The New Age - A Pathway to Paradise ? (1983)

I found this awesome Chicago WCFC TV documentary from 1983 that explores the rising New Age social phenomenon. From a cultural, anthropological point of view, this is extremely interesting, and for my own person reasons, as over the years I've been directly exposed to these kinds of people, often cruelly misled. I was never in a cult or anything like that, but certain people I deeply respected, admired and looked up to (again, not as a 'guru' but simply as 'spiritually higher) turned out to be deeply delusional and into some seriously bizarre shit. Benjamin Creme is a prime example, because although I've never taken a word he said seriously, I did discover (afterwards) that a meditation group I participated, by invitation from a truly great person, was designed to call forth 'energy' from group efforts to 'summon the ascended masters', probably 'of Light' or some bullshit like that. At the time, I felt deeply betrayed by said friend, and being that it was Aura's first group meditation experience, and one that she walked away from immensely joyously, I also felt deeply hurt. I realize now that my friends intentions were most likely genuine and purely naive, and likewise the rest of the group, but it is crazy how this shit still goes on and people buy into it naively, hoping to find belonging or spiritual fulfillment, &c. Also, when the logo comes up near the beginning, it kind of sounds to me like Vangelis '77 album 'Spiral' although it's been years since I've heard it and so cannot yet confirm this. Anyway, whatever your views on the New Age are, this documentary is awesome, and very funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc0RRDOh6EM"]The New Age - A Pathway to Paradise ? (1983) - YouTube

 

I'll check it out and give you my opinion later rocks.

 

Not every new ager is a creep or werdo . You might check out this site , run by a guy in Phoenix AZ . http://www.aznewage.com/

 

Ok, great! I'd love to be able to discuss the film, or the New Age movement as a whole. It's something I have a lot of experience with by association, and something which I have very conflicting feelings about. This documentary is a perfect joy to behold though, because of the time that it came out; whether someone is interested in the topic is almost secondary, because it is a visual feast.

 

I don't assume they are all predators, in fact I'm probably more of a weirdo than most. I just assume they are largely misguided by people with ulterior motives.

 

It is definitely no pathway to paradise.

 

I don't have time to watch all that right now, but I kept up with the movement almost from the beginning, and spent some time working in a New Age store.

Like every other new spiritual movement, it was started by extremists, and the teachings of extremists always get watered down by the masses as a movement grows and becomes more mainstream.

I don't know if the film mentions this or not, but quite a few of the original New Age leaders relocated from San Francisco to Asheville, NC, and a number of their hardcore followers moved with them. Some of their children are now the young hippies and flower children and metalheads you can find downtown on a typical day, especially on North Lexington Avenue and around Battery Park and Pack Square.

These days, regular customers in a New Age store are likely to be just as interested in the teachings of Buddha and Tao as they are in the offerings of 'pure' New Age authors and seminar leaders. Wiccan (Celtic) dragons and Hindu Ganesh figures outsell New Age crystals and pyramids in the stores. New Age has almost evolved into a blanket term covering all those who are open to spiritual experiences and enlightenment from any possible source.

Whenever someone becomes disillusioned with a particular New Age teacher, the standard advice for them to hear from their like-minded friends is to broaden their perspective by looking at a much wider variety of influences, and not pour so much of their spiritual energy into one person who is trying to sell a book or fill seminar sessions. I think you can't go wrong with studying the fundamental teachings of Buddha, from a Zen perspective. That's the cornerstone I keep coming back to. That stuff has withstood the test of time.

 

I have a bunch of new age sites and forums , a few of many that are out there . A few I posted on Pavlina as it was shut down . http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/fun-recreation/71273-list-other-forums.html I have more . A few on that list are no longer up. Another good site is astral pulse http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/

 

Yep, that's how it gets pictured by the majority including me since the first time I heard of the term 'new age'. Always seemed like a blanket term to me. Same with 'pagan' often for the majority. I always wonder what kind of paganism people are into when they tell they are pagan and always am dissappointed when they proclaim it's just in general, no specific form.

 

If you mean the Pavlina forum , hip is a different group . There are simular forums to pavlina . Not a forum but Erin's site is still there . http://www.erinpavlina.com/ New age is used for the lack of a better phrase . All kind of belief systems fit in to that term . If you scroll down on this link to new age . http://www.aznewage.com/dictionary_n.htm

 

Depending on where a person lives, it may be your best local place to find anything related to Eastern religions and philosophies. The only thing you will never find in any New Age store is material from any of the world religions that claim, "Our way is the only way, and anyone who disagrees is going to Hell."

Ask random people on the street, and many fundamentalists will tell you that a New Age individual is a self-proclaimed spiritual person who rejects the One Truth. Or something that means the same thing.

Even in Asheville, it's getting hard to find a 'pure' New Age store.

If I was writing a dictionary definition of 'pagan', my first definition would be a spiritual person who rejects the idea that there is only one true religion, which all must follow, or else face punishment from god. The second definition would be the specific set of beliefs most commonly associated with pre-Christian societies in western Europe. The word is used in both ways almost equally. Some distinguish between them with the uppercase P: pagan versus Pagan.

 

I actually watched this documentary years ago online.

I have a lot to say about the New Age movement, but I don't have the energy at the moment. Basically, the New Age is the same as the New World Order. It all about creating a deliberate consciousness shift in society, and not necessarily for the better.

The New Age is another toxic religion like all the others. It's about mass manipulation.

 

There may be a few new agers with an agenda , most are just doing there own thing . Its a mixed lot , people , beliefs , ect . Most people are too locked into there belief system to follow any thing out side it . I dont think there is realy a new age movement . I do think there are a few people that are a bit more open minded . On my posts , I will see what I can come up with , I do need to keep them with in the context of this forum . There are other forums where such things are discussed .