New Age
In 1974, a small group of people in the United Kingdom began using the phrase "New Age" to describe their spiritual activities. This label did not exist within their own community until scholars and journalists applied it from the outside. Steven J. Sutcliffe and Ingvild Sælid Gilhus later described this phenomenon as one of the most disputed categories in religious studies. Paul Heelas called it an eclectic hotch-potch of beliefs that shared a common language about human transformation. Olav Hammer termed it a fluid and fuzzy cultic milieu rather than a unified movement. Michael York defined it as an umbrella term for diverse groups united by expectations of universal change. Wouter Hanegraaff argued the label meant very different things to different people. Many participants rejected the term entirely and preferred to call themselves spiritual seekers instead. Some even expressed active hostility toward the name New Age. James R. Lewis noted that while problematic, the term remained useful for scholars because no comparable category existed. Sara MacKian proposed everyday spirituality as an alternative descriptor. George D. Chryssides viewed it as a counter-cultural zeitgeist. Linda Woodhead and Heelas labeled it the holistic milieu. There was no central authority to determine what counted as New Age or what did not.
Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish Christian mystic from the 18th century, professed the ability to communicate with angels and demons. His attempt to unite science and religion prefigured many modern New Age ideas. Franz Mesmer, a German physician from the late 1700s, wrote about animal magnetism running through the human body. Spiritualism emerged in the United States during the 1840s as an occult religion influenced by both Swedenborgianism and Mesmerism. Helena Blavatsky co-founded Theosophical Society in the late 19th century and published Isis Unveiled in 1877. Her work emphasized comparative religion and conveyed the essence of all world religions. Edgar Cayce founded the Association for Research and Enlightenment and claimed to channel his higher self while in trance. Martinus, a Danish mystic popular in Scandinavia, served as another partial bridge between Theosophy and later movements. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist, also influenced New Age thought significantly. Swami Vivekananda brought Hindu Vedanta philosophy to the West in the late 19th century. UFO religions of the 1950s formed proto-New Age movements with strong apocalyptic beliefs. The Aetherius Society started in the UK in 1955 and Heralds of the New Age began in New Zealand in 1956. These groups asserted contact with extraterrestrials would bring about a new age.
George Harrison adopted Hindu philosophy and Indian instrumentation in Beatles songs during the mid-1960s. This musical shift truly kick-started the Human Potential Movement that became New Age. Woodstock festival advertisements from 1969 used terms like New Age and Age of Aquarius. Lyrics from the song Aquarius appeared in the 1967 musical Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. The Esalen Institute opened in Big Sur, California in 1962 and developed links to humanistic psychology. Findhorn Ecovillage was founded in Moray, Scotland in 1962 by Peter Caddy and others. Its population grew sixfold to approximately 120 residents by 1972. An October 1965 meeting at Attingham Park brought together figures within Britain's esoteric milieu under the title The Significance of the Group in the New Age. David Spangler published Revelation: The Birth of a New Age in 1977 and Mark Satin released New Age Politics: Healing Self and Society in 1979. Marilyn Ferguson wrote The Aquarian Conspiracy in 1982 as a landmark work promoting emerging eras. Werner H. Erhard established est transformational training courses in 1971. Linda Goodman sold millions of copies of her astrology books Sun Signs and Love Signs between 1968 and 1978. Shirley MacLaine published Out on a Limb in 1983 which became a television mini-series in 1987. José Argüelles organized the Harmonic Convergence planetary alignment event on August 16 and 17, 1987 in Sedona, Arizona.
Jane Roberts claimed she was contacted by an entity named Seth starting from 1972 onward. Helen Schucman believed she channeled Jesus Christ through A Course in Miracles published in 1975. James Redfield released The Celestine Prophecy in 1993 which quickly sold over a million copies. Rose Edith Kelly allegedly channeled a non-physical entity called Aiwass during her honeymoon with Aleister Crowley in Cairo, Egypt in 1904. Edgar Cayce said he could channel his higher self while entering trance-like states. J. Z. Knight began channeling Ramtha, described as a thirty-thousand-year-old man from Lemuria. Esther Hicks channels a collective consciousness she calls Abraham. Gary Douglas of Access Consciousness purportedly channels Grigori Rasputin, aliens called Novian, Brother George, and Tchia Tsin. Hanegraaff identified four forms of channeling: trance channeling, automatisms, clairaudient channeling, and open channeling. New Age literature describes divinity as an Ocean of Oneness or Infinite Spirit. Many groups believe humans are divine droplets connected to this universal principle. The Gaia hypothesis proposed by James Lovelock suggests Earth acts like a single living organism. Fritjof Capra wrote The Tao of Physics in 1975 drawing parallels between new physics and mysticism. Gary Zukav published The Dancing Wu Li Masters in 1979 making similar connections. David Bohm and Ilya Prigogine were professional scientists who influenced New Age thought.
