Cash grabbing is a unfortunate very human attribute of any variation of New Age nor Old Ages.
I believe that New Age movements in many variations of the dominance of traditional belief systems.
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Are most people critical of New Age?
- Thread starter PoetPhilosopher
- Start date
Cash grabbing is a unfortunate very human attribute of any variation of New Age nor Old Ages.
I believe that New Age movements in many variations of the dominance of traditional belief systems.
Secret Chief
Vetted Member
Maybe it's still more alive outside of the commercial world? In the UK it was definitely a very popular "branding" term (rather like "World" music - grrrrrr).
Jesus and His Apostles would have been considered 'New Age.'
Peope tend to be sceptical of what they dont understand (or dont want to understand)
That would be Q Anon, I guess.
I don't criticize it.
I'm even open to what it has to offer.
When I was in Sedona AZ, I visited some of the energy vortexes
(vortices?) in the desert. I experienced a deep feeling of meh.
"New Age" has its origins back in what began in the 60s and 70s, as progressive forms of spirituality were coming into the counterculture movement. They mostly went underground after that for a couple decades, but made a resurgence in the 90's, what got labeled "New Age" religion, which was really just a catch-all for these various progressive, experimental forms of spirituality in the West.
Why most people became critical of New Age, is because it was too steeped in magical thinking stages of spiritual development. It couldn't be easily adopted by mainstream, even though it was drawing from ancient traditions of the East. There was too much Western bathwater of magical Christian thought that followed behind into it. A really good way to describe New Age religion, is "experimental Christianity", where say the magical power of holding a cross to channel God's energy, is replaced with magic crystals, and whatnot. It was basically an early stage Western faith dressed up with Eastern symbolisms.
This is not to say that anyone on their spiritual path may not find value in that, but it can hardly be said to be a path to the highest forms of spiritual awakening. The same can be said of literalist Christian churches as well. You can only grow so far taking everything literally and external to yourself.
Yazata
Active Member
I kind of see it as do-it-yourself religious eclecticism. It's probably inevitable in the age of the internet, where every belief on Earth and 16 other planets is just a few key clicks away.
Some people treat religion like a supermarket, picking up a little of this from this tradition and a little of that from that one. So each person's mix is likely to be personal to them, according to taste.
I like the creativity and individualism. I like the idea of crafting religious ideas so that they are suitable for particular individuals. ('Skillful means')
But having said that, I don't like the superficiality. Picking and choosing runs the risk of trivializing profound religious traditions and leaving out many of the things that are most important.
epronovost
Well-Known Member
I believe it look like this: a strong base anti-vaxxer movement, add a hearty dose of ethical veganism, a pinch of Qanon and other consipiracy theories for the more politically minded ones and decorate with some bowlderized easten philosophy and practices (yoga, meditation and fake martial arts a very common).
In my city there is one bookstore left. 30 years ago there were several, along with several crystal places. These things ebb and flow. There was a huge wave of vegetarianism in the late 60s (the hippies) and it petered out for awhile. This time around I think it's here to stay.
I agree it is often the interests of the owner in niche things, not so much supply and demand of materialism, although I have seen such things capitalising on a fad, for a few years.
There is certainly some crossover with some faiths. In my Hindu sampradaya, the idol in the (moolasthanam) sanctum sanctorum will be a quartz crystal. It has a panchaloka base. In Hindusim, natural stones or crystals are called spathikas. The inner reason they're used is that they conduct energy easily. The most common ones are the famous Narmada lingams, a type of crystal that naturally forms into lingam shapes.
My Guru also channeled a book entitled the Lemurian Scrolls while He saw with his inner sight, guided by an inner plane librarian into the Akashic library. But it's not emphasized at all, as there are some other strong differences that affect interaction between traditional Hindus and what are called New-Agers.
My Guru also channeled a book entitled the Lemurian Scrolls while He saw with his inner sight, guided by an inner plane librarian into the Akashic library. But it's not emphasized at all, as there are some other strong differences that affect interaction between traditional Hindus and what are called New-Agers.
