Vol. 7, No. 7, 1990

Articles on the New Age

Telepathy, parapsychology and related studies are the reason for the founding of the Society for Psychical Research in 1883 (Challenge of Psychical Research, G. Murphy, p. 7).

Institute of Nortic Science, is founded in 1973 by former astronaut Edgar Mitchell, for "research in parapsychology," (Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, Vol. 1, p. 467).

International General Assembly of Spiritualists is founded in 1936 (Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, Vol. 1, p. 468).

Out-of-Body experiences are described in the 1929 book Projection of the Astral Body by S. Muldoon (Man, Myth & Magic, Vol. 15, p. 2095).

Seances and other "Spiritualism" practices were practiced by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861 (The Supernatural: Spirits and Spirit Worlds, R. Stemman, pp. 22-23).

Akashic Records, "a repository of everything that has ever been thought or done," were supposedly read by Blavatsky (1831-1891) and Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) (Man, Myth & Magic, Vol. 2, p. 186).

Phineas P. Quimby began practicing mental healing in 1847. His writings are "the most important contribution to the subject, because they show how the modern theory and practice of spiritual healing came into being," (The Quimby Manuscripts, H. Dresser, p. 16).

Mary Baker Eddy gained a charter for the Church of Christ, Scientist on August 23, 1879. Her newly finished scripture Science and Health, which denied the reality of sin, sickness and death had been published four years earlier. (The Life of Mary Baker Eddy, Sibyl Wilbur, pp. 214, 266).

Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, founders of the Unity School of Christianity promoted the Hinduistic idea of Reincarnation. They began in 1889 with the publication of their first magazine, Modern Thought (The Household of Faith, J. Freeman, p. 63).

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky popularized the Occult teachings with a mixture of "Eastern and Western mysticism, `secret doctrine' and spiritualism." Founding the Theosophical Society, she wrote and published its "bible," Isis Unveiled in 1877 (The Occult: A History, C. Wilson, pp. 332-333).

Alice Bailey founder of the Arcane School in 1923. Named "in honor of Blavatsky," (Three Remarkable Women, H. Balyoz, p. 216).

Ernest Holmes drew heavily on the "metaphysical heritage" of the Fillmores, Eddy, and Quimby in the founding of his Institute of Religious Science in 1927.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has "adapted Western means of communication" to spread his non-traditional form of Yoga. In 1968 he "achieved world fame" when his Transcendental Meditation teachings were adopted by the Beatles (Maharishi: The Guru, M. Ebon, pp. 9-10).

Shirley MacLaine has, as a result of her association with J.Z. Knight, pushed channeling into the media. She explains her "spiritual odyssey" includes "psychic phenomena... past lives... spirit guides... (and) inner understanding," (Out On A Limb, S. MacLaine, 1983, preface).

Marilyn Ferguson published what became the definitive pro-New Age book for the 1980's, The Aquarian Conspiracy in 1980.

The Beatles set at the feet of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1967 and their music was to be forever changed. The Sergeant Pepper album, Lennon's Instant Karma and Imagine as well as Harrison's My Sweet Lord are just a few of the examples of their contribution (Pilgrim's Guide to the New Age, A. Lewhead, p. 31).

Elizabeth Clare Prophet along with her husband Mark founded Summit University in 1971. After his death, she changed the name in 1975 to Church Universal and Triumphant. A communal group noted for predicting end of the world -- several times (Studies of the Human Aura, Kuthumi, end page).

David Spangler formally associated with Findhorn, in 1973 came to America "to found the Lorian Association," (Faces of Findhorn, p. 74).

Findhorn Community was formed in 1970 in Scotland as a communal society "based on the God within," (Faces of Findhorn, pp. 26 & 103).

Penny Torres, one of America's best known channellers, has channeled the spirit "Mafu" since June of 1986 (A Crash Course on the New Age Movement, E. Miller, p. 155).

J.Z. Knight, popularized by Shirley MacLaine, has been channeling the Ascended Master "Ramtha" since 1978 (Mega: New Age Directory, May 1989, p. 1).

Benjamin Creme was first contacted by his Lord Maitreya in 1959. He learned in 1977 by "telepathic contact" that Maitreya - the Christ - was living in "London's East End" and ready "take up again His mission of 2,000 years ago," (Share International, Special Information Issue, 1986, p. 23).

