Some New Age Philosophies
The so-called New Age movement is a term used to label the movement of the late twentieth century and contemporary culture. This movement is embodied by an eclectic and individual methodology to spiritual exploration. The New Age movement is also called by other names such as self-spirituality, new spirituality, and mind-body-spirit. New age is also used to refer to individuals who implant new beliefs to a typical religious affiliation.
The New Age movement has elements of older and more traditional spiritual and religious traditions and beliefs from both East and West. Many of these traditions and beliefs have bonded with ideas from modern science, especially psychology and ecology.
In the United States, it is believed that twenty percent of Americans, in some way or another, hold some New Age philosophies or beliefs. They have a varied set of New Age philosophies that can differ widely across individual people, groups and locations.
Some of these New Age philosophies are:
1) Teleology - Holders of this New Age philosophy believes in synchronicity. They believe that coincidences and everything in this world has a special spiritual meaning and that everything is connected through God. They all agree that all entities are working on one cosmic goal and are unconsciously cooperating with each other to reach it.
2) Spiritual versus scientific knowledge - Believers of this New Age philosophy believe that intuition is a better and more practical guide in life compared to rationalism, scientific skepticism, or scientific methods.
They believe that angels, elementals, ghosts, aliens, and other higher spirits are here with us. They are willing to guide us if we want to.
They also believe that all religions have something in common, a core. Since religions have a core, separate dogmas and religious identities are irrelevant and useless.
In the end, these people believe that science and spirituality, although seemingly contrary to each other, will ultimately be harmonious. This is evidenced in science opening up to quantum physics and evolution, which points to spiritual theories, principles, and ideas.
3) Human potential - Some New Age believers are adamant that the human mind has a great undiscovered potential. This potential is said to be able to override physical reality. They said that all of us have mental powers of some sort (not superpowers as depicted in movies and fiction) that will enable us to share our positive creative activity, our healing powers, and our inspiration to others.
