appropriate guide than rationalism, scientific skepticism or the scientific method.^{[citation needed]}

• Spiritual beings (e.g. angels, ascended masters, elementals, ghosts, and/or space aliens) exist and will guide us, if we open ourselves to their guidance.^[20]

• There exists a common core within all religions which renders dogma and religious identity irrelevant.^[21]

• Feminine forms of spirituality, including feminine images of the divine, such as the female Aeon Sophia in Gnosticism, are deprecated by patriarchal religions.^[1][2]

• An appeal to the language of nature and mathematics, as evidenced by numerology, Kabbala, Sacred Geometry and gnosticism to discern the nature of God.^[22]

• Ancient civilizations such as Atlantis existed and left behind relics and monuments such as the Great Pyramid and Stonehenge, whose true nature has not been discovered by mainstream historians.

• Certain geographic locations emanate psychic energy, and such places were considered sacred in religions throughout the world.^[23]

• Western science neglects parapsychology, meditation, and holistic health to its detriment.^[1][2]

• Science and spirituality are ultimately harmonious. New discoveries in science, e.g. evolution and quantum mechanics, when rightly understood, point to spiritual principles.^[24]

[edit] Human potential

• The human mind has much greater potential than that ascribed to it, and is capable of overriding physical reality;^[25] the ultimate level of human potential has only been realised by a few spiritual masters

• Children are being born today with a more highly developed spiritual power than earlier generations^[26][27]

• A positive attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything. ^[28]

• A certain critical mass of people with a highly spiritual consciousness will bring about a sudden change in the whole population. ^[29]

• Humans have a responsibility to take part in positive creative activity and to work to heal ourselves, each other and the planet. ^[30]

• Meditation, yoga, t'ai chi ch'üan, Qi Gong, reiki, and other Eastern practices can assist in realizing one’s potential

• Humans have potential healing powers (such as therapeutic touch) which can be developed to heal others through touch or at a distance

• The food eaten influences the mind as well as the body. It is generally preferable to eat fresh organic vegetarian food which is locally grown and in season^[31][32]

• Fasting can help achieve higher levels of consciousness. ^[33]

[edit] Miscellaneous

• Consciousness persists after death as life in different forms; the afterlife exists for further learning through reincarnation and/or near-death experiences.^[34]

• Rocks, crystals and energy pyramids have psychic energies that can aid meditation and healing.

• Dreams and psychic experiences are spiritually meaningful.

• Fairies live in nature or gardens, are generally described as human in appearance and having magical powers. Some New Age Wiccans use fairy magic for inspiration and healing.

[edit] Criticism and skepticism

Criticisms of New Age beliefs generally take one of two forms: that they lack proper scientific basis and testing, or that they violate or misappropriate the sanctity of various traditional religions, philosophies, or cultures.

[edit] Religious and spiritual criticism

Many in established religions dismiss New Age thinking as heretical, immoral and shifting without the clear guidance given by a sacred book or tradition of teaching.^{[35][36] [37]}

Some, including neo-pagans and particularly reconstructionist groups, who are frequently labeled as New Age, often find the term inappropriate since it appears to link them with beliefs and practices they do not espouse. Others think that the classification of beliefs and movements under New Age has little added value due to the vagueness of the term. Instead, they prefer to refer directly to the individual beliefs and movements. Indeed, use by religious conservatives, scientists and others has caused the term "New Age" to sometimes have a derogatory connotation.^[38][39][40]

Many adherents of traditional disciplines from cultures such as India, China, and elsewhere; a number of orthodox schools of Yoga, Tantra, Qigong, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and martial arts (the traditional Taijiquan families, for example), groups with histories reaching back many centuries in some cases, eschew the Western label New Age, seeing the movement it represents as either not fully understanding or deliberately trivializing their disciplines or outright distortions.^[41]

Much of the strongest criticism of New Age eclecticism has come from American Indian writers and communities. The Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality^[42] is one of the strongest statements of opprobrium from traditional tribal religious leaders. Other Natives who have issued statements against "white shamanism" include Wendy Rose, Leslie Marmon Silko and Geary Hobson. A dominant Native American argument is that New Age shamans profit from tribal beliefs in a way that is fundamentally inconsistent with indigenous peoples' worldviews, while ignoring the communal aspects of indigenous peoples sacred beliefs and practices, such as among the Urarina of the Peruvian Amazon. In the US, part of the criticism leveled at the New Age movement has also been the perpetuation of Native racial stereotyping ("The Hollywood Indian"), cultural fetishism and the distortions of historic and anthropological insights into Native Americans' multiple and diverse ways of life and spirituality. This is abundantly clear when one contrasts the customary practice of ayahuasca shamanism among the Urarina with New Age shamanism (see also Noble savage).

Adding to the wide disparity in definitions of terminologies and application of principles is the author and spiritual teacher Joseph J. Dewey ^[43] who is most notably known for his Immortal ^[44] series in which he controversially synthesizes ideas, terminologies and principles from both new age, eastern and Christian ideologies.

Some writers have identified racist bias in the movement's early Theosophical sources, especially the writings of Alice Bailey on the Jews ^{[45] [46] [47]} and comments of Rudolf Steiner on specific ethnic groups including black people, though Steiner, at least, emphasized racial equality as a principle central to anthroposophical thought and humanity's further progress. ^[48][49] Any racially-charged elements present in such influences have not remained part of the ongoing evolution of New Age philosophies and have either not been taken up or have been repudiated by modern members of the movement. ^{[50] [51]}

Some criticism has been levelled^{[citation needed]} at a certain business-like ethos that has crept into certain elements of New Ageism. Some^{[citation needed]} see true commitment to spirituality as a flight from business concerns;others disagree,as is evident from transpersonal business studies.

[edit] Rationalist and academic criticism

Adherents of scientific skepticism criticize New Age beliefs stating that one should question the veracity of all claims, and especially paranormal or extraordinary claims, unless such claims can be empirically tested. Some researchers have been unable to find strong evidence of any paranormal activity, or to find ground for new-age beliefs, and thus take issue with the use of scientific terminology, or what they call pseudo-science, to promote spiritual beliefs.^[52][53]

Some authors, such as Deepak Chopra, Fritjof Capra, Fred Alan Wolf and Gary Zukav, have linked quantum mechanics to New Age thinking, to form a genre which is sometimes known as quantum mysticism, often in connection with the Law of Attraction, which is related to New Thought and presented in the 2006 film The Secret. They have interpreted the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, quantum entanglement, wave function collapse or the many worlds interpretation, to a mean that all objects in the universe are one (monism), that possibility and existence are endless, and that the physical world is only what one believes it to be.

Some scientists are skeptical of this broad application of quantum ideas and have criticized what they believe to be vague descriptions of the phenomena in quantum mechanics on which they are based. Researchers such as Margaret Wertheim, Heinz Pagels, Murray Gell-Mann and Victor Stenger have stated they do not agree that any evidence from quantum mechanics supports these views .^[54]

[edit] Ken Wilber's pre/trans fallacy view

The American writer Ken Wilber posits that much New Age thought falls into the trap of what he calls the pre/trans fallacy. A person's psychological development moves from the pre-personal, through the personal levels of development, to the transpersonal – this latter developmental milieu supposedly being the arena of the spiritually advanced or enlightened beings. According to Wilber, 80% of New Age spirituality is pre-rational (pre-conventional), that it relies primarily on mythic-magical thinking, in contrast to post-rational (includes and transcend rational) that is genuine world-centric consciousness.

Wilber maintains that this model is in conflict with simpler two-stage models of psychological development (be they from personal to transpersonal levels or the more mainstream view of pre-personal to personal levels). Uncritical use of a two-stage model of psycho-spiritual development can lead to one or both of the version of the 'pre/trans fallacy': either mistaking pre-personal material as spiritual (the elevationist fallacy), or mistaking the transpersonal for pre-personal (the reductionalist fallacy).

[edit] Underlying assumptions

[edit] Millenarianism

Judging by its name, the New Age movement ought to involve millenarian claims, perhaps of a glorious future age which is about to begin.^[55][56] As such it could theoretically be traced back to the time of Zoroaster, or to biblical apocalypticism. While such expectations are encountered often enough—e.g., the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, pole shifts and paradigm shifts, the imminent end of the Mayan calendar—the predominant themes of the New Age are mystical rather than apocalyptic. Hence the widespread interest within this subculture in the mystical traditions within the world’s various religions, especially Vedanta, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Sufism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Shamanism, Gnosticism, and Esoteric Christianity.

