Explore the positives and the problems of New Age Spirituality. Uncover the evolution from traditional beliefs to personalized practices in the wellness space. Discover the benefits, dangers, and need for a balanced approach in this modern exploration of spirituality.
what is New Age Spirituality?
Spirituality is an essential component of the human experience, and an area that is often explored in the health and wellness space, as one of the eight dimensions of wellness. Even so, many people are choosing to turn away from traditional organized religions and explore spiritual practices on their own.
I don’t think this is a bad thing. After all, organized religion has historically been used to control the thoughts of the masses and exploit humanity’s spiritual sense for harmful means such as gaining wealth or eliminating sexual practices deemed unruly. In the modern age, the collective consciousness has become more welcoming, accepting, loving, and tolerant of diversity.
It is no wonder, then, that new religions would take form, one of the most prominent being known as “New Age Spirituality.” New Age Spirituality is a term used to describe a diverse set of beliefs and practices that have emerged in the Western world since the 1970s. Proponents of New Age Spirituality believe in an individual’s ability to connect with a universal consciousness, embrace personal transformation through spiritual practice, and expand the mind beyond traditional boundaries. It values holistic living, alternative healing practices, and personal growth. Some common practices in New Age Spirituality include meditation, astrology, energy healing, chakra balancing, crystal therapy, and yoga.
It is important to note that New Age Spirituality is not a formal religion, nor does it have a single set of beliefs or practices. It is adaptable and personalized to the individual, hence its diversity. As someone who was raised within a strict organized religion, turned atheist, and then found my spirit once again, I have adopted many of the spiritual beliefs and practices of New Age Spirituality.
However, I have also been in a very dark and vulnerable mental state, and in those moments, I have fallen prey to the dangerous aspects of what I’ll refer to as “New Ageism” for simplicity’s sake. Today, I am still on a spiritual journey, but I am more mentally healthy and of sound mind than I have ever been, and I really feel the need to warn others who may have strayed away from their traditional religious practices, or are open-minded agnostics like my former self, or who are still developing their spiritual awareness and identities.
first, the good
Like any author, I’m biased. Therefore I feel it’s right to inform you about my spiritual leanings and what I consider to be the benefits of adopting a fluid, open-minded approach to spirituality including New Age practices.
- Acceptance for all. When I was an atheist, I would commonly judge others’ spiritual beliefs and practices. Being so out of touch with my spiritual side, I didn’t understand how others could possibly believe the things that they did, and had a rigid view of life, death, and reality. Although I still do not align with an organized religion, I do believe in several of what I consider the “fundamental truths” being communicated through religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. I believe that these religions use story and metaphor to communicate values such as oneness, humility, sacrifice, self-acceptance, and the higher good. I now approach these religions with curiosity and love, rather than disdain and misunderstanding.
- Yoga, yoga, yoga!!! I’ll tout the benefits of yoga to anyone who will listen. Yoga is often associated with New Ageism these days, but it is an ancient spiritual practice of meditation, wholeness, and connection between the mind, body, and spirit. And it seriously changed my life for the better. Yoga helps me and many others gain strength, balance, and flexibility while practicing meditation and self-love, and that’s frickin’ beautiful.
- Holistic Health and Healing: New Age Spirituality embraces the idea that an individual is a whole being with interconnected physical, emotional, mental and spiritual components, often represented by chakras. Proponents of the practice argue that treating each of these components simultaneously leads to greater health and well-being. Alternative treatment methods like acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, and crystal healing are often used in this way. Meanwhile, Western medicine continues to treat the symptoms without addressing the root of many problems such as chronic stress, horrible foods, addiction, and hustle culture running rampant in society.
- Greater Self-Awareness and Personal Growth: Today’s society puts much emphasis on material wealth, and it’s easy to lose sight of true priorities while seeking material success. New Age Spirituality encourages the exploration of the inner self, and to this effect, individual inner journeys are seen as key to personal growth and fulfillment. By doing so, one learns to gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their relationships with others and the world around them.
- Encourages an Attitude of Gratitude and Mindfulness: Practitioners of new age spirituality often keep gratitude journals and practice mindfulness exercises to cultivate a positive mental attitude and overall well-being. This leads to a more peaceful and centered state of mind, and can ultimately improve quality of life.
