The Growth of the New Age

• The term 'New Age' covers a range of beliefs and activities that have been widespread since at least the 1980s - Heelas

  (2008) estimates that there are about 2,000 such activities and 146,000 practitioners in the UK. Many of them are very loosely organised audience or client cults. They are extremely diverse and eclectic (putting unconnected ideas together in new combinations).
• They include belief in UFOs and aliens, astrology, tarot, crystals, various forms of alternative medicine and psychotherapy, yoga, meditation, magic etc. However, according to Heelas (1996) there are two common themes that characterise the New Age:
• • Self-spirituality New Agers seeking the spiritual have turned away from traditional 'external' religions such as the churches and instead look inside themselves to find it.
  • Detraditionalisation The New Age rejects the spiritual authority of external traditional sources such as priests or sacred texts. Instead it values personal experience and believes that we can discover the truth for ourselves and within ourselves.
• Beyond these common features, New Age beliefs vary. For example, they include world-affirming aspects that help people succeed in the everyday outer world, as well as world-rejecting elements that allow individuals to achieve enlightenment in their inner world. However, Heelas argues that most New Age beliefs and organisations offer both.