S
Solo
Guest
NEW AGE CONCEPTS CONTRIBUTING TO THE CULTURE SHIFT
1. Monism
A concept of the universe that all is one. The universe is composed of a common essence, which also connects and binds all things together. All truth becomes relative to your frame of reference and God is relegated to a mere conceptual expression of matter/energy or time/space. Monism provides the philosophical framework for the agnostic religions of the East, such as Buddhism and Taoism, but is also shared by the neopaganism of the West. Two of the most popular implications of Monism are Nihilism (all is nothing) and Universalism (all paths lead to "God").
2. Relativism
A belief that all truth, knowledge, and laws are relative to particular perceptions or situations and do not carry universal authority. Claims William Hurt, in the movie Altered States, "I have seen the other side and I have found that the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth." One of the offshoots of relativism is the Hindu concept of maya which holds that all matter is ultimately illusory - a trick of the imagination. As the Beatles line goes, "Strawberry fields, nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about; Strawberry fields forever."
3. Pantheism
The concept that all is one, expressed as deity. Each element of that one is as much a part of god and therefore as inherently divine as the whole. As Shirley MacLaine put it, "I'm God! I'm God!" Polytheism is often a natural outgrowth of pantheism as this deity is expressed in various elemental manifestations. Pantheism is most often associated with Hinduism, but is also found in many other earth-based pagan religions.
4. Enlightenment
The moment of self-awareness when an individual fully "recognizes" personal identification with the universe; that he/she is indeed fully divine. Also known as self-realization or actualization, this experience of personal infinity often follows a process of indoctrination, mind-altering drugs and/ or psychic techniques that are designed to dismantle the rationale and foster a working dependence on intuition. LSD probably did more for the spread of this phenomenon in the 60s than all of the gurus put together, but not without their influence.
5. Gnosticism
An ancient heresy denounced by the early church that has re-emerged and now heavily influences the New Age Movement. Simply stated, Gnosticism is the Serpent's lie. Prominent features today are the spark of divinity within all living creatures; a mystical fall from the tree of life and gradual re-ascension through the mastery of special knowledge; initiation and guidance to that inner truth through the serpent's wisdom; periodic appearance of messianic guidance; and the vilification of the Creator. The Gnostic Institute of Anthropology advertises: "Man know thyself, and thou wilt know the Gods of the Universe" Contemporary examples are Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Sufism, and Cabalism. (For an extensive Christian critique of post-modernist gnosticism in the New Age Movement, please see Spirit Wars, by Dr. Peter Jones.)
6. Gaia
A modern concept of the Earth as a single, living, sentient being, named in honor of the ancient Greek goddess. This idea holds that the earth has evolved a into fully functioning, self-regulating organism, complete with consciousness and personal awareness. All natural cycles, ecosystems and organisms are part of her life support systems, just as our blood cells, lungs and hormones are part of us. Gaia has been elevated to a goddess, replacing our transcendent God as the creator, savior and ultimate source of life to the New Age Movement. One of the spin-offs of this concept is the view that humanity has become a parasite on the earth and thus human civilization needs to be severely cut back and restructured, to ensure the survival of our great host organism. Neopagans, environmentalists, and many scientists now identify themselves as Gaians.
7. Reincarnation
The wheel of life or transmigration of the soul. All matter evolves through various natural cycles, through death into life and ultimately "back" to divine consciousness. Human reincarnation involves a series of birth to rebirth cycles, which provides opportunities to fulfill karmic debt through devotion, right action and the development of psychic abilities. This belief which was largely introduced to the West through Eastern philosophy has also been championed by spiritualism and witchcraft, among others.
9. Paganism
Pre-Christian or non-Christian religions that are based on the earth, it's elements and the natural cycles. Paganism can be most simply understood as a primitive explanation of natural phenomenon in terms of supernatural forces. Modern Neopaganism has been championed primarily by witchcraft and has seen a great revival in the New Age Movement. Examples of paganism are the Ancient religions of Greece, Egypt, and the Celts. Modern forms include Hinduism and Native American religions.
10. Occult
Literally "things hidden", occultism usually refers to the manipulation of hidden energies. Benjamin Creme, who calls it the science of energy, makes the following interesting distinction: "Once manipulated or channeled, this energy becomes force."
