Theosophical Society,
H
P Blavatsky
Guide to New Age Terms
.
Age
of Aquarius - N
Astrologers
believe that evolution goes through cycles corresponding to the signs of the
zodiac, each lasting from 2,000 to 2,400 years. New Age advocates say we are
now moving from the cycle associated with Pisces into the one associated with Aquarius.
The Acquarian Age will supposedly be characterized by
a heightened degree of spiritual or cosmic consciousness.
Agent - N
A person sending a telepathic message.
Akashic Record - N
Imperishable
records of every person’s every word, thought or act inscribed in the earth or
spirit realms .
Alpha - N
The
physical body.
Animism - N
The belief that inanimate things (such as plants) possess a soul or
spirit. New Age
advocates see animism as a way of rededicating the earth.
Anthroposophy - N
An
esoteric cult founded by German mystic Rudolf Steiner. The term literally means
“wisdom of man.” It teaches that we possess the truth within ourselves. The
system of thought is occultic and spiritistic.
Ascended Masters - N
Refers to those who have supposedly reached the highest level of spiritual
consciousness and have become guides of the spiritual evolution of mankind.
Ascension of Christ
- N
This is
reinterpreted in a mystical way to refer to the rise of the “Christ-consciousness”
in man-kind. It describes the awareness that man is divine.
Astral Body - N
A spiritual body capable of projection from the physical body. The astral body survives death.
Astral Flight - N
Soul
travel occurring particularly during sleep or deep meditation.
Attunement - N
A New Age counterpart to prayer. Also re-ferred
to as at-one-ment, the term relates primarily to the
New Age idea that complete oneness with God can be
experienced by human beings.
Aura - N
Radiated glow or halo surrounding living beings.
Automatic Writing
Writing produced without conscious thought of a living person; written
message given through a spirit guide with a pencil or typewriter.
Avatar - N
A person
who “descends” into human form from above as a manifestation of divinity and
who reveals divine truth to people. Such
a one has supposedly progressed beyond the need to be reincarnated in another
body (i.e., there is no further “bad karma” to work off).
Bhagavad Gita - H
Hindu
sacred scripture.
Blood of Christ - N
This is
understood by some New Agers to refer to the “life-energy”
of the Cosmic Christ. This “blood” supposedly flowed from the cross into the
etheric (or spiritual) realms of the earth. From these realms, the Christ seeks
to guide the spiritual evolution of mankind.
Bodhisattva - N,H
A being
who has supposedly earned the right to enter into Nirvana or into illumination,
but instead voluntarily turns back from that state in order to aid humanity in
attaining the same goal. The Christ is said to be a Bodhisattva.
Buddha - N
“The
Enlightened One.” An avatar or messenger.
Caballa - M
See Kabala
Channeling - N
A New Age form of mediumship or spiritism. The channeled yields control of his/her perceptual and cognitive
capacities to a spiritual entity with the intent of receiving paranormal information.
Chinook Learning
Community - N
A New Age
educational community located in the
Clairaudience - N,O
Ability to hear mentally without using the ears.
Clairvoyance - N,O
Ability to
see mentally without using the eyes, beyond ordinary time and space limits;
also called “Second Sight.”
Consciousness
Revolution - N
New Age
advocates call for a “consciousness revolution” a new way of looking at and
experiencing life. The primary focus of the new consciousness is oneness with
God, all mankind, the earth, and with the entire universe.
Control - N
The Spirit that sends messages through a medium in trance.
Cosmic Christ - N
In
esoteric schools of thought, the Christ is considered to be a universal spirit
or a cosmic force. The primary goal of this impersonal spirit or force is to
guide the spiritual evolution of mankind.
Cosmic Consciousness
- N
A spiritual and mystical perception that all in the universe is “one.” To attain cosmic con-sciousness
is to see the universe as God and God as the universe.
Cosmic Humanism - N
In
contrast to normative humanism that sees man as the measure of all things,
cosmic humanism sees man as having virtually unlimited potential because of his
inner divinity.
Crystals - N
New Age
advocates believe that crystals contain incredible healing and energizing
powers.
Deja Vu - N
The
feeling of having already experienced an event or place that is being
encountered for the very first time .
Discarnate - N
The soul or personality of a living creature who has died.
Dowser - N,O
A
sensitive who uses a forked stick that points to hidden water, oil, buried
money, lost articles, or people.
Earth Logos - N
Some New
Age advocates believe that the Earth Logos is a great spiritual being who is
the ensouling life of planet earth. The earth is
considered a physical manifestation (or body) of this spiritual intelligence.
Ectoplasm - N,O
A white filmy substance pouring from a medium’s bodily openings, supposedly
denoting the presence of a disembodied spirit.
Esalen Institute - N
A “growth
center” that offers a wide variety of workshops for mind, body, and spirit. It
is located in
Esoteric - N
A word
used to describe knowledge that is possessed or understood only by a few.
Esoteric
Christianity - N
A mystical
form of Christianity that sees its “corn truth” as identical to the “core truth”
of every other religion (i.e., man is divine). This form of Christianity is at
home with Aldous Huxley’s “perennial philosophy.”
(See: Perennial Philosophy.)
ESP
- N,O
Extrasensory perception encompassing paranormal abilities such as telepathy,
precognition, and clairvoyance.
ESP Cards - N
A pack of
twenty-five cards bearing five symbols, including stars, squares, circles,
crosses, and waves.
Exoteric
Christianity - N
A form of
Christianity identified with historic or orthodox Christianity that New Agers would describe as being devoid of all spiritual
authenticity;
Fall of Man - N
Refers to the fall of man’s consciousness. A fallen consciousness is one that
recognizes the existence of only the material realm. The Christ is believed to have “redeemed” man
in the sense that he enabled man to perceive the spiritual world behind the
material world.
Findhorn Community - N
A
legendary New Age community located in the North of Scotland. This group offers an ongoing educational
program in the principles of New ge
spirituality.
Gaia - N
A Greek name for the goddess of the earth. It also refers to a scientific hypothesis
formulated by James Lovelock whereby all living matter on the earth is believed
to be a single living organism. In such a scheme, humanity is considered the
nervous system of the living earth.
Globalism - N
A modern-day term referring to the need for a transformation from the
present nation-state divisions into a one-world community.
Gnosticism - N
A
tradition going back to the second century which holds that salvation comes
through intuitive “gnosis” or knowledge of one’s supposed divinity.
God - N
A being who has “many faces.” He (it) is considered a radically immanent
being who is often referred to as a “universal consciousness,” “universal life,”
or “universal energy.” The New Age god is more or less an impersonal force that
pervades the universe.
Graphology - N
Character
analysis and foretelling based on handwriting.
Great Invocation - N
A New Age prayer that has been translated into over eighty languages. The purpose of this prayer is to invoke
the presence of the Cosmic Christ on earth, thus leading to the oneness and brotherhood
of all mankind.
Group Guru - N
A slang New Age term referring to the idea that the Cosmic Christ is
incarnate in all of humanity. All mankind is seen as a single “guru.”
Guru - N
Teacher
or master.
Harmonic
Convergence - N
The
assembly of New Age meditators gathered at the same
propitious astrological time in different locations to usher in peace on earth
and one-world government.
Holism - N
The theory that all reality is organically one. Everything in the universe is viewed as
interrelated and interdependent.
Holistic Health - N
Holistic
health sees the body as an inter-related organism. Its goal is to treat the
whole person (body, mind, and spirit) as opposed to merely treating a
particular sickness.
Hologram - N
A
three-dimensional projection resulting from the interaction of laser beams.
Scientists have discovered that the image of an entire hologram can be
reproduced from any one of its many component parts. New Agers
use this to illustrate the oneness of all reality.