Heyo
Veteran Member
Once the industry found a way to capitalise on the movement in the '90s
it became mainstream - and was accordingly criticised for being too commercial.
Crystal healing was described by Hildegard von Bingen in the 12th century.
Is New Age the current term for Religion. I'm pretty sure cash grabbing is a requirement of them all.
exchemist
Veteran Member
I understand the skepticism (though scepticism seems to have something to do with blood infections). But, I'll put it simply: There are a lot of people who make money on being skeptics, and many of their opinions would be debunked by even a basic personal investigation of a subject matter. I'm not saying they're all wrong, but I'm saying there is an industry based on debunking things and not everyone is telling the truth. I work with reiki and crystals and I assure you after less than a month one hour / day practice anyone can feel what's going on and make up your own damn mind whether these things are real or not. I don't ask people to believe me I ask them to try to do it themselves.
They think, so they make it real for them. It's not exactly the same as trying to do the thing and having knowledge from your own experimentation. Essentially, what they think is rubbish.
Yes, they do a lot of alternative health because there are spiritual philosophies that are involved in each that they feel are helping them. For example, reiki and qi jong work with the same medium but have very different understandings of the microcosm-macrocosm relationship, etc. Most people involved with these practices are involved because they're looking for a vehicle to explore spirituality at a personal level sans dogma. For many, that's the whole point. There are many alternative health modalities that I haven't tried, but almost all of them have to be done to be understood. Just speaking from what I'm involved in reiki & crystal work there is a long process of training your senses before you know what's really going on. At first, it's just sort of belief or faith that makes it work for you but that's not the truth once you are getting further along. Many 'authorities' on reiki dismiss it without even going that far... That doesn't make them an authority at all.
A new person to reiki, for example, might be working purely from some belief or faith as they're unable to perceive what is going on themselves. A second rank or master has a direct sense awareness of what they're doing. (To me that's fine, you have to start somewhere...) Most energy work (and I'd include crystals in that area of the new age 'pie') takes some dedication to gain the awareness of what's happening. I think anyone approaching these subjects without an experience are going to be in danger of missing the point. If the reiki 1 student doesn't necessarily have a perception of what's going on, and they're trained I doubt any random off the street is going to be in a position to evaluate the modality. My only refutation to any skeptical person is simple: Have you tried it? Ok, now shut up.
Re: cosmological issues. There is no common 'new age' understanding of the world, and reiki doesn't have one. So, I can only explain if from my own understanding. Yes, I view ourselves as beacons at least in common understanding -- but, I don't view 'ourselves' as separate disconnected beings but rather part of a continuous infinite organism of consciousness which animates us all and holds everything together. Our bodies bear the battle scars of our environments, but our spirits are very similar and completely interconnected. All that makes us unique in my view is the random events in our lives which have made these marks upon our form, but in the spiritual levels we are one in the same... One continuous consciousness inhabiting many MANY bodies. However, I should qualify that I don't hold that belief based on something I've read, but rather my life experiences. So, no faith is involved... I really have none of that nor any capacity to do so. =D
The Wiki article on Reiki has this to say (my emphasis in bold):
"Reiki is a pseudoscience,[1] and is used as an illustrative example of pseudoscience in scholarly texts and academic journal articles. It is based on qi ("chi"), which practitioners say is a universal life force, although there is no empirical evidence that such a life force exists.[2][3]
Clinical research does not show reiki to be effective as a treatment for any medical condition, including cancer,[4][5] diabetic neuropathy,[6] or anxiety and depression,[7] therefore it should not replace conventional medical treatment. There is no proof of the effectiveness of reiki therapy compared to placebo. Studies reporting positive effects have had methodological flaws.[2]"
From: Reiki - Wikipedia
I think this discussion needs to start with a definition of 'New Age'.
New Age
NOUN
- a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture, with an interest in spirituality, mysticism, holism, and environmentalism.