11. Animism
A pagan view of nature that inanimate objects contain the spark of divine consciousness and are therefore worthy of our devotion. Also, the practice of worshiping a superior intelligence within simple animate or inanimate objects. Example - the Druidic worship of oak trees.
12. Spiritualism
The doctrine or practice of communion with the dead, or necromancy. Spiritism is similar except that the spirit forces need not be human, but can be entities emanating from nature or the host's own consciousness. Today, a popular form of spiritualism is channeling, whereby hosts learn to empty themselves of their own consciousness, contact willing spirits and invite them into their bodies to transmit knowledge through various forms of communication.
13. Divination
Practice of obtaining special knowledge about past, current or future events through metaphysical powers or skills. Cabalism is one of many traditions that holds that the universe is constructed on a code of mystical wisdom. Various rituals, cryptic models or random processes enable the inquirer to break the code and discover hidden meanings. True "adepts" often admit that cooperative spirit guides are the key to successful divination. Examples include Tarot cards, Ouija, astrology and casting bones.
14. Astral Projection
A form of psychic travel where the soul or astral body projects outside of the physical body to explore "alternate realities," dimensions, or physical locations. These experiences can be induced through hallucinogenic drugs, hypnotic rituals, or occult techniques such as Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. Techniques, such as the dream body and awareness shifting, were heavily promoted through the 70's by the prolific writings of Carlos Castaneda.
15. Astrology
A form of divination whereby through the use of metaphysical maps of the solar system and dates significant to the recipient, cosmic forces are anticipated in the determination of daily actions, significant events and personal destiny. Astrology is also used to predict cosmic shifts in metaphysical energies, along with their effects on planetary consciousness, and is thus an important prophetic vehicle for the Aquarian movement.
16. Sorcery
The use of magic to manipulate the natural or human environments. Aleister Crowley, who called himself "The Beast" and was known by his peers as "the bad boy of witchcraft," coined the now popular definition for magick as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." Probably his most concise definition for sorcery is "Every force in the universe is capable of being transformed into any other kind of force, by using suitable means." Many sorcerers have felt that thoughts are tangible energies and when properly channeled through the will, have the power to conform the visible and invisible world around them. Though championed largely through the witches, contemporary sorcery is finding vast expression through our increasingly paganized society.
17. Circle of Life
A pagan world view that all life is related, interconnected and interdependent. This view typically assumes evolution and reincarnation as the driving force behind the cycle of existence -life, death and rebirth. The concept can be seen as the totality of all ecosystems, engaging in a constant process of consumption, reproduction and death. All organisms are feeding on each other and in turn contributing themselves to that great natural struggle for survival. It is a naturalistic view of the biosphere that implicitly denies any outside supernatural influence. It also implies that all life is equally sacred, although proponents of this view seem to forget this status with regards to certain sectors of humanity. Though taught in natural science, it appears to have also been the basis for the pagan mystery rites of the ancient world. More recent adherents include Neopaganism, Joseph Campbell, and New Age psychologists.
18. Aquarian Age
The ruling constellations progress on a 2100 year cycle. We are on the verge of a changing of the guard from Pisces (the fish) to Aquarius (the water bearer). This event accompanies a current paradigm shift in world consciousness from the age of monotheism, characterized by male-centered imperialism and Christian dominion, to the New Age movement, characterized by a monistic one-world religious, political and social order of peace, cooperation and respect for the sacred unity of all life. (Leavening, Ch. 2)
In addition to these concepts, the New Age Proper, composed of a dense Theosophical tradition, promotes a naturalistic universal "Plan" of the unfolding of divine consciousness, through the evolving multi-dimensional material world. The kingdoms of life progress in a hierarchy from minerals to plants to animals to man to masters, devas, angels and pure spirit. So, you see, animism, or the divine spark in all things, is infused in the ageless wisdom of Alice Bailey. So is immanent divinity, or personal godhood. But these concepts didn't begin and end with Bailey. They go back thousands of years. Theosophists just systematized them into a cosmology that is antithetical to the Bible. Those who are eager to escape from the face of our God often run into the waiting jaws of Theosophists. But I digress.
