In Defense of the New Age

Nicole Johnston writes a spirited defense of the New Age movement for the Mail and Guardian. In the article, Johnston gives a good snapshot of a typical New Age seeker’s journey.

“I’ve flirted with flotation therapy (a well-intentioned birthday gift which wasn’t quite for me — a bit like spending an hour in a dark, drippy cave full of odd-smelling water) and I’ve had my tarot read a couple of times (most of them are great at picking up on your current energies, but crap at foretelling the future). I love massage and go at least once a month (hey, I’m six foot two in a world designed by four-foot midgets). I’ve overcome my needle phobia sufficiently to go to acupuncture regularly (don’t be fooled, it hurts!) and become sufficiently responsible for my own health to drag my lazy self off to practice tai chi a couple of times a week. I read the Tao Te Ching, add sea salt to my bath and dispense lavender oil for all sorts of ailments, from headaches to insect bites. I smudge a new space when I move into it to clear bad energy that may be lurking in the corners (interestingly, my African and Indian friends are never asked to defend their use of impepho and agarbhati (incense). I’m averse to taking medication that suppresses symptoms instead of treating causes, and I’ve learned the powerful effect my mind can have on my physical body. If this makes me New Age, then so be it…”

All fine and good, but I do have problems with her “A to Z of New Age practices” at the end of the article. Along with entries for acupuncture and colour breathing she lists Paganism, Wicca, and Druidism as “New Age practices”. They are the only religions mentioned in the list (which is odd considered the large percentage of Eastern practices she cobbles together).

While modern Paganism has been conflated with the “New Age” at times, they are two very separate and different movements (though there may be some overlap with individual adherents). We have different ethics, different goals, and different world views. While Johnston seems well-meaning in her inclusion of modern Paganism in the New Age movement, our faiths aren’t isolated “practices” to be picked up and discarded at a whim like a massage session.

Tags: Paganism