Homeopathy - N
A system
of medicine rooted in occult ideas that was developed
by Samuel Hahnemann. It claims to manipulate the “vital
force” of the human body by transferring the power of homeopathic medicines
that have been potentiazed by a process of dilutions
and succession (vigorous shaking with impact).
Human Potential
Movement - N
A movement with roots in humanistic psychology that stresses man’s essential
goodness and unlimited potential.
Initiation - O
This
occult term is generally used in reference to the expansion or transformation
of a person’s consciousness. An “initiate” is one whose consciousness has been
transformed so that he now perceives inner realities. There are varying “degrees”
of initiation (i.e., “first degree initiates,” “second-degree initiates,”
etc.).
Inner Self or Higher
Self - N
Refers to
the inner divine nature possessed by human beings. All people are said to
possess an inner self, though not all are aware of it.
Interdependence or
Interconnectedness - N
These
words are used by New Agers to describe the oneness
and essential unity of everything in the universe. All of reality is viewed as
interdependent and interconnected.
Jesus - N
An avatar who attained a high level of attunement to the Cosmic Christ.
This enabled him to become a bodily vehicle for the Christ for a period of
three years. (See: Avatar)
Kabala (Caballa, Qaballah) - M,O
Hebrew
mystery lore based on mystical interpretation of the Bible; magical, occult
practices stemming largely from the Middle Ages.
Karma - H,N
Refers to
the “debt” accumulated against a soul as a result of good or bad actions
committed during one’s life (or lives). If one accumulates good karma, he will
supposedly be reincarnated in a desirable state. If one accumulates bad karma,
he will be reincarnated in a less desirable state.
Kirlian Photography
- N
A photographic process that measures living auras.
Kundalini - N
The
elemental energy of the human body which, like a serpent, rests coiled at the
base of the spine.
Levitation - O
Raising of
objects or people off the ground without using physical energy.
Lucis Trust
Originally
incorporated as the Lucifer Publishing Company, the Lucis
Trust oversees the Lucis Publishing Company, World
Goodwill, and
Maitreya
The name
has its roots in a legendary Buddha figure. Some New Age advocates believe that
the “second coming of Christ” occurred in 1977 in the person of Maitreya.
Mandala
A design,
usually concentric, that focuses attention to a single point.
Mantra
A word or phrase that is to be chanted repetitively in an effort to
empty the mind and attain “cosmic con-sciousness” (oneness
with God and the universe).
Mass Incarnation
An incarnation of the Christ in all of humanity. New Age advocates say that this
incarnation is presently taking place on a planetary scale, and is not unlike
the incarnation of the Cosmic Christ in the body of Jesus 2,000 years ago.
Medium
A psychic or sensitive living person whose body is used as a vehicle
for communicating with spirits.
Metaphysics
The science of the supernatural.
Monism
A metaphysical theory that sees all of reality as a unified whole. Everything
in the universe is seen as being made of the same stuff.
Network
An
informal, decentralized organization created by like-minded individuals who are
interested in address-ing specific problems and
offering possible solutions. All of this takes place outside of conventional
institutions.
New Age Movement
A loose
organization of people, many of them “Yuppies,” who believe the world has entered
the Aquarian Age when peace on earth and one-world gov-ernment
will rule. They see themselves as advanced in consciousness, rejecting
Judeo-Christian values and the Bible in favor of Oriental philosophies and
religion. Among them may be found environmentalists, nuclear-freeze proponents,
Marxist-socialist utopians, mind-contol advocates,
ESP cultists, spiritists, witchcraft practitioners,
and others using magical rites.
Nirvana
Liberation from earthly things; paradise.
Numerology
The analysis of hidden or prophetic meanings of numbers.
Occultism
Belief in supernational forces and
beings.
Om
A word symbolizing Brahma, the Creator God.
One Worlders
Those who
advocate the abolition of nations, working to hand over power to a single-world
government similar in structure to the present United Nations; off-shoots of
the United World Federalists founded in the 1930s.