- Promotes A Greater Connection with Nature: New Age Spirituality is often associated with a deep reverence and connection with nature and the universe. Seeing themselves as part of a greater system, practitioners often choose to engage in environmentally friendly activities, such as recycling, minimalism, and sustainable living. This can lead to an overall healthier planet and a more fulfilling way of life, and a healthier planet for all.
- Encourages Personal Responsibility: New Age Spirituality encourages individuals to take ownership of their lives. Rather than relying on external forces to dictate outcomes, individuals are encouraged to create their own realities, through manifestation, positive thinking, and visualization. This can lead to greater feelings of empowerment and a sense of control over one’s own fate.
- It’s Just Fun: I’ve always been intrigued and entertained by astrology, tarot and oracle cards, psychics, and the magical and mystical. Maybe it was the heavy influence of Harry Potter in my childhood, or my love for Halloween, or my quirkiness, but I find these things fun to talk about, speculate on, and as interesting “languages” through which to explore my own thoughts and feelings. Obviously my ex was horrible to me because he’s a Pisces, and I’m feeling extra sensitive today because Mercury is in retrograde. I don’t actually believe these things most of the time, but they’re fun ways to engage with the world around me. I won’t touch a Ouija board with a ten foot pole, though.
With all these benefits, you might wonder why on earth I would be here to warn you about these practices. After all, they’ve done so much good in my life, and they have the potential to help others in their spiritual journeys. All of this is true, and yet, New Age Spirituality almost took me down an incredibly dark and difficult path. I thank a few of the most important people in my life for pulling me through it and grounding me. Let’s talk.
the bad, the ugly, and the seriously dangerous
I’m not gonna sugar coat it for you here. If you’ve been exposed to New Age Spirituality, chances are you’ve been introduced to the ideas of manifestation, enlightenment, raising your vibration, seeing the universe, and transcending your reality. If any of that sounds interesting to you, I’d urge you to keep reading as I warn you about these ideas and my own first and second-hand experiences with them.
preys on the vulnerable
Like many subsets of organized religion, New Age Spirituality can often prey on vulnerable individuals who are looking for guidance and meaning in their lives. The lack of structure and clear guidelines can lead people down a dangerous path towards pseudo-spiritual beliefs that can do more harm than good. Many people who have been hurt by organized religion or who are feeling lost and alone can be particularly vulnerable to misleading teachings.
It’s not just bad teachings to consider; New Age Spirituality teaches that you can have everything you’ve ever wanted in life if you just “raise your vibration” and manifest it. The path to healing is not developing healthy habits and seeking therapy and professional help for your problems (according to New Ageism, not me), but delving deep into your subconscious and creating your own reality. This can be extremely enticing for people with mental illness who may have tried ineffective medications, met with bad therapists, or maybe just can’t afford or doesn’t want to seek professional help, and are looking for a new answer to their healing.
heavy drug culture
Simply put, there is a heavy drug culture associated within the New Age community. Hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, mushrooms, ayahuasca, or DMT are often touted as spiritual awakeners and can be extremely dangerous, especially when used by people with pre-existing mental illness, who we already discussed are particularly vulnerable to the movement. These drugs can not only exacerbate existing mental health conditions such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, or depression, but they are also unhealthy and often dangerous coping mechanisms that are being marketed as “healing,” “expanding the mind,” and “awakening.”
If you are curious about hallucinogenic drugs, I completely understand; but don’t be fooled by this notion. Using these drugs is a recreational experience and a unique type of high – not a discovery of “true” reality, self-discovery, or therapy. I know that psilocybin (mushrooms) has been decriminalized for study in my home state, but there is currently no scientific or medical consensus on the benefits of this drug for therapeutic use.
I’m not here to judge anyone for being tempted to experiment with drugs, but I am absolutely here to stomp on the notion that the use of these substances is healing. It is entirely possible to be connected with spirit, aware of oneself, to purge negative thought patterns and behaviors, fully experience the beauty of the universe, and to heal oneself without these substances. That they are being marketed as a shortcut to any of these things is absolutely false and leads to many people, including myself, to be interested in experimenting with more frequency and variety of these drugs to somehow “delve deeper” and “understand more” about the universe and self. Similarly, recreational marijuana, rather than being seen as the drug it is (albeit one that can be used responsibly and legally like alcohol) is rebranded as “plant medicine”. It’s weed – we can just call it that.
I am grateful to have had a wake-up call within my own life, but unfortunately, I know a few too many people who have gone on to lose touch with themselves and others due to this philosophy. Rather than experiencing the occasional “enlightening” trip, I know a few people who have gone on to use LSD and/or DMT every single day. I know someone who developed schizophrenia from hallucinogen use. I know many others who continue to evade their mental health issues and live a dull, numb, and very high existence. I’m only 26, so these people that I know are young and still have their health, but I know their mental and physical capacities will only continue to degrade over time if they continue their drug use, as I have seen in some of my family members who’ve died too young.
I was told these drugs weren’t addictive, they were enlightening, and they would show me the truth about reality and the world around me; I was lied to.
literal psychosis
While New Age spirituality can be a healthy and positive way to explore one’s spirituality and find inner peace, some people may become so consumed by it that they begin to lose touch with reality. The constant pursuit of an altered state of consciousness, coupled with the tendency to interpret everyday events as spiritual signs or messages, can lead to delusions or hallucinations.
One of the main pillars of New Age spirituality is the idea that individuals have limitless potential and can transcend the limitations of the physical world. This often involves detachment from one’s embodied reality and a focus on spiritual realms or higher consciousness. While this, when coupled with healthy skepticism and a sound mind, can be a source of personal growth and inner exploration, it can easily lead to a disconnection from one’s authentic self, emotions, physical, and social reality. If you’re drawn to the idea of self-discovery but want a grounded approach, my Mind Body Whole Wellness Workbook is designed to help you reflect on boundaries, self-care, and personal values—without the BS.
New Age spirituality, with its focus on alternative healing, mysticism, and metaphysics, can literally encourage people to lose touch with reality. Its emphasis on subjective experiences, uncritical thinking, pseudoscientific claims, and esoteric beliefs can lead individuals to reject empirical evidence, rational thinking, and skepticism. Coupled with vulnerable, sometimes mentally ill people and a heavy drug culture, and some of the worst things can, and do happen. “Spiritual Psychosis” is a well-documented phenomenon. The ones telling you that this frightening experience is simply an “awakening” or an “ego death” are also probably trying to lead you astray or sell you their Answer To Everything.
Losing touch with reality should never be the goal of any spiritual practice. Achieving happiness, purpose, and fulfillment in this reality should be.
and just general BS
Furthermore, the lack of scientific validation for many New Age practices and beliefs can lead individuals to replace evidence-based medicine and psychology with untested and potentially harmful treatments. For instance, some New Age healers promote the use of crystals, energy fields, or essential oils for treating serious medical conditions, neglecting the importance of evidence-based medicine. This type of thinking can lead to dangerous decisions that may jeopardize one’s physical and mental health.
One of the most common teachings of New Ageism, manifestation, is easily oversimplified and misunderstood. There is the danger of becoming so immersed in New Age Spirituality that one loses touch with the importance of taking action in the physical world. While developing an inner spiritual practice has many benefits, it is equally important to connect with the world around us and take tangible steps towards positive change rather than relying solely on manifestation and positive thinking.
Another way that New Age spirituality can encourage losing touch with reality is through the constant pursuit of spiritual experiences. New Age techniques like meditation, trance, or lucid dreaming can induce altered states of consciousness, which some individuals may mistake for divine revelations or mystical insights. This can lead to a overemphasis on subjective experiences and personal interpretations, which may diverge from objective reality or social norms.
Many of these teachings rely on subtle but powerful manipulation tactics. If you’re curious about how language can shape beliefs, I highly recommend Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. It breaks down how words create loyalty—and sometimes, blind faith.
the balance, and the journey
While New Age Spirituality has many potential benefits, it is important to be aware of the downsides and very real dangers. It is crucial to approach these practices with an open but critical mind, and to seek guidance from trusted people who have your wellbeing in mind. By doing so, you can find a balanced and meaningful spiritual path that leads to personal growth and a life of purpose and fulfillment. Sometimes, what we need isn’t a new belief system—it’s better self-care. A simple habit like using a weighted blanket or practicing mindfulness can provide real benefits without the pseudoscience.
As with all religion and spiritual practices, I’d urge you to find what aligns with your morals, values, life, and soul. Rather than doing what feels good in the short-term, look for practices and beliefs that will do good in your life. Your real, physical life. Wherever we go after we die, or wherever we may be in the multiverse today, I have absolute faith that living a healthy life, helping your community, and loving yourself and others here and now will get you wherever your soul is meant to be.
If you or someone you know is struggling with their spiritual identity, mental health, substance abuse, reality, and/or suicidal ideation, please seek professional help, guidance, and resources.
Much love and peace,
-w.w.
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