>New name for a new age..?

>Everyday I come across people who are involved in some kind of spiritual exploration, including those of you who are part of this blog. I hear stories of connecting with spirit through meditation or mediumship, I hear tales of walking with nature, I hear descriptions of crystals carried in pockets and prayers said to angels.

But when I ask anyone to label what it is they are doing for me, they struggle. Some say they are ‘workers for spirit’, others describe themselves as ‘happy generalists’ content in exploring whatever works for them.

Ten or twenty years ago, these sorts of practices would most likely have come under the heading of ‘New Age’. But nowadays New Age seems to carry a distinct stench of cannabis, caravans and, dare I say it, mothballs (metaphorically speaking, of course). It was something which implied ‘leaving behind’ much of what contemporary society stood for.

Yet the crystal carriers and meditation practitioners I am talking to today do not tell me they have left behind the trappings of modern life in this way, indeed quite the opposite, they often bring these spiritual tools and experiences right into their everyday lives. I myself carry crystals but remain quite happy in my 1930s semi in suburban England.

So does ‘New Age’ still serve as a useful label for alternative spiritual practices, or is it time to find a new name?

The New Agers heralded quite literally a New Age, one where we would be spiritually enlightened and at one with the earth; they drew on many traditions including Eastern philosophies, Paganism and Gaia theories. And many New Age camps, communities and individuals continue very much in this vein. But does this adequately describe what the people I am talking to are telling me about?

New Agers were on a crusading counter-cultural drive to change the world for the better. They used techniques, practices and everyday lifestyles which seemed unfamiliar and unusual to mainstream Western capitalist society. Perhaps it is the years of very visible ‘New Agers’ that now makes it more ‘normal’ to do things which were once considered ‘alternative’, such as meditation, Tai Chi, or crystal healing.

The New Age pioneers were the ones who stressed self-actualisation, recycling, animal rights and green consumerism. And these are now mainstream middle of the road middle-class values… So perhaps what I am exploring has been an unintentional spin-off from the original more purposeful counter-culture.

So what is the new name for this new age..? Answers and comments most welcome…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to >New name for a new age..?

  1. Anonymous says:

    >If you put a label to it you begin to define it…Call it the “No Label” spirituality

  2. Sara says:

    >I like that idea personally – but it sounds a bit clunky – any suggestions for something that trips off the tongue a little easier..?

    Thanks for your comment – please feel free to visit the other postings and let me have your thoughts on those too…

  3. Michael MacKian says:

    >Every day begins a new age. How about calling it “Now”?

  4. The Magician says:

    >I seem to recall from the dim and distant past something about the Age of Aquarius, or did that pass me by?…

    We all work and understand by names and definitions, otherwise we wouldn’t know what a cup is, or a car for example. I don’t think that by giving something a name you are necessarily labelling it, but I feel we should define it. Look at the ‘roaring’ 20’s – who was actually roaring then? But it a way of instilling what that time was about (in part at least).

    I personally feel that this is the start of some form of convergence. More and more people are becoming spiritually aware and there is a slow pull towards some common centre or source that will somehow join us all. So the Convergence Age might be one suggestion or the Beginning of the Convergence.

    Alternatively, if you wish to name it, how about ‘Jeff’? lol

    LnL

    The Magician

  5. Sara says:

    >The Age of Aquarius, yes, that is another alternative – but this label tends to imply a focus very much around the idea that we are entering a new era based around astrologial calculations (I think), so not applicable to everyone's perspective.

    'Source Convergence' maybe? Or if we go with your idea of plucking random names (I like it!), how about 'Sally' – for 'Spiritual Awareness, Love, Light & You'..? Seems to capture the individualised nature of it as well as the core concerns.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *