Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your New Age shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the New Age offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of New Age at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a New Age? Wrong! If the New Age is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about New Age then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling New Age? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about New Age and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your New Age wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your New Age then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the New Age site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about New Age, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your New Age, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.



New Age is the term commonly used to designate the broad movement of late 20th century and contemporary Western culture, characterised by an eclectic and individual approach to spirituality exploration. Self-spirituality, New spirituality, and Mind-body-spirit are other names sometimes used for the movement. New Age Transformed J Gordon Melton, Director Institute for the Study of American Religion - Accessed June 2006 What Is “New Age? Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Cult Observer, 1993, Volume 10, No. 1- Accessed July 2006 New Age Spiritualitya.k.a. Self-spirituality, New spirituality, Mind-body-spirit by Author: B.A. Robinson of Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Last update: 2006-OCT-01. Accessed March 2007. New Age is a term which includes diverse individuals, including some who graft additional beliefs onto a traditional religious affiliation. Individuals who hold any of its beliefs may not identify with the name, and the name may be applied as a label by outsiders to anyone they consider inclined towards its world view.The New Age movement may include elements of older spiritual and religious traditions from both East and West, many of which have been melded with ideas from modern science, particularly psychology and ecology. New Age ideas could be described as drawing inspiration from all the major world religions with influences from Spiritualism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, Sufism, Taoism, New Thought and Neo-Paganism being especially strong. From this collection of influences have come a wide-ranging literature on spirituality, New age music and crafts — most visible in speciality shops and New Age fairs and festivals The Mind, Body Spirit Festival has run event in the UK since 1977. Accessed Dec 2006. International Listing of New Age Shows, Expos & Exhibitions at www.equinoxastrology.com. Accessed Dec 2006.

Definitions There are no formal or definitive definition of the New Age movement. One academic study suggests that those who sample many diverse teachings and practices from both 'mainstream' and 'fringe' traditions and formulate their own beliefs and practices based on their experiences can be considered as New Age. New Age Transformed J Gordon Melton, Director Institute for the Study of American Religion - Accessed June 2006 Rather than following the lead of an organised religion, "New Agers" typically construct their own spiritual journey based on material taken as needed from the Mysticism traditions of the world's religions, also including shamanism, neopaganism and occultism. What Is “New Age? Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Cult Observer, 1993, Volume 10, No. 1- Accessed July 2006

New Age practices and beliefs may be characterized as a form of alternative spirituality or alternative religion. Even apparent exceptions, such as alternative medicine or traditional medicine practices, often have some spiritual dimension — such as a conceptual integration of mind, body, and spirit.

The term New Age is used in a Western world or modern context where the Judeo-Christian tradition and/or Positivism are dominant, so the use of "alternative" in New Age thought generally implies a contrast with these dominant religious and/or scientific beliefs. Hence, many New Age ideas and practices in the West contain either explicit or implied critiques of organised mainstream Christianity — emphasis on meditation suggests that simple prayer and faith is insufficient, and beliefs such as reincarnation (which not all New Age followers accept) — challenge familiar Christian doctrines, like those regarding the Afterlife.

The New Age is a wide menu of ideas and activities, from which participants in the subculture select their own preferred streams to patronise or identify with. The question of which contemporary cultural elements can be included under the name of "New Age" , or what it means, is much contested. 'New Age' channelers, for instance, have many points of similarity with Spiritualist mediums. Many spiritual movements, such as neo-paganism and transpersonal psychology partially overlap with it. Many groups prefer to distance themselves from the possible negative connotations of the "New Age" name such as the media hoopla and commercialism, while others prefer not to use it at all. For example, key individuals in the New Thought Movement, such as Ernest Holmes, have focused on a more scientific approach and do not share beliefs in reincarnation , magic , or Channelling (mediumistic). Major attempts to present the New Age as a values-based sociopolitical movement included Mark Satin's New Age Politics (orig. 1976), Radical Middle Newsletter New World Alliance New Age political movement - Accessed July 2006 Theodore Roszak (scholar)'s Person/Planet (1978), Marilyn Ferguson's Aquarian Conspiracy (1980), and Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin's Spiritual Politics (1994).

History Origins Some though not all of the New Age's constituent elements appeared under the practices of Spiritualism, Theosophy, or some forms of New Thought Movement / the Metaphysical movement, all of which date as far back as the nineteenth century, as does alternative health. New Age Transformed J Gordon Melton, Director Institute for the Study of American Religion - Accessed June 2006 What Is “New Age? Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Cult Observer, 1993, Volume 10, No. 1- Accessed July 2006 These movements in turn have roots in Transcendentalism, Mesmerism, Swedenborgianism, and various earlier Western esoteric or occult traditions, such as the Hermetic arts of astrology, magic (paranormal), alchemy, and cabbala. Some of the popularisation behind these ideas has roots in the work of early twentieth-century writers such as D H Lawrence and W B Yeats.

A weekly Journal of Christian liberalism and Socialism called The New Age was published as early as 1894. History of the New Age periodical, Brown University, Modernist Journals Project In 1907 it was sold to a group of Socialist writers headed by Alfred Richard Orage and Holbrook Jackson. Other historical personalities were involved, including H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and William Butler Yeats; the magazine became a forum for politics, literature and Arts. Modernism In and Beyond the “Little Magazines”, Winter 2007, Professor Ann Ardis, Brown University The New Age in Encyclopedia Britannica article on Orage Between 1908 and 1914 it was instrumental in pioneering the British avant-garde, from vorticism to imagism. After 1914, publisher Orage met P. D. Ouspensky, a follower of G. I. Gurdjieff, and began correspondence with Harry Houdini, becoming less interested in literature and art, and an increased focus on mysticism and other spiritual topics, and sold the magazine in 1921. According to Brown University, "The New Age helped to shape modernism in literature and the arts from 1907 to 1922". Modernist Journals Project Has Grant to Digitize Rare Magazines Brown University Press Releases, April 19, 2007

In the English-speaking world, we should make special mention of study groups devoted to American trance-diagnostician Edgar Cayce, who inspired many of today's "channelers". The British Neo-Theosophy Alice Bailey published a book titled Discipleship in the New Age in 1944, and had used the terms "New Age" and "New Era" in reference to the transition from the astrological age of Pisces (astrology) to that of Aquarius (astrology). Another early adopter of the term was the American artist mystic and philosopher Walter Russell, who spoke in an essay of "…this New Age philosophy of the spiritual re-awakening of man…", also published in 1944. The Findhorn Foundation, an early New Age intentional community in northern Scotland founded in 1962, played a significant role. The movement in Russia has been heavily influenced by the legacy of Nicholas Roerich and Helena Roerich, who taught in the Theosophical tradition. Another former Theosophist, Rudolf Steiner and his anthroposophy, is a major influence, especially upon German-speaking New Agers. In Brazil, followers of Spiritism writer Allan Kardec Alan Kardec - Spirit Writings Accessed July 2006. blend with the Africanized folk traditions of Candomblé and Umbanda.

Contemporary usage The contemporary usage of the term New Age was popularised by the American mass media during the late 1980s to describe the alternative spiritual subculture, including activities all the way from meditation, channelling (mediumistic), reincarnation, Crystal healing, psychic experience, to holistic health or environmentalism, or belief in anomalous phenomena, or for others “unsolved mysteries” such as UFOs, Earth mysteries and crop circles.

Diverse activities of this subculture, or subcultures, might include: participation in study or meditation groups, attendance at lectures and fairs; the purchase of books, music, or different products such as crystals or incense; or patronage of fortune-tellers, healers and spiritual counselors.

A New Age like subculture already existed in the 1970s, and clearly continued themes from the 1960s counterculture. New Age Files includes a comprehensive timeline, and information from 1800 to the present day.Accessed July 2006

are seen as evidence of spirit beings or aliens by some with New Age belief

Key moments in raising public awareness of this subculture include the publication of Linda Goodman's best selling astrology books Sun Signs (1968) and Love Signs (1978), the October 1967 musical Hair (musical), and its opening song "Age of Aquarius", the Harmonic Convergence organized by Jose Arguelles in Sedona, Arizona in 1987; and the wave of interest in the broadcast of Shirley MacLaine's television mini-series Out on a Limb (also 1987). This was an autobiographical account of her mid-life spiritual exploration. Also influential are the claims of channelers such as Jane Roberts (Seth) and JZ Knight (Ramtha), as well as revealed writings such as A Course In Miracles (Helen Schucman), A Course in Miracles Claims to be a complete self-study spiritual thought system. - Accessed July 2006 , The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield), The Celestine Prophect webpage Believes is that there is a growing worldwide interest in spirituality that is creating a new spiritual awareness and culture that will flourish in the new millennium. Accessed July 2006 Mutant Message Down Under (Marlo Morgan), Conversations with God (Neale Donald Walsch), and Love Without End: Jesus Speaks by Glenda Green.

Beliefs Recent surveys of U.S. adults indicate that around 20% of United States hold at least some New Age beliefs.

Those who categorize themselves as New Age followers have a diverse set of beliefs that differ widely across individuals, groups and locations; an individual identified with New Age thinking may subscribe to one, some or all of these:

Teleology











Spiritual versus scientific knowledge

















Human potential















Miscellaneous







Criticism and skepticism Criticisms of New Age beliefs generally take one of two forms: that they lack proper scientific basis and testing, or that they violate or misappropriate the sanctity of various traditional religions, philosophies, or cultures. Religious and spiritual criticism Many in established religions dismiss New Age thinking as heretical, immoral and shifting without the clear guidance given by a sacred book or tradition of teaching.http://www.inplainsite.org/html/relativism.html In Plain SiteRelativismIs it "absolutely" true that there is no "absolute" truth? In Plain Site, Christian view of Relativism. Accessed December 2006. Jews for Morality The New Age Movement: Reversion to Paganism. How the New Age Movement undermines the very foundations of a moral society. By Mayer Adani. 31 Aug. 2001 Accessed December 2006 * A Christian reflection on the New Age

Some, including neo-paganism and particularly Polytheistic reconstructionism, who are frequently labeled as New Age, often find the term inappropriate since it appears to link them with beliefs and practices they do not espouse. Others think that the classification of beliefs and movements under New Age has little added value due to the vagueness of the term. Instead, they prefer to refer directly to the individual beliefs and movements. Indeed, use by religious conservatives, scientists and others has caused the term "New Age" to sometimes have a derogatory connotation. Watchman Fellowship, a ministry of Christian Discernment. Accessed July 2006 New Age: False Religion - Islamic criticism Accessed July 2006 * A Catholic Christian Reflection on the New Age Accessed July 2006

Many adherents of traditional disciplines from cultures such as India, China, and elsewhere; a number of orthodox schools of Yoga, Tantra, Qigong, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and martial arts (the traditional Taijiquan families, for example), groups with histories reaching back many centuries in some cases, eschew the Western label New Age, seeing the movement it represents as either not fully understanding or deliberately trivializing their disciplines or outright distortions. New Age vs. Vedic tradition Accessed July 2006 , 1988Much of the strongest criticism of New Age eclecticism has come from Indigenous peoples of the Americas writers and communities. The Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality Declaration of War Against Exploiters of Lakota Spirituality - Accessed July 2006 is one of the strongest statements of disapprobrium from traditional tribal religious leaders. Other Natives who have issued statements against "white shamanism" include Wendy Rose, Leslie Marmon Silko and Geary Hobson. A dominant Native American argument is that New Age shamans profit from tribal beliefs in a way that is fundamentally inconsistent with indigenous peoples' worldviews, while ignoring the communal aspects of indigenous peoples sacred beliefs and practices, such as among the Urarina of the Peruvian Amazon Basin. In the US, part of the criticism leveled at the New Age movement has also been the perpetuation of Native racial stereotyping ("The Hollywood Indian"), cultural fetishism and the distortions of historic and anthropological insights into Native Americans' multiple and diverse ways of life and spirituality. This is abundantly clear when one contrasts the customary practice of ayahuasca shamanism among the Urarina, with New Age shamanism. (see also Noble savage)

Adding to the wide disparity in definitions of terminologies and application of principles, is the author and spiritual teacher Joseph J. Dewey who is most notably known for his Immortal Immortal series in which he controversially synthesizes ideas, terminologies and principles from both new age, eastern and christian ideologies.

Some writers have identified racist bias in the movement's early Theosophical sources, especially the writings of Alice Bailey on the Jews Shnirelman, Victor A. Russian Neo-pagan Myths and Antisemitism in Acta no. 13, Analysis of Current Trends in Antisemitism. The Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 1998. Retrieved 2007-08-22and comments of Rudolf Steiner on specific ethnic groups including blacks people, though Steiner, at least, emphasized racial equality as a principle central to anthroposophical thought and humanity's further progress.Anthroposophie und die Rassismus-Vorwürfe, ISBN 978-3-924391-24-9, p. 309ffAny racially-charged elements present in such influences have not remained part of the ongoing evolution of New Age philosophies and have either not been taken up or have been repudiated by modern members of the movement.

Rationalist and academic criticism Adherents of scientific skepticism criticize New Age beliefs stating that one should question the veracity of all claims, and especially paranormal or extraordinary claims, unless such claims can be empirically tested. Some researchers have been unable to find strong evidence of any paranormal activity, or to find ground for new-age beliefs, and thus take issue with the use of scientific terminology, or what they call pseudo-science, to promote spiritual beliefs. A New Ager's path to becoming a skeptic Accessed July 2006 Dutch skeptic website with articles and links to criticism of a range of New Age topics Accessed July 2006

Some authors, such as Deepak Chopra, Fritjof Capra, Fred Alan Wolf and Gary Zukav, have linked quantum mechanics to New Age thinking, to form a genre which is sometimes known as quantum mysticism, often in connection with the Law of Attraction.They have interpreted the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, quantum entanglement, wave function collapse or the many worlds interpretation, to a mean that all objects in the universe are one (monism), that possibility and existence are endless, and that the physical world is only what one believes it to be.

Some scientists are skeptical of this broad application of quantum ideas and have criticized what they believe to be vague descriptions of the phenomena in quantum mechanics on which they are based. Researchers such as Margaret Wertheim, Heinz Pagels, Murray Gell-Mann and Victor Stenger have stated they do not agree that any evidence from quantum mechanics supports these views . Qunatum Quackery by Victor Stenger Article in Skeptical Inquirer magazine , January/February 1997 . Accessed March 2007

Underlying assumptions Millenarianism Judging by its name, the New Age movement ought to involve millenarian claims, perhaps of a glorious future age which is about to begin. The Sleeper Awakens onlygodexists.org 2006 Accessed June 2006 The Aquarian Age - Rosicrucian Fellowship Accessed July 2006As such it could theoretically be traced back to the time of Zoroaster, or to biblical apocalypticism. While such expectations are encountered often enough—e.g., the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, pole shifts and paradigm shifts, the imminent end of the Mayan calendar—the predominant themes of the New Age are mystical rather than apocalyptic. Hence the widespread interest within this subculture in the mystical traditions within the world’s various religions, especially Vedanta, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Sufism, Taoism, Shamanism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, and Esoteric Christianity.

Syncretism Much of New Age thought is syncretic in nature and has roots as a counter-cultural phenomenon. Thus New Age adherents tend to emphasize a relativist approach to truth, often referring to the Historical Vedic religion statement of "one truth, but many paths," the mainstay of Hinduism, which idea is also found in the later Zen spiritual dictum of "many paths, one mountain". This belief is not only an assertion of personal choice in spiritual matters, but also an assertion that truth itself is defined by the individual and his or her experience of it. Religious Tolerance.org by Author: B.A. Robinson of Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Last update: 2006-OCT-01. Accessed March 2007. "Since all is God, then only one reality exists, and all religions are simply different paths to that ultimate reality. The universal religion can be visualized as a mountain, with many sadhanas (spiritual paths) to the summit." Globalization was and still is an important social phenomenon of the 20th and early 21st centuries, with religious syncretism inevitably being one consequence. New Age religious developments are eclectic, hence multifarious. Some synthesize Christian ideas with beliefs involving many gods or goddesses, pantheism, include aliens, reincarnation, or the use of psychoactive drug, together with other spiritual beliefs from different parts of the world. Likewise, the movement may incorporate differing beliefs about, or attempts to practice, magic (paranormal).

Though many New Age terms are associated with Eastern religions, they should not be considered as being identical with the concepts and practices of those religions. Ancient traditions such as Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism can hardly be referred to as New Age religions. It just so happens that the New Age movement has 'adopted' many of the ideas of eastern religions, incorporated them into their own beliefs and practices. The gnostic approach of experiential insight and revelation of truth may be closest to the New Age methodology of prayers and spirituality.

Relativism In keeping with a relativism stance, New Agers believe they do not contradict traditional belief systems, but rather some of them say that they are concerned with the ultimate truths contained within those systems, separating these truths from false tradition and dogma. On the other hand, adherents of other religions often claim that the New Age movement has a vague or superficial understanding of these religious concepts, leaving out that which may seem "negative" or contradict contemporary Western values and that New Age attempts at religious syncretism are vague and self-contradictory. The New Age Movement Probe Ministries,Kerby Anderson. "A final major tenet is moral relativism. New Agers think in terms of gray, rather than black or white. Denying the law of non- contradiction, New Agers will often believe that two conflicting statements can both be true." Accessed February 2007.

This relativism is not merely a spiritual relativism, but also extends to physical theories. Reality is considered largely from an experiential and subjective mode. Many New Age phenomena are not expected to be repeatable in the scientific sense, since they are presumed to be apparent only to the receptive mind; for example, telepathy may not be achievable by a skeptical mind, since a skeptical mind is not pre-conditioned to expect the phenomenon to exist.

Mysticism The New Age worldview typically involves a mysticism-based (rather than Scientific method) view of describing and controlling the external world; for example, one might believe that tarot card reading works because of the "interconnectedness principle", rather than regarding the success (or failure) of tarot card reading as evidence of the interconnectedness principle. However, many adherents of the New Age movement have used various scientific tests, to varying success, to prove that they work.

Magical thinking Some New Age practices and beliefs could make use of what British anthropologist Sir James George Frazer termed magical thinking, in The Golden Bough (1890). Common examples are the principle that objects once in contact maintain a practical link, or that objects that have similar properties exert an effect on each other. Magical thinking, Sleeping with Extra-Terrestrials: The Rise of Irrationalism and Perils of Piety by Wendy Kaminer. New York: Pantheon, 1999. Review in Issues in Science and Technology , accessed December 2006 Another example of magical thinking is the belief that because two events coincide, they must be connected, such as thinking of a friend followed by said friend calling.

Anti-intellectualism In contrast to the scientific method, any failure to achieve expected results is not considered as a failure of the underlying theory, but as a lack of knowledge about (hidden) extenuating circumstances. This stance has led some skeptics to pronounce the New Age movement to be primarily anti-intellectualism in nature. Critiques of Post Modernism (And of Irrationalism in General) Ernest Partridge, Ph.D, June 1, 2006. Accessed December 2006. What Is “New Age? Michael D. Langone, Ph.D. Cult Observer, 1993, Volume 10, No. 1- Accessed July 2006

Postmodernism The emphasis on subjective knowledge and experience is a connection between New Age beliefs and postmodernism. The shift to a feeling of control over one's expression of spirituality reflects a trend towards personal responsibility, as well as personal empowerment. Its populist origins help characterize the New Age approach. This emphasizes an individual's choice in spiritual matters; the role of personal intuition and experience over societally sanctioned expert opinion and an experiential definition of reality. Postmodernism and new age unreason Skeptical Inquirer, May-June, 1995 by George Englebretsen. Accessed December 2006. This does not mean, however, that its members necessarily become free individuals. There may be as much peer-group conformity on the fringe as there is in mainstream society.

Holism A belief in a coherent, interconnected cosmos. Everything in the cosmos is actually or potentially interconnected, as if by invisible threads, not only in space but also across time. Further, it is held that every thing and every event that has happened, is happening, or will happen leaves a detectable record of itself in the cosmic "medium" such as the Akashic Records, or the "morphogenetic field (Rupert Sheldrake)" (not to be confused with the developmental biology use of morphogenetic field).

Terminology Many adherents of belief systems characterised as New Age rely heavily on the use of metaphors to describe experiences deemed to be beyond the empirical. Consciously or unconsciously, New Agers tend to redefine vocabulary borrowed from various belief systems, which can cause some confusion as well as increase opposition from skeptics and the traditional religions. In particular, the adoption of terms from the language of science such as "Energy (spirituality)", "energy fields", and various terms borrowed from quantum physics and psychology but not then applied to any of their subject matter, have served to confuse the dialog between science and spirituality, leading to derisive labels such as pseudoscience, Quantum mysticism and Psychobabble (jargon). A New Age Glossary (pdf) Michael A. Cox North American Mission Board & the Southern Baptist Convention. Accessed June 2006 Glossary for the new Millennium and Aquarian Age Dr Joshua David Stone "I AM University" 2004 - Accessed June 2006

This phenomenon is additionally compounded by the propensity of some New Agers to pretend to esoteric meanings for familiar terms; the New Age meaning of the esoteric term is typically quite different from the common use, and is often described as intentionally inaccessible to those not sufficiently trained in the area of their use. See the following list:-

, above, as having a special "energy".









New Age approaches to medicine New Agers may use exclusively or in part on alternative medicine rather than relying on traditional medicine. Possible techniques seen as compatible with the New Age perspective include:



Louise Hay has published New Age books regarding the belief that illnesses have a metaphysics origin and can be treated by an evaluation of emotional and spiritual attitudes (a similar belief is held by members of the Church of Christ, Scientist). Hay's books feature lists of diseases and the associated negative belief, accompanied by the correcting positive belief which can be sought by repeating the correcting positive affirmation. This approach is criticised as victim blaming for causing the condition though the intent is to empower the individual to change their thinking and therefore change the condition.

One benefit of New Age medicine's popularity, and in particular its criticism of what some describe as the limitations of conventional medicine, has been to encourage medical practitioners to pay closer attention to the entire patient's needs rather than just a specific disease. Such approaches, termed "holistic medicine", have been tentatively embraced by some elements of mainstream medical establishment. Conventional medicine has recognised that a patient's state of mind can be crucial in determining the outcome of many diseases, and this perception has helped recast the roles of doctor and patient as more egalitarian.

Most scientists are convinced that complementary medicine is placebo medicine. In recent tests, the placebo effect has been shown to be effective in certain placebo-responsive conditions. To the extent that there is a psychological element in illness, placebos, in the form of homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, etc., may help where the patient is convinced it will, although much depends on the level of conviction in the therapist.

Controversy regarding alternative medicine Some scientific professionals question the efficacy of the methods of "alternative or complementary medicine," and some writers have referred to these methods as quackery (Norcross et al 2006;Singer and Lalich 1996)). There are increasing numbers of double blind tests of alternative medicine methods but such testing has rarely resulted in corroborating results. However, it is difficult to apply double-blind testing methods to some alternative medicine techniques because in many of these techniques, the relationship with the practitioner is part of the process, and that relationship cannot be practically "blinded" in a testing protocol. See the main article on Alternative medicine for a deeper discussion of these points.