Terry Cole-Whittaker, in 1983 broke with Religious Science, to begin Science of Mind, International. In 1985 she left that to start the "Foundation for Spiritual Study," which is dedicated to the "search for individual truth," (The Inner Path From where You Are To Where You Want To Be, T.C. Whittaker, p. x).

Harmonic Convergence of August 16-17, 1987 was based largely on a book, The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology, by Jose Arguelles.

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, known as the "sex guru," came to America in 1981 from India (The Awakened One: Life and Work of Rajneesh, V. Joshi, pp. xi & 1).

Scientology "all started with this book," Dianetics. Published in 1950, it has sold millions of copies.

Jane Roberts, a channeller, discovered Seth, a spirit entity, as she "experimented with a Ouija board late in 1963." (Seth Speaks, J. Roberts, p. vii).

Leonard Orr popularized the doctrine of "Rebirthing" and founded Theta Seminars in 1974, Rebirthing International in 1976 and Prosperity International in 1977 (Rebirthing in the New Age, L. Orr, p. ix).

Edgar Cayce, known as the Sleeping Prophet was perhaps "the greatest occult diagnostician." Gaining national attention in 1910 for his psychic healing, he later formed the Association for Research and Enlightenment in 1931 (Man, Myth & Magic, R. Cavendish, ed., Vol. 3, p. 436).

Arthur Ford, an "American medium," astonished British crowds in 1927 with his "Clairvoyance." Organized the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship in 1955 (Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology, L. Shepard, ed., Vol. 1, p. 340-341).

Franz Anton Mesmer in 1778 claimed to discover "a fluid" which "surrounded all bodies... in the universe." He also discussed "animal magnetism," a doctrine carried into Christian Science (The Dark Side of History, M. Edwards, pp. 96 & 119).

Jeane Dixon gained national notoriety when she meets with President Roosevelt in 1944 (My Life and Prophecies, Jeane Dixon, p.17).

Music became big business when sales in the New Age music jumped from "virtually nothing in the 70's to last years's $150 million..." (Body, Mind & Spirit, May/June 1989, p. 99).

Esalen a communal organization began in 1961, became a think tank for many of the "human-potential" leaders in the early 1960's (The Aquarian Conspiracy, M. Ferguson, p. 137).

Environmental Concerns became an issue in the early 1970's. Slogans like "spaceship earth" became popular (The Aquarian Conspiracy, M. Ferguson, p. 357).

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach, taught the generation of 1970, "The only true law is that which leads to freedom," (p. 114).

Carlos Castaneda, associated with Esalen, promoted New Age thought in his many novels of Don Juan, a Yaqui Indian "medicine man, curer, sorcerer," (The Teachings of Don Juan, 1968).

Crystals became the latest fad in the mid-80's. Organization, periodicals, and businesses sprang into existence with their sole purpose being the promotion of crystals.

UFO's "came into their own" in 1947 with the reported sighting by Kenneth Arnold (The Fringes of Reason: A Whole Earth Catalog, p. 153).

John Denver, spokesman for many pro New Age groups, is involved with T.M., yoga, pyramid power and "the worship of man as god," (Newsweek, Dec. 20, 1976, p. 60ff).

est, discovered by Werner Erhard in 1971, is the for runner of numerous Business "transforming" or stress management courses. Its motto, "What is, is" and that is reality (Newsweek, Sept. 6, 1976, p. 58).

Oahspe, an 856 page "new Bible," it was dictated to John Newbrough under "spirit control" and was given as "automatic writing" in 1882 (Shalam: Utopia on the Rio Grande, L. Priestley, p. 8).

URANTIA Foundation, in existence since 1939, was officially "established" in 1950. Their new holy book, The URANTIA Book, is a 2097 page work which "was sent here to transform us," (FEF Bulletin, Fall 1989).

Norman Vincent Peale published his book The Power of Positive Thinking in 1952.

Fox Sisters, in 1853, exhibited what became their "most powerful early manifestation..." the "levitation of the table." Later exposed as frauds, the sisters are credited with much of the impetus for the modern spiritualist movement (Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, Vol. 1, p. 348).

Uri Geller, an internationally known psychic, who claims "telepathic powers," discovered his ability in 1953 while staring at his watch (Uri: A Journal of the Mystery of Uri Geller, A. Puharich, p. ix, 5).