Ouiji Board
Came board
containing all the letters of the alphabet plus numbers from 0 to 9 and “Yes/No.”
A slid-ing pointer (planchette)
spells out words in answer to questions asked by players.
Out-of-Body
Experience
Leaving the physical body while at rest, asleep, near death, or temporarily
dead.
Pantheism
Doctrine that identifies God with the whole uni-verse,
every particle, tree, table, animal, and person being part of Him.
Paradigm Shift
Refers to a shift in world views. The so-called “new paradigm” (new model orform) is pantheistic (all is God) and monastic (all is
one).
Paranormal
Beyond or above normal human powers or senses.
Parapsychology
Study of psychic phenomena using scien-tific
methods.
Pendulum
Heavy object on a string, used for dowsing or fortune telling.
Pentagram
Five-pointed
star used in magical ceremonies. A satanic symbol.
Percipient
Person who receives telepathic messages.
Perennial Philosophy
A term
coined by Aldous Huxley that sees all religious truth
or experience as one and the same. This philosophy proposes that even though
the ex-ternals of the various religions may differ,
the essence or core truth is the same in each.
Plan, The
A phrase that occurs often in the writings of Alice Bailey. It refers to specific preparations in the
world for a New Age and a New Age Christ. These preparations are carried out by
the “Masters of the Hierarchy,” a group of exalted beings who supposedly guide the
spiritual ev-olution of people on earth. Though this
teaching of the Plan does actually exist, the term has been sensationalized by
some Christian writers. These writers have mistakenly hypothesized that New Agers are completely unified in a “behind-the-scenes
manipulation” of world events in or-der to conquer
the world for its true god, Lucifer.
Planetary Citizens
A New Age
activist group committed to engendering a “planetary consciousness” among both
New Agers and the general public.
Planetization
New Age
advocates believe that the various threats facing the human race require a
global solution. This solution is “planetization.”
The word refers to the unifying of the world into a corporate brotherhood.
Poltergeist
German word for a noisy, mischievous, destructive spirit (a demon).
Precognition
Advance
knowledge of future events.
PSI
Term used
in place of psychic or paraphysical; ESP.
Psychic Birth
A quickening of spiritual or cosmic consciousness and power. This new consciousness is one that
recognizes oneness with God and the universe. Psychic birth is an occult
counterpart to the Christian new birth.
Psychic Energy
Extrasensory energy that enables people to do miracles.
Psychic Healer
A person who cures mental or physical ill-ness from the cosmic energy
emanating through the healer’s hands.
Psychoanalysis
Tracing
mental and physical ills back to hurtful childhood experiences; based on
Sigmund Freud’s theories.
Psychometry
Reading information from an object about events involving the person
who owns it, usually by handling it.
Psychotechnologies
Refers to the various approaches or systems aimed at deliberately altering
one’s consciousness.
Qaballah
See Kabala
Reincarnation
Refers to the cyclical evolution of a person’s soul as it repeatedly
passes from one body to another at death. This process continues until the soul reaches a state of
perfection.
Retrocognition
Knowledge
of past events learned paranormally.
Right Brain Learning
The right
hemisphere of the brain is believed to be the center of intuitive and creative
thought (as opposed to the rational nature of the left hemisphere). New Agers have seized on this as a justification to bring “right
brain learning techniques” into the classroom. These techniques include
meditation, yoga, and guided imagery.
Seance
A gathering of people seeking communication with deceased loved ones
or famous historical figures through a medium.
Second Coming of
Christ
Understood
by some as the coming of the Cosmic Christ in all of humanity, related to the New age concept of the “mass incarnation.” The Second Coming
is supposedly now occurring in the hearts and minds of people all over the
earth. Others associate it specifically with the appearance of Maitreya as the avatar of this age.
Self-realization
New Agers use this as a synonym for God-realization. It refers
to a personal recognition of one’s divinity.
Sensitive
A person who frequently demonstrates extrasen-sory
gifts such as clairvoyance, telepathy, or precognition.