"the New Age movement"
Being interested in alternative approaches I am not critical of the New Age in general but there are a wide range of beliefs and most people are not comfortable with everything.
MNoBody
Well-Known Member
sadly, tragically, people have to show a profit in their interests, or people deem them useless and childish, impractical.....so people who would probably just engage in study of these things, end up engaged in some kind of enterprise for cash because, well, that is the spirit of the age.
Yeah, I find that amusing. However, there are tons of hospitals seeking reiki practitioners to help them offer alternative offerings, and I'd hope you study the subject a bit more than a Wikipedia article. Here's a good one to start...
Reiki Can’t Possibly Work. So Why Does It?
Personally, I never promise anyone that it'll do anything but aid someone in relaxation and improve their mood. I know it'll do much more to help them, but I let reiki speak for itself. My procedure is figure out why they're there, and then do the thing. Before another session, I'll do a review and contrast and compare with their previous statements. What I am doing there is getting a complete rundown on them mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically each time I touch an individual. I am trying to do is create a chronological picture so that changes can be monitored and evaluated. If there are drastic shifts there will certainly be discussions as to the why and so on. I don't think you're doing the job if you're not doing this. They come to you for help, and part of that is being thorough and doing your best help them sort through the particulars and support their recovery.
I've been at this for a short while and I'm rather amazed at what it accomplishes. I've seen it do wonders with addictions, mood disorders, chronic pains, and even goal achievement. It does help a great deal with diabetes but not in the way that is mentioned in that article -- most diabetes sufferers have poor diets and overeat; reiki tends to put a dent in one's desire to eat their problems away. So, in that regard I think it's helpful. I always inform diabetic patients to pay close attention to their meters and insulin intake when they get reiki for this reason. (It's easily possible that they will over-inject insulin because they're not eating so much garbage.) Of course, I am a diabetic myself so I just speak from my personal experience on that.
Placebo or not many people receive positive benefits from the practice and even from the self- practitioner angle it's worth it to do just for one's own sanity. That's the great thing about placebos though -- just because you know it is doesn't mean it doesn't work. (Not that I believe that, just that it's a silly argument that doesn't give a skeptic any ammunition. It's well documented that placebos are effective treatment in non-acute scenarios. As long as someone is able to believe they can heal, they often do... And many times that's the true problem.)
Reiki practitioners often receive calls to assist in the times where conventional medicine is failing. It might be the personal touch we give that helps, or it's some woo energy that actually exists, but for practical purposes it doesn't matter. People feel better and they're happier and that's the entire point of what we do. No reiki practitioner worth their certification is going to recommend themselves over acute care in times of crisis, but in many cases we help to alleviate various concerns that LEAD to the acute crisis. (Many many conditions are caused by stress, we're really good for dealing with that. Even doctors don't disagree in that regard.)
Traditional medicine is about 50/50 with the acceptance of reiki as a modality, but they're warming up to it. It's cheap, it usually gets the job done that it reports to do, and there is no chance at all of harming the patient/client with it. Academia is about 100% against reiki, but I realize most of their research is funded by organizations who sell expensive pills and they just gotta say what they gotta say.
I take zero pills each day at 46... I bet few here of that age or greater could say that... ZERO. I don't even take or use insulin for diabetes because I don't need it. All of my vitals are good or superior and all my blood tests come back perfect. I think I'm just gonna keep doing what I do.
There is also a great YT on reiki by a man named Neil Cooper -- and he's a generous soul that actually teaches reiki 1 for free and explains it conceptually. (reiki 1 focuses on self-treatment) I'd certainly take that as a more credible source than some third party info blurb written by a random on Wikipedia.P.S. The Wikipedia entry isn't even about Reiki at all if you read it. It say nothing about it other than 'this is junk'. You should consider that suspect in the first place. There are plenty of articles about much more controversial things on Wiki and they actually get into a discussion of the subject rather than trying to immediately dissuade the reader. If we are to understand any subject our first goal is understanding the people whom do the practice and receive it is it not? This article is rubbish, and honestly I am surprised it is even there.