[edit] Syncretism

Much of New Age thought is syncretic in nature and has roots as a counter-cultural phenomenon. Thus New Age adherents tend to emphasize a relativist approach to truth, often referring to the Vedic statement of "one truth, but many paths," the mainstay of Hinduism, which idea is also found in the later Zen Buddhist spiritual dictum of "many paths, one mountain". This belief is not only an assertion of personal choice in spiritual matters, but also an assertion that truth itself is defined by the individual and his or her experience of it.^[57] Globalization was and still is an important social phenomenon of the 20th and early 21st centuries, with religious syncretism inevitably being one consequence. New Age religious developments are eclectic, hence multifarious. Some synthesize Christian ideas with beliefs involving many gods or goddesses, pantheism, include aliens, reincarnation, or the use of drugs, together with other spiritual beliefs from different parts of the world. Likewise, the movement may incorporate differing beliefs about, or attempts to practice, magic.^{[citation needed]}

Though many New Age terms are associated with Eastern religions, they should not be considered as being identical with the concepts and practices of those religions. Ancient traditions such as Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism can hardly be referred to as New Age religions. It just so happens that the New Age movement has 'adopted' many of the ideas of eastern religions, incorporated them into their own beliefs and practices. The gnostic approach of experiential insight and revelation of truth may be closest to the New Age methodology of prayers and spirituality.

[edit] Relativism

In keeping with a relativist stance, New Agers believe they do not contradict traditional belief systems, but rather some of them say that they are concerned with the ultimate truths contained within those systems, separating these truths from false tradition and dogma. On the other hand, adherents of other religions often claim that the New Age movement has a vague or superficial understanding of these religious concepts, leaving out that which may seem "negative" or contradict contemporary Western values and that New Age attempts at religious syncretism are vague and self-contradictory.^[58]

This relativism is not merely a spiritual relativism, but also extends to physical theories. Reality is considered largely from an experiential and subjective mode. Many New Age phenomena are not expected to be repeatable in the scientific sense, since they are presumed to be apparent only to the receptive mind; for example, telepathy may not be achievable by a skeptical mind, since a skeptical mind is not pre-conditioned to expect the phenomenon to exist.^[25]

[edit] Mysticism

The New Age worldview typically involves a mysticism-based view of describing and controlling the external world; for example, one might believe that tarot card reading works because of the "interconnectedness principle", rather than regarding the success (or failure) of tarot card reading as evidence of the interconnectedness principle. However, many adherents of the New Age movement have used various scientific tests, to varying success, to prove that they work^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Magical thinking

Some New Age practices and beliefs could make use of what British anthropologist Sir James George Frazer termed magical thinking, in The Golden Bough (1890). Common examples are the principle that objects once in contact maintain a practical link, or that objects that have similar properties exert an effect on each other.^[59] Another example of magical thinking is the belief that because two events coincide, they must be connected, such as thinking of a friend followed by said friend calling.

[edit] Postmodernism

The emphasis on subjective knowledge and experience is a connection between New Age beliefs and postmodernism. The shift to a feeling of control over one's expression of spirituality reflects a trend towards personal responsibility, as well as personal empowerment. Its populist origins help characterize the New Age approach. This emphasizes an individual's choice in spiritual matters; the role of personal intuition and experience over societally sanctioned expert opinion and an experiential definition of reality.^[60] This does not mean, however, that its members necessarily become free individuals. There may be as much peer-group conformity on the fringe as there is in mainstream society.

[edit] Holism

A belief in a coherent, interconnected cosmos across space and time. Some believe the interconnection is due to the interpenetration of consciousness and material reality^[61] and that a record is maintained of all events (such as the Akashic Records or a morphic field)

[edit] Terminology

• Forces. It is commonly held that there exist certain forces, independent of spiritual beings or agencies, and also distinct from forces as defined by science (e.g., gravitation, electro-magnetism, etc.). These forces are elemental in nature; and are held to operate in an automatic fashion as part of the natural order (for example, the force which causes seeds to sprout, grow, and bloom).

• Power. The "forces", and everything else, are energized by a mystical power that exists in varying degrees in all things. Power is transferable, through physical contact, sensory perception, or mere proximity. Power may be accumulated or depleted in a person or object through a variety of mechanisms, including fate and esoteric practices. This power is held to be physically observable as "auras" and "psi energy"; and when encountered in great concentration, may even be dangerous.

• Energy. In some belief systems, "forces" and "power" may seem to merge; e.g., in the concept of "vital force" that exists in so many traditional belief systems, and finds its expression in New Age concepts such as the "energies" in Therapeutic Touch or Reiki and ideas of flowing streams of power in Earth, like "leylines" in Britain and Europe and earth energies addressed in the Chinese geomantic system of feng shui.

• Spirit. All beings (particularly sentient beings) are accompanied by a specific, intentional "energy" which corresponds to their consciousness, but is in some way independent of their corporeal existence. This energy typically is more primary than the physical entity, in the sense that it remains in some form after the physical death of that being.