Reiki emerged as one of the most common alternative therapies within the movement. Acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic care, yoga, applied kinesiology, homeopathy, aromatherapy, iridology, massage, meditation, visualization, nutritional therapy, psychic healing, crystal healing, music therapy, chromotherapy, and reincarnation therapy all became part of holistic health practices. Crystal healing was not common in esotericism before its adoption in the New Age milieu. Maria Tighe discussed mainstreaming of Holistic Health movement in the UK. Jenny Butler provided ethnographic descriptions of Angel therapy in Ireland. Transpersonal psychology took religious and mystical experiences seriously by exploring altered states of consciousness. Shamanic consciousness current adopted traditional shamanic techniques for personal healing. The Human Potential Movement argued contemporary Western society suppressed human potential. Free clinic movements of the 1960s gave rise to holistic health in the 1970s. A 2000 poll revealed 39% of the UK population had tried alternative therapies. Heelas and Woodhead found that 80% of active Kendal New Agers were female while 78% running activities were also women. They attributed this to cultural values assigning greater responsibility for well-being to women.
Estimates of New Age participants in the United States ranged from 20,000 to 6 million during the mid-1990s. Heelas believed over 10 million Americans had some contact with New Age practices or ideas. Between 2000 and 2002, researchers found 600 people regularly attended New Age activities in Kendal, Cumbria representing 1.6% of the town's population. They extrapolated around 900,000 Britons participated regularly in such activities. Approximately two-thirds of all participants were female according to Sutcliffe. In Kendal, 57% held university degrees and 73% were aged over 45. Fifty-five percent fell between ages 40 and 59. Baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 formed the first wave of adherents. Most influential figureheads remained male despite female majority participation. Men faced barriers due to masculinist ideals discouraging seeking assistance for inner development. Middle-aged individuals had more time for self-development after raising children. Many experienced age-related ailments prompting pursuit of health improvements. A 1995 poll showed most US New Agers preferred Democratic Party values over Republican ones. Kyle noted they soundly rejected Ronald Reagan's agenda. Bruce argued the movement sought to dismantle social order but failed to present adequate alternatives.
Isis shop operated along a stone street in St Albans, southern England selling crystals and other goods. Mind Body Spirit Festival occurred annually in the United Kingdom offering crystal healing, Kirlian photography, psychic art, angels, past-life therapy, Theosophy, UFO religion, New Age music, and vegetarianism from Suma Chign Hai. Similar festivals appeared across Europe, Australia, and the United States. U.S. corporations including IBM, AT&T, and General Motors embraced New Age seminars during the 1980s hoping to increase productivity. Several cases resulted in employees bringing legal action claiming infringement on religious beliefs or psychological damage. Small-scale entrepreneurial companies dominated New Age capitalism rather than multinational corporations. Matthew Fox and Spangler criticized trends within the community as narcissistic lacking social conscience. York highlighted tension between socialist egalitarianism and capitalistic private enterprise. Brian Eno popularized ambient music genre developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Oregon, Paul Winter Consort, Daniel Kobialka, and Irv Teibel created early new-age music styles. Studies determined new-age music could effectively manage stress levels. Online connections helped individuals meet contacts and establish networks. Intentional communities like Naropa Institute in Boulder, Holly Hock Farm near Vancouver, Wrekin Trust in Worcestershire, and Skyros Centre represented institutionalized forms of movement.
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Common questions
When did the phrase New Age first begin to be used in the United Kingdom?
A small group of people in the United Kingdom began using the phrase New Age to describe their spiritual activities in 1974. This label did not exist within their own community until scholars and journalists applied it from the outside.
Who were the early figures that influenced New Age thought before the movement formed?
Emanuel Swedenborg professed communication with angels and demons while Franz Mesmer wrote about animal magnetism running through the human body. Helena Blavatsky co-founded Theosophical Society in the late 19th century and published Isis Unveiled in 1877.
What specific events marked the transition of New Age ideas into mainstream culture during the 1960s and 1970s?
Woodstock festival advertisements from 1969 used terms like New Age and Age of Aquarius while The Esalen Institute opened in Big Sur, California in 1962. Findhorn Ecovillage was founded in Moray, Scotland in 1962 by Peter Caddy and others.
How many people participated in New Age activities in Kendal, Cumbria between 2000 and 2002?
Researchers found 600 people regularly attended New Age activities in Kendal, Cumbria representing 1.6% of the town's population. They extrapolated around 900,000 Britons participated regularly in such activities.
Which alternative therapies became common within the New Age movement after its formation?
Reiki emerged as one of the most common alternative therapies within the movement alongside acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic care, yoga, applied kinesiology, homeopathy, aromatherapy, iridology, massage, meditation, visualization, nutritional therapy, psychic healing, crystal healing, music therapy, chromotherapy, and reincarnation therapy.