Skeptics of the New Age approach to medicine point out it is possible that direct harm can result from a treatment such as acupuncture (bruising, dizziness, infection) , from poorly prescribed herbal medicine or from an untrained person self-administering herbal medicines. Indirect harm may result when a patient declines proven scientific treatment in favor of unproven alternative treatments and thereby misses the benefit that may have accrued from the mainstream treatment .

Critics of New Age medicine state that without scientific testing, it is not possible to determine which techniques, medicinal herbs, and lifestyle changes may contribute to increased health and which treatments have no effect or may be dangerous. In 2005, the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland began a program of research to determine which alternative medicine practices may be useful in support of conventional medical practice.

New Age Music For in-depth information see the article on New Age music.

Although more rock than new age in genre, the 1967 successful musical Hair (musical) with its opening song "Aquarius" and the memorable line "This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius" brought the New Age concept to the attention of a huge worldwide audience.

This music has its roots in the 1970s with the works of such free-form jazz groups recording on the ECM (record label) such as Oregon, the Paul Winter Group, and other pre-ambient bands; as well as Ambient music performers such as Brian Eno. The Greek artist Yanni, one of the "superstars" of the New Age genre, relies heavily on synthesizers and instrumental "world music" sounds.

When New Age music first started in the early 1970s, it was mostly instrumental and electronic. As it evolved and music equipment got less expensive so artists could do more in their own studios, New Age musicians started using more acoustic instruments and vocals too. Spiritual chanting became part of new age music also so now there are many artists who sing Mantras on their albums.

Enya, although claiming her music is not of this genre, has won a New Age Grammy Award for her music which utilizes vocals in a variety of languages, including Latin.

Music labeled New Age often has a vision of a better future, expresses an appreciation of goodness and beauty, even an anticipation, relevant to some event. Rarely does New Age music dwell on a problem with this world or its inhabitants; instead it offers a peaceful vision of a better world. Often the music is celestial, when the title names stars or deep space explorations. Additionally, instrumental albums often come with "liner notes" encouraging the music's use in meditation, and many albums have been recorded with specific design for this purpose.

While other genres like Ambient music, psy-trance, goa trance are not associated with New Age in their philosophies, they can create a similar kind of cosmic feeling. Psy-trance, especially, suggests a fusion of transcendental feeling and the individual's connectedness with the cosmos. This experience and the dance culture surrounding it may express views about technology, parapsychology, artificial intelligence, as well as a view that thoughts may in fact determine reality.

LOHAS ("Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability") Demographic People who embrace "New Age" lifestyle and/or beliefs are included in the LOHAS ("Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability") demographic market segment, currently in a growth phase, related to sustainable living, so-called "green" ecological initiatives, and generally composed of a relatively upscale and well-educated population segment. The LOHAS market segment in year 2006 was estimated at $300 billion, approximately 30% of the USA consumer market. {{cite book | last = Halweil | first = Brianink = | coauthors =Lisa Mastny, Erik Assadourian, Linda Starke, Worldwatch Institute | title =State of the World 2004: A Worldwatch Institute Report on Progress Toward a Sustainable Society | publisher =W. W. Norton & Company | date =2004 | pages =167 | isbn = 0393325393--> According to the New York Times, a study by the Natural Marketing Institute showed that in 2000, 68 million Americans were included within the LOHAS demographic. Author Paul H. Ray, who coined the term "[Cultural Creatives" in his book by the same name, explaines that "What you're seeing is a demand for products of equal quality that are also virtuous".{{cite news | last = Cortese | first = Amy | coauthors = | title =They Care About the World (and They Shop, Too) | work =Business Section | publisher =New York Times | date =July 20, 2003 | url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01E3D8103CF933A15754C0A9659C8B63 -->{{cite news | last = Everage | first = Laura | title =Understanding the LOHAS Lifestyle | work =Gourmet Retailer Magazine | publisher =Nielsen Business Media | date = October 1, 2002 | url =http://www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1738479 | accessdate = -->

See also See List of New Age topics for a summary of related articles, or click on the New Age category at the foot of this page.

Notes References
 

New Age



 
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