Transformational Arts College of Spiritual and Holistic Training

The New Age Needs to Grow Up! Unraveling the Myths

By Gord Riddell and Kathy Ryndak

Some of the Pollyanna tenets of the New Age movement are not a good fit for the present reality of the world any longer.  What used to be quite believable in the hay day of the New Age proves to be magical, over simplistic, self-centred thinking focused on manifesting things for oneself.  Let’s explore some of the myths of the New Age and take these concepts to a higher level of consciousness.

The Law of Attraction

This law went main stream with the publication of “The Secret” in 2006.  It made some believe that they could manifest mansions, millions and out-of-this-world romance at the drop of a hat.  Notice how much of its focus was on the material world. 

This law is far more complex as it interacts with other universal laws in a mystical way.  We need to factor in such spiritual laws as the law of transformation, cause and effect or karma, the law of action, compensation and many more and then we still won’t be able to “figure it out” with analytical, left brain thinking since the soul is not intellectually based.

The Law of Attraction is used in misguided ways that don’t foster healing such as “How did you attract cancer to you?” Or if something ‘negative’ happens to a spiritual person, it is often surmised “How did they attract that bad thing – they must have been doing something wrong.” Worse yet, some use this law as an excuse to form a negative judgment about another to meet their own ego-based agenda.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

At a recent Caroline Myss seminar based on her book “Defy Gravity” she asked the audience to ponder the idea that since they were spiritual that ‘bad’ things would not happen to them.  There was a quite a noticeable showing of hands in agreement with this Pollyanna based thinking. 

Have you ever noticed how much you grew spiritually when you were presented with a negative challenge that you felt you did not deserve?  The spiritual challenge of moving through this situation is not to spin your wheels to determine how you attracted it but rather asking how you can grow from it.  The real learning comes from how you moved through the challenge and how you dealt with it. Ask the divine to provide you with the fortitude and guidance and when you come out on the other side, you will see how much you grew spiritually!

Why did this Happen to Me?

Many go to psychics trying to figure out why certain things happen in their life – why did she divorced me; why did I get sick; why did I lose money, or why can’t I find my soul mate, etc.  While it is always important to examine and learn from our issues often we will never understand the total reason why.  Instead, we bang our head against a wall rather than getting on with learning our soul lessons and moving forward to a new way of being. A quote from Hugh Prather sums this up:  “Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived.”

Soul versus Ego

To make the transformation of being guided by soul versus being driven by the ego takes many years in our spiritual path.  Some ‘spiritual’ types just don’t make this transformation at all.  For example, the craving for fame and power that comes from being a popular spiritual author/speaker; being spiritual yet still needing to control everything; or playing God because that person needs to learn a lesson. 

Check your responses to others and situations and ask “Am I coming from ego or soul? If you are resentful or indignant – how dare they speak to me that way!! – you are definitely in your ego.

Are you familiar with the expression “I need to speak my truth”? Here, again, inner examination is needed.  Are you speaking the truth of your soul, a bruised ego or a distortion of a wound?

When someone proclaims they are on their last lifetime you can be rest assured that they are coming from ego.  Or if they say my work is over, let’s be reminded that you will have soul learning until the day you die and it probably even continues on the other side.

There is no Karma – Only Joy

This concept is often associated with ascension, 2012, and the art of intention.  You cannot intend your way out of situation if you are meant to go through it as part of a soul lesson which is what karma is all about.  The soul lesson may have nothing to do with the present.  It could be past life related or is simply mystical requiring you to “step into the mystery.”

Most of our learning comes from transforming ourselves through difficult challenges in which we experience painful suffering. We can be alchemically changed by going through the fire or the eye of the needle. We will, however, experience joy when we become empowered by celebrating our learning.

Entitlement

This is a favourite pet peeve that Caroline Myss talks a lot about and is rampant in our society on so many levels. Spiritually, some barter with God in that since they meditate everyday, do yoga, etc. that God, therefore, owes them something for this – a life that is smooth sailing, has tons of prosperity and is filled with only joy and loving relationships.  The Divine does not operate on a system like collecting travel points on your credit card.

This myth can get shattered very quickly when life throws you a curve ball that you were not anticipating.  Your challenge then is not to figure out how you attracted it but to nobly move through the test so that your soul evolves further.

Gimmicks

Let’s not get addicted to crystals, essences, oracle cards, psychics, etc.  These are only meant to be tools that you can use to assist your inner guidance system and connecting to the divine.  You will still need to do your inner work, if you want to grow spiritually.

You can understand why the New Age has had a bad rap with main stream media.  We prefer to identify with the concepts of Mystical Spirituality for through its spiritual practice you will come to know the very truth about yourself which will be challenging, insightful and empowering.  It requires dedication and discipline to do your inner work, however, the pay-offs will happen in ways that you never imagined!