Shaman
A medicine man/woman or witch doctor.
Solar Logos
Believed
by some to be a mighty spiritual being who is the ensouling life of the solar system. The material solar
system is simply a physical manifestation (or body) of this living intelligence.
Spirit Control
A disembodied spirit who relays messages from dead people to the living
through a trance medium.
Spirit Guide
A
spiritual entity who provides information of “guidance,”
often through a medium or channeled. The spirit provides guidance only after
the channeled relinquishes his perceptual and cognitive capacities into its
control.
Spiritual Hierarchy
of Masters
New Age
advocates believe these spiritual “masters” are highly evolved men who, having
already perfected themselves, are now guiding the rest of humanity to this same
end.
Spiritualist or Spiritist
Person who believes in the ability to contact departed souls through
a medium.
Subject
Person
used for experiments in ESP studies.
Sufism
Persian
mystical religion based on Islam.
Syncretism
The attempt to combine or unify differing religious systems. New Age gurus often claim that all the
world religions teach the same core truth: all people possess an inner
divinity.
Synergy
A principle which states that the whole is greater than the sum of its
parts.
Taoism
A Chinese
religion and philosophy that sees the universe as engaged in ceaseless motion
and activity. All is considered to be in continual flux. The universe is in trinsically dynamic. This continual cosmic process is
called the “Tao” by the Chinese. The process is described in terms of Yin and
Yang. (See: Yin/Yang.)
Tarot Cards
Deck of seventy-eight cards that supposedly reveal the secrets of man
and the universe.
Telekinesis
The
ability to move physical objects by force of will or mental energy alone; also
called psychokinesis.
Telepathy
Communication between minds by extrasensory means.
Tetragram
A magic
diagram shaped as a four-pointed star.
Theosophy
A school
of thought founded by Helena P. Blavatsky. The term literally means “divine
wisdom.” The goals of Theosophy are to (1) form a universal brother-hood; (2)
do comparative study of world religions, science, and philosophy; and, (3)
investigate the psychic and spir- itual
powers latent in man. Theosophy is the forerunner of much New Age thought.
Third Eye
An
imaginary eye in the forehead believed to be the center of psychic vision.
Trance A mental state resembling sleep during which
the conscious mind rests while the spirit entity takes over the medium’s body.
Trance Channeler
The newest term for “trance medium.” (See: Medium.)
Transformation
New Age
advocates promote both personal and planetary transformation. Personal
transformation involves the changes wrought in one’s life by increasing
Self-realization. As more and more people are personally transformed, the planet
too will be transformed into a global brotherhood.
Trumpet Medium
A psychic or sensitive who brings forth “spirit voices” through a trumpet
at seances.
UFO
Unidentified flying object; flying saucer.
Unity-in-Diversity
Council
A New Age “metanetwork” of over 100
networks and groups rallying for global coop-eration
and interdependence.
Veda
The most ancient of the Hindu scriptures.
Visualization
Also known
as “guided imagery,” visualiza-tion basically refers
to “mind over matter.” It involves the attempt to bring about change in the
material realm by the power of the mind.
Warlock
A wizard or sorcerer; a male witch.
World Goodwill
A New Age
political lobby that aims to unfold “the Plan” as spelled out in the writings
of Alice Bailey.
Yin/Yang
Chinese names referring to the active and passive principles of the
universe. Yin refers to
the female or [in-active] negative force; Yang to the male or active force.
These two polar forces continually interplay with each other. The words are
used to describe the constant How of motion and change in the universe (i.e.,
the “Tao”).
Yoga
A means of
becoming united with the supreme being, or with the universal
soul.
Yogi
Someone
who practices yoga.
Zodaic
The band of twelve constellations along the plane of the ecliptic through
which pass the sun, moon and planets across the sky. Each constellation, or sign, is attributed
symbolic significance and associations that affect various aspects of life on
Earth.
Theosophical Society,