Excerpts Based On "The Leavening" By Willy Peterson
Copyright © 1995
Willy Peterson, Linwood, KS
Permission is granted for non-commercial use with the exception of textual alterations
Retrieved from http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/NewAge ... eliefs.htm
1. Monism
A concept of the universe that all is one. The universe is composed of a common essence, which also connects and binds all things together. All truth becomes relative to your frame of reference and God is relegated to a mere conceptual expression of matter/energy or time/space. Monism provides the philosophical framework for the agnostic religions of the East, such as Buddhism and Taoism, but is also shared by the neopaganism of the West. Two of the most popular implications of Monism are Nihilism (all is nothing) and Universalism (all paths lead to "God").
2. Relativism
A belief that all truth, knowledge, and laws are relative to particular perceptions or situations and do not carry universal authority. Claims William Hurt, in the movie Altered States, "I have seen the other side and I have found that the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth." One of the offshoots of relativism is the Hindu concept of maya which holds that all matter is ultimately illusory - a trick of the imagination. As the Beatles line goes, "Strawberry fields, nothing is real, and nothing to get hung about; Strawberry fields forever."
3. Pantheism
The concept that all is one, expressed as deity. Each element of that one is as much a part of god and therefore as inherently divine as the whole. As Shirley MacLaine put it, "I'm God! I'm God!" Polytheism is often a natural outgrowth of pantheism as this deity is expressed in various elemental manifestations. Pantheism is most often associated with Hinduism, but is also found in many other earth-based pagan religions.
4. Enlightenment
The moment of self-awareness when an individual fully "recognizes" personal identification with the universe; that he/she is indeed fully divine. Also known as self-realization or actualization, this experience of personal infinity often follows a process of indoctrination, mind-altering drugs and/ or psychic techniques that are designed to dismantle the rationale and foster a working dependence on intuition. LSD probably did more for the spread of this phenomenon in the 60s than all of the gurus put together, but not without their influence.
5. Gnosticism
An ancient heresy denounced by the early church that has re-emerged and now heavily influences the New Age Movement. Simply stated, Gnosticism is the Serpent's lie. Prominent features today are the spark of divinity within all living creatures; a mystical fall from the tree of life and gradual re-ascension through the mastery of special knowledge; initiation and guidance to that inner truth through the serpent's wisdom; periodic appearance of messianic guidance; and the vilification of the Creator. The Gnostic Institute of Anthropology advertises: "Man know thyself, and thou wilt know the Gods of the Universe" Contemporary examples are Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Sufism, and Cabalism. (For an extensive Christian critique of post-modernist gnosticism in the New Age Movement, please see Spirit Wars, by Dr. Peter Jones.)
6. Gaia
A modern concept of the Earth as a single, living, sentient being, named in honor of the ancient Greek goddess. This idea holds that the earth has evolved a into fully functioning, self-regulating organism, complete with consciousness and personal awareness. All natural cycles, ecosystems and organisms are part of her life support systems, just as our blood cells, lungs and hormones are part of us. Gaia has been elevated to a goddess, replacing our transcendent God as the creator, savior and ultimate source of life to the New Age Movement. One of the spin-offs of this concept is the view that humanity has become a parasite on the earth and thus human civilization needs to be severely cut back and restructured, to ensure the survival of our great host organism. Neopagans, environmentalists, and many scientists now identify themselves as Gaians.
7. Reincarnation
The wheel of life or transmigration of the soul. All matter evolves through various natural cycles, through death into life and ultimately "back" to divine consciousness. Human reincarnation involves a series of birth to rebirth cycles, which provides opportunities to fulfill karmic debt through devotion, right action and the development of psychic abilities. This belief which was largely introduced to the West through Eastern philosophy has also been championed by spiritualism and witchcraft, among others.
9. Paganism
Pre-Christian or non-Christian religions that are based on the earth, it's elements and the natural cycles. Paganism can be most simply understood as a primitive explanation of natural phenomenon in terms of supernatural forces. Modern Neopaganism has been championed primarily by witchcraft and has seen a great revival in the New Age Movement. Examples of paganism are the Ancient religions of Greece, Egypt, and the Celts. Modern forms include Hinduism and Native American religions.
10. Occult
Literally "things hidden", occultism usually refers to the manipulation of hidden energies. Benjamin Creme, who calls it the science of energy, makes the following interesting distinction: "Once manipulated or channeled, this energy becomes force."
