Blog #48--Metaphysical vs. New Age

When my wife and I started Insight Metaphysical Bookstore, the phrase “New Age” was beginning to gain popularity. Since our solar system is in the process of moving into the realm of the constellation Aquarius, a new age of enlightenment and peace is one of the predictions for the future. The music group Fifth Dimension popularized their song “Age of Aquarius” as a harbinger for a positive future.

Indeed, a mini renaissance occurred during the 1980s and early 1990s in which more people sought a broader understanding of themselves and the world in which they lived. Our store began at an ideal time, and our business enjoyed a number of successful years. Ideas that had been blocked from public awareness in the past were beginning to gain traction, and we were at the forefront of this movement in our local area.

Humans are much more than we wish to believe or are taught, and this upswing in popularity served to assist truth-seekers in a quest to expand their spiritual awareness. We met a number of people who reminded us of the workers in the sweatshop depicted in the movie “The Wiz.” The death of the evil dominatrix Evilline allowed workers to remove their false, limited personas and celebrate new-found freedom. Many of our customers were equally excited to learn new things.

People who could not find solace in their various churches and religions began to find answers within the new movement. But despite deep concerns about the limits of religions, they created their own New Age religion. A few of these churches succeeded in aiding the cause of spiritual growth, but over time hierarchies and judgments became more dominant for some of them. They basically reinvented the same wheel, so to speak, that they had rejected previously.

The word “metaphysical” means something that is beyond our present level of awareness. It is said humans use no more than around 10% of our brains, so there is plenty more we can learn about ourselves. Over 1000 subjects were available to our store from metaphysical distributors, so there was something for most everyone regardless of background or belief system.

A few of our relatives were among those who became fearful of us due to prior indoctrination. But we were sharing books and items that help us expand our awareness, improve our mental and physical health, and make sense of otherwise contradictory religious principles. Love and peaceful intent helped overcome many fears.

Unfortunately, critics of the movement found ways of discrediting the phrase “New Age.” The human ego works to limit our spiritual growth by grounding us in a finite world, not the eternal world without beginning or end that is our ultimate destiny. It creates obstacles such as the Inquisition, the Salem Witchcraft trials and many other examples of discrimination toward anyone who breaks free from the limited mold the ego can accept.

When comedians get around to making fun of a subject, it becomes trivialized by the masses. That has happened to the phrase “New Age.” So while it has significant meaning for those who encourage personal and spiritual growth, it has become a laughing stock to the rest of society. In contrast, the term “metaphysical” has fewer detractors, possibly because it is a lengthy word that is poorly understood by the general public.

There is nothing new about the New Age. It is simply the latest of a number of movements throughout the millennia which attempt to blast us out of our limited ruts. For instance, the Renaissance was a similar explosion of awareness and personal freedom that finally ended much of the persecutions, executions and theft of personal property common during the lengthy Dark Ages that preceded it.

Nothing I say in my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life” is a surprise to those initiates of mystery schools such as the ancient Egyptians, or to others who have become enlightened since. But those who prefer the less precise but comfortable orthodoxy of their generation will fight against anything they haven’t already accepted as true. If an idea hasn’t been endorsed by societal leaders, whether they are worthy advocates for truth or not, it will be discriminated against.

We are entering a new age, but there is no guarantee it will be any better than the Piscean Age we are leaving, or any others that have come before. Regardless of the age in which we live, we are all still working to discover and manifest our spiritual perfection. Names mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but spiritual growth remains vital to all of us. Call it what you will, but there are truths still awaiting our discovery and acceptance.

http://dreamtime3.wix.com/jacktuttlebook

Comments and questions can be directed to dreamtime@insight-books.com.