[edit] New Age approaches to medicine

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Main article: Alternative medicine

New Agers may use alternative medicine in addition to, or in place of, relying on conventional, evidence-based medicine.^[62] Possible techniques seen as compatible with the New Age perspective include:^[63][64]

• Ayurveda
• Homeopathy
• Rebirthing
• Reparenting
• Chinese medicine
• Herbs
• Past life regression
• Primal therapy
• Neurolinguistic programming
• The Feldenkrais method
• Iridology
• Aura manipulation
• Crystal healing
• Holistic medicine

Louise Hay has published New Age books regarding the belief that illnesses have a metaphysical origin and can be treated by an evaluation of emotional and spiritual attitudes (a similar belief is held by members of the Church of Christ, Scientist). Hay's books feature lists of diseases and the associated negative belief, accompanied by the correcting positive belief which can be sought by repeating the correcting positive affirmation. The intent is to empower the individual to change their thinking and therefore change the condition.

Some branches of New Age medicine focus on holistic health of patients, rather than the symptomatic focus of conventional Western medicine.^{[citation needed]} Some conventional physicians have embraced aspects of or the complete approach of holistic medicine.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Controversy regarding alternative medicine

Some scientific professionals question the efficacy of the methods of "alternative or complementary medicine," and some writers have referred to these methods as quackery (Norcross et al 2006;Singer and Lalich 1996). There are increasing numbers of double blind tests of alternative medicine methods but such testing has rarely resulted in corroborating results. However, it is difficult to apply double-blind testing methods to some alternative medicine techniques because in many of these techniques, the relationship with the practitioner is part of the process, and that relationship cannot be practically "blinded" in a testing protocol. See the main article on Alternative medicine for a deeper discussion of these points.

Skeptics of the New Age approach to medicine point out it is possible that direct harm can result from a treatment such as acupuncture (bruising, dizziness, infection),^{[citation needed]} from poorly prescribed herbal medicine or from an untrained person self-administering herbal medicines. Indirect harm may result when a patient declines proven scientific treatment in favor of unproven alternative treatments and thereby misses the benefit that may have accrued from the mainstream treatment.^[65]

Critics of New Age medicine state that without scientific testing, it is not possible to determine which techniques, medicinal herbs, and lifestyle changes may contribute to increased health and which treatments have no effect or may be dangerous. In 2005, the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland began a program of research to determine which alternative medicine practices may be useful in support of conventional medical practice.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] New Age Music

Main article: New Age music

New Age music is peaceful music of various styles that is intended to make people feel good when they hear it. When it first started in the early 1970s it was mostly instrumental, and there were both acoustic and electronic kinds. Over the years, many more styles of New Age music appeared with the advent of less expensive equipment; now there is everything from spacey electronic kinds, to acoustic instrumentals using western instruments, to spiritual chanting from other cultures, like Kirtan with Sanskrit lyrics, or Native American flutes and drums.

This music has its roots in the 1970s with the works of such free-form jazz groups recording on the ECM label as Oregon, the Paul Winter Group, and other pre-ambient bands; as well as ambient performers such as Brian Eno. The Greek artist Yanni, one of the "superstars" of the New Age genre, relies heavily on synthesizers and instrumental "world music" sounds. Enya, although claiming her music is not of this genre, has won a New Age Grammy for her music which utilizes vocals in a variety of languages, including Latin.

New Age music attempts to offer vision of a better future^[66], expresses an appreciation of goodness and beauty, even an anticipation of some event. Rarely does New Age music dwell on a problem with this world or its inhabitants; instead it offers a peaceful vision of a better world. Often the music is celestial, when the title names stars or deep space explorations. Some new age music albums come with liner notes encouraging the music's use in meditation, and many albums have been recorded with specific design for this purpose. Studies have determined that new age music is an effective component of stress management programs.^[67]

[edit] LOHAS ("Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability") Demographic

People who embrace "New Age" lifestyle and/or beliefs are included in the LOHAS ("Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability") demographic market segment, currently in a growth phase, related to sustainable living, so-called "green" ecological initiatives, and generally composed of a relatively affluent and well-educated population segment. The LOHAS market segment in year 2006 was estimated at $300 billion, approximately 30% of the USA consumer market.^{[68] [69]} According to the New York Times, a study by the Natural Marketing Institute showed that in 2000, 68 million Americans were included within the LOHAS demographic. Author Paul H. Ray, who coined the term "Cultural Creatives" in his book by the same name, explaines that "What you're seeing is a demand for products of equal quality that are also virtuous".^[70][71]

[edit] See also

• List of New Age topics
• New religious movement
• New Age communities

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

[edit] General

• New Age at the Open Directory Project
• Religious Tolerance.org, has a list of academic references and survey sources

[edit] New Age critics

• Magical Thinking in Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry formerly CSICOP.
• Jesus Christ The Bearer of the Water of Life- A Christian reflection on the “New Age” at the Vatican website.

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