11. Animism
A pagan view of nature that inanimate objects contain the spark of divine consciousness and are therefore worthy of our devotion. Also, the practice of worshiping a superior intelligence within simple animate or inanimate objects. Example - the Druidic worship of oak trees.
12. Spiritualism
The doctrine or practice of communion with the dead, or necromancy. Spiritism is similar except that the spirit forces need not be human, but can be entities emanating from nature or the host's own consciousness. Today, a popular form of spiritualism is channeling, whereby hosts learn to empty themselves of their own consciousness, contact willing spirits and invite them into their bodies to transmit knowledge through various forms of communication.
13. Divination
Practice of obtaining special knowledge about past, current or future events through metaphysical powers or skills. Cabalism is one of many traditions that holds that the universe is constructed on a code of mystical wisdom. Various rituals, cryptic models or random processes enable the inquirer to break the code and discover hidden meanings. True "adepts" often admit that cooperative spirit guides are the key to successful divination. Examples include Tarot cards, Ouija, astrology and casting bones.
14. Astral Projection
A form of psychic travel where the soul or astral body projects outside of the physical body to explore "alternate realities," dimensions, or physical locations. These experiences can be induced through hallucinogenic drugs, hypnotic rituals, or occult techniques such as Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. Techniques, such as the dream body and awareness shifting, were heavily promoted through the 70's by the prolific writings of Carlos Castaneda.
15. Astrology
A form of divination whereby through the use of metaphysical maps of the solar system and dates significant to the recipient, cosmic forces are anticipated in the determination of daily actions, significant events and personal destiny. Astrology is also used to predict cosmic shifts in metaphysical energies, along with their effects on planetary consciousness, and is thus an important prophetic vehicle for the Aquarian movement.
16. Sorcery
The use of magic to manipulate the natural or human environments. Aleister Crowley, who called himself "The Beast" and was known by his peers as "the bad boy of witchcraft," coined the now popular definition for magick as "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." Probably his most concise definition for sorcery is "Every force in the universe is capable of being transformed into any other kind of force, by using suitable means." Many sorcerers have felt that thoughts are tangible energies and when properly channeled through the will, have the power to conform the visible and invisible world around them. Though championed largely through the witches, contemporary sorcery is finding vast expression through our increasingly paganized society.
17. Circle of Life
A pagan world view that all life is related, interconnected and interdependent. This view typically assumes evolution and reincarnation as the driving force behind the cycle of existence -life, death and rebirth. The concept can be seen as the totality of all ecosystems, engaging in a constant process of consumption, reproduction and death. All organisms are feeding on each other and in turn contributing themselves to that great natural struggle for survival. It is a naturalistic view of the biosphere that implicitly denies any outside supernatural influence. It also implies that all life is equally sacred, although proponents of this view seem to forget this status with regards to certain sectors of humanity. Though taught in natural science, it appears to have also been the basis for the pagan mystery rites of the ancient world. More recent adherents include Neopaganism, Joseph Campbell, and New Age psychologists.
18. Aquarian Age
The ruling constellations progress on a 2100 year cycle. We are on the verge of a changing of the guard from Pisces (the fish) to Aquarius (the water bearer). This event accompanies a current paradigm shift in world consciousness from the age of monotheism, characterized by male-centered imperialism and Christian dominion, to the New Age movement, characterized by a monistic one-world religious, political and social order of peace, cooperation and respect for the sacred unity of all life. (Leavening, Ch. 2)
In addition to these concepts, the New Age Proper, composed of a dense Theosophical tradition, promotes a naturalistic universal "Plan" of the unfolding of divine consciousness, through the evolving multi-dimensional material world. The kingdoms of life progress in a hierarchy from minerals to plants to animals to man to masters, devas, angels and pure spirit. So, you see, animism, or the divine spark in all things, is infused in the ageless wisdom of Alice Bailey. So is immanent divinity, or personal godhood. But these concepts didn't begin and end with Bailey. They go back thousands of years. Theosophists just systematized them into a cosmology that is antithetical to the Bible. Those who are eager to escape from the face of our God often run into the waiting jaws of Theosophists. But I digress.
Excerpts Based On "The Leavening" By Willy Peterson
Copyright © 1995
Willy Peterson, Linwood, KS
Permission is granted for non-commercial use with the exception of textual alterations
Retrieved from http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/NewAge ... eliefs.htm