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exchemist
Veteran Member
What are you talking about? It is not the least bit normal to be taking pills in your mid-40s. You are just Mr Average. I've only started taking a daily Vitamin D pill, at the age of 66, because of Covid 19, on the advice of my doctor brother.Yeah, I find that amusing. However, there are tons of hospitals seeking reiki practitioners to help them offer alternative offerings, and I'd hope you study the subject a bit more than a Wikipedia article. Here's a good one to start...
Reiki Can’t Possibly Work. So Why Does It?
Personally, I never promise anyone that it'll do anything but aid someone in relaxation and improve their mood. I know it'll do much more to help them, but I let reiki speak for itself. My procedure is figure out why they're there, and then do the thing. Before another session, I'll do a review and contrast and compare with their previous statements. What I am doing there is getting a complete rundown on them mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically each time I touch an individual. What I am trying to do is create a chronological picture so that changes can be monitored and evaluated. If there are drastic shifts there will certainly be discussions as to the why and so on. I don't think you're doing the job if you're not doing this. They come to you for help, and part of that is being thorough and doing your best help them sort through the particulars and support their recovery.
I've been at this for a short while and I'm rather amazed at what it accomplishes. I've seen it do wonders with addictions, mood disorders, chronic pains, and even goal achievement. It does help a great deal with diabetes but not in the way that is mentioned in that article -- most diabetes sufferers have poor diets and overeat; reiki tends to put a dent in one's desire to eat their problems away. So, in that regard I think it's helpful. I always inform diabetic patients to pay close attention to their meters and insulin intake when they get reiki for this reason. (It's easily possible that they will over-inject insulin because they're not eating so much garbage.) Of course, I am a diabetic myself so I just speak from my personal experience on that.
Placebo or not many people receive positive benefits from the practice and even from the self- practitioner angle it's worth it to do just for one's own sanity. That's the great thing about placebos though -- just because you know it is doesn't mean it doesn't work. (Not that I believe that, just that it's a silly argument that doesn't give a skeptic any ammunition. It's well documented that placebos are effective treatment in non-acute scenarios. As long as someone is able to believe they can heal, they often do... And many times that's the true problem.)
Reiki practitioners often receive calls to assist in the times where conventional medicine is failing. It might be the personal touch we give that helps, or it's some woo energy that actually exists, but for practical purposes it doesn't matter. People feel better and they're happier and that's the entire point of what we do. No reiki practitioner worth their certification is going to recommend themselves over acute care in times of crisis, but in many cases we help to alleviate various concerns that LEAD to the acute crisis. (Many many conditions are caused by stress, we're really good for dealing with that. Even doctors don't disagree in that regard.)
Traditional medicine is about 50/50 with the acceptance of reiki as a modality, but they're warming up to it. It's cheap, it usually gets the job done that it reports to do, and there is no chance at all of harming the patient/client with it. Academia is about 100% against reiki, but I realize most of their research is funded by organizations who sell expensive pills and they just gotta say what they gotta say.
I take zero pills each day at 46... I bet few here of that age or greater could say that... ZERO. I don't even take or insulin for diabetes because I don't need them. All of my vitals are good or superior and all my blood tests come back perfect. I think I'm just gonna keep doing what I do.
Anyway, from that article, Reiki seems to be seen as classic woo.
The placebo effect is real, I grant you, so for those benighted souls that believe in it, it may help them a bit with certain things. But there is no way anyone should place any faith in this stuff for serious health conditions.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
My siblings are both into it. To extent they both try to pigeon hole me a Libra (my sister far more than my brother). And my sister has combined a whole bunch of various New Age stuff to Frankenstein her own morbid (but not tragic) creation, with an extremely high degree of internal inconsistencies and contradictions. And scarier yet, she's a physicians assistant. And she believes in the healing power of crystals.