While a lot of people dismiss these studies, beliefs, and and philosophies as "so much hooey" or even born out of the godlessness that many feel runs rampant in the world today, the exact opposite is often true. Proponents and followers of the New Age movement actually seek out knowledge of those experiences that are "beyond" the realm of day-to-day corporeal (tangible, physical) comprehension, delving into spirituality and the essence of the soul and its relationship to its source of being. This desire to understand our life force and to work holistically with it to keep it in balance and in tune with all of creation's energies is one of the basic quests of people who explore things above, beyond, and outside the limits of what the majority accepts as fact.
What I find interesting (and never fails to drive those around me crazy) is how many "facts" and "rules" change as science "learns" and religions "adapt". I personally prefer to believe that rather than knowing it all, we've really only scratched the surface of everything there is to know about life and the dealings of the cosmos. I've always been intrigued by things I don't quite understand and aren't easily explained - and I believe that everything that exists is connected by a not-quite-understood bond of energy that few if any of us can tap into. That doesn't mean that it doesn't exist though! You simply have to be open to the possibilities... After all, it wasn't so long ago in the grand scheme of things that men believed that most illnesses were caused by evil spirits! C'mon - let's explore and consider the possibilities :)
The body's centers of energy are known as chakras. Consider for a moment, the constant cycle of regeneration that the human body goes through - cells divide, live through their life cycle, and die millions of times a day. Our hearts beat, our sympathetic nervous system constantly transmits electrical impulses throughout our bodies, the synapses in our brains aid in transmitting information, storing memories, and directing our movements and our thoughts, and act in some still unknown way as a huge computer, storing memories and facts to be retrieved in a way we use yet don't comprehend. Random? Seems unlikely... and like any efficient machine or system, there are - let's call them "hubs" of activity, that control the processes they're responsible for. This is part of the theory behind Chakras - they control the processes which create the vibrations that unite the life energy with the body. Working efficiently and functioning properly, it stands to reason that you will feel well. This is what chakra balancing is all about... and if you can be open to the possibility of this type of interconnectedness between all matter in the universe, perhaps by tapping into the energies of certain materials or colors, we can bring our chakras back into balance. Reiki, feng-shui, chakra cleansing and balancing, and meditation are all used to achieve chakra health and the healthy flow of chi.
Chakra Healing Balancing Tumbled Stones Crystals using Reiki and Feng Shui from Cristalo
Distance Reiki Session / Intuitive Energy Body Reading from Greenfingers
Rainbow Crystal Chakra Bookmark w Sun Charm - Energy and Enlightenment from MysticWynd
Contrary to popular belief, the New Age Movement is not a religion, but it finds its theosophy and traditions in the concepts of a wide variety of other religions. It embraces monism -the belief that the universe is composed of a common essence ( this philosophy is the basis of Taoism and Buddhism); Pantheism - the belief that all is one and that one is God (this is the main philosophy of Hinduisim and many of the earth or nature based pagan religions like wicca); Gaia - the belief that earth and all that exists within it or on it is a single living being and that our survival is dependent on a symbiotic relationship rather than a parasitic relationship (Followers of Neopaganism, Environmentalism and some scientific disciplines share these beliefs); and Gnosticism - the quest for true knowledge and inner truth through life experience and re-ascenstion to godliness (Freemasonry, Sufism, and Cabalism fall into this group).
Sacred Power Solar Concecration and Ritual Water Kit from whitemagic
The Circle of the EarthMother, Digital Print of Original Watercolor Painting by Victoria Chapman from weyakin
Some of the symbols of these religions are also symbols associated with the New Age and are sadly misunderstood or maligned by those who have chosen to not understand their original meanings. For instance, the pentacle, a five
pointed star within a circle often associated with the dark arts or black magic, is actually representative of of the four primal elements - earth, air, fire, and water, along with the fifth element which is commonly called the spirit. Together, bound by the circle, this symbol represents the feminine spirit or life force. The pentagram (the star alone) has been used by many religions to signify many things - including Christianity to symbolize the five wounds of Christ. (Elemental Pentacle Wood Carving - Wood Burned Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Spirit by signsofspirit)The circle itself is an important element of many symbols associated with New Age philosophies and beliefs. The quartered circle (also known as the Medicine wheel in Native American rituals) represents not only the four basic elements, but the four winds or directions of the earth. The Hindu word for circle, mandala, is a sacred circle in art form used in Hindu and Buddhist meditations. These often containing a center consisting of a triangle with a dot inside a circle, representing the merging of male and female energies. Spirals, the ancient symbols of the goddess, is linked to the circle and represent change, evolution, and fertility. The wheel, a universal symbol of cosmic unity and the circle of life appears in many forms associated with metaphysics and the New Age, including the Yin Yang symbol, the World Triad, the Wheel of Dharma, The Sun Wheel, the Prayer Wheel, and the Sikh.
Celtic spiral goddess tarot rune bag by sparrowhawk9
Savoy Truffle - Original Painting by MagicalMysteryTuca
Yin-Yang Nightlight by neonlithics
Another element found throughout metaphysics and New Age beliefs is sacred geometry - the reasoning that there is a mathematical order to the basic nature of the universe. This geometry manifests itself in the architecture of sacred sites such as the Great Pyramid or Stonehenge, as well as in the designs of crop circles, and even the structure of the lotus blossom.
Star Tetrahedron from SacredGeometries
8X10 Lotus Flower from ChrisHalePhotography**
XL GRADE A AMETHYST CRYSTAL PYRAMID - Reiki Infused - Psychic Development Gemstone from rocksandreiki
While this is just a very basic introduction to some of the more common facets of metaphysics, the supernatural, paranormal, and New Age ways, I hope it's piqued your interest and openness to these facets of philosophy, spirituality, and beliefs. No matter what your beliefs are, there is always room for learning and growth.
Tomorrow, I'm showcasing goth items in honor of my stepdaughter Kim's 25th birthday, so be sure to stop by and check out the somewhat expanded view of the goth phenomenon that I'll be sharing with you!
Until then - Peace, Shalom, Namaste, Blessed Be... Have a wonderful Day!
**designates an undiscovered or underdiscovered shop!
3 comments:
That was very interesting and informative, thank you :)
Its wonderful Blog.The Mezuzah awith two paragraphs of the bible written by a qualified Jewish scribe on their doorposts.
How wonderfully informative. You did miss one category tho.. We recently had someone ask us to exchange a pentacle (that had been a gift) for a Thor's Hammer because they are Heathens, not Pagans...and here I thought the two were interchangeable! Do you have any info on the difference? Thank you for including our wood burned Elemental Pentacle...it is one of my favorites to do :)
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