Carl Jung: Why New Age Thinking is Poison
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- Опубликовано: 1 фев 2021
- Carl Jung made the case that New Age thinking is poisonous in my favourite work of his The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga. His argument was targeted at Theosophist thinking which was the group who imported the Eastern religious writings into the West in the 19th century and which evolved into the New Age in the 1960s.
Jung tells us that these symbols from these exotic traditions (in the context of the book he's dealing specifically with the chakras symbolical system) have an archetypal power which if we do not work to integrate to our Western mindset has the potential to poison our consciousness.
Further resources (affiliate links):
The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga amzn.to/3at3O73
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You only have to witness New Agers competing with each other over who has the least ego to realise how absurd it can get! I was saved by punk music from disappearing up that particular orifice.The quote from Jung "You do not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious" is the wisest of sayings.Thank God for Jung!
Jung has become toxic as well. The whole synchronicity bs plus some of his following are a bit cultish. Like a new religion
how do you make the darkness conscious
@@natural_law_nutrition shadow work aka meditation like mantra-based, kirtan kriya, soham meditation, journaling, exploring your personality by pushing against your comfort zone, so many
@@natural_law_nutrition How do you make the darkness conscious? By asking your significant other, "How do I come across to you?" and be willing to listen to what's being said. The more you're tempted to explain and defend yourself, the more you're heading in the right direction.
@@Andrew-qc8jhYou just said that Jung isn't toxic, but his followers are.
-Vague assimilations of cultural traditions
-Spiritual By Passing
-Spiritual Materialism
-Spiritual Egotism
-Spiritual Hierarchy
-Ungrounded from 3D Reality clinging to lofty information
-Fine line to reach Psychosis and Schizophrenia
-Adhereing to the system of Slavery and Violence in the world as if it all is meant to be
-Avoidance of Negativity and Shadown Self typically
-Heavily irrationalist thinking
-Gimmicky concepts and word salads (Extremely fine line between this and info that may SEEM to be this way, such as Guardian Teachings and CDT Plates where all the teachings came from, which was not new age nor is it religion)
-Clinging to watered down concepts
-Guru complexes
-Distortion of describing what Ascended Masters, Angels, Starseeds, Merkaba, Chakras, Auric Fields, Twin Flames, etc. actually are
-Mystical Nuances to become attached to
-Novelties or Monopolizing of Spiritual concepts
-Sensationalist Drug Attribute to New CAGE Teachings
Spirituality and metaphysics are garbage.
I dont undestand the points of :
-Adhereing to the system of Slavery and Violence in the world as if it all is meant to be
CDT Plates
???
the first one is because the new age understanding of karma dictates that the injustices people suffer in the world is karma paying them back for wrongs theyve perpetrated in past lives. the second i dont know what he means@@raffacasting
@@raffacasting Must mean = FATE rules all, That mankind has created this monster and how can we escape, Thus this group of New Agers believe fate rules us and for a Individual to make any significant changes in the overall structure of this monster is ludicrious.. But as Jung tells us, Make whatever light you have, make it real, let the light grow and live, vs the mass man who just joins in w this monster.
Merkaba is ancient , dating back to about 100BC; you don't know what you're talking about in regards to that.
"going home for Christmas", too true... it seems dangerous to follow any path of "enlightenment" that bypasses our personal triggers
Thank you for talking about this!! I've been thinking about this for a long time...ego fed by an experience of egolessness...then they think they're egoless but their ego has taken over again...then they become power mad without realising it.
On the other hand some of my female friends have taken it as being so egoless and always positive that they are not discerning about anything, and have been taken advantage of and are afraid of being unspiritual by being discerning or having any judgment about themselves or others
Yeah these are the exact things that scare me about it all. There's a weakening of some strings and a tightening of others in different psyches and those little retunings can have devastating effects on an individual (and a group)
It’s more about balance of the ego, so you can learn from you’re experiences. An unhealthy ego can make you insecure or overly confident. These set different traps for you. Insecurity can make someone shy away/ lash out and never learn from a situation they never experienced. Or someone can be overconfident and learn from a lesson at their own detriment or when it’s too late. If someone does you wrong understand you both played a part. It’s not about blame, that’s a distraction from analyzing the situation and learning how to prevent it. Was the person acting funny leading up the the event? Did I have that gut feeling? How was I being naive about the situation? If I knew something was off and held on, what made me hold on? Then ask yourself what can I actually do about the situation to rectify myself and learn from the past. Based off past situations how can I change to protect myself from being in a similar situation. If you keep an ego in check, just like if you keep your emotions in check, you think clearly and objectively. I think it’s a bit odd that some spiritualist throw the darker aspects of spirituality out the window. Again there’s a balance. There is evil and there is virtue all of us have some aspect of it. That primal energy is in all of us, but are we in control or are we under control. Being courteous to others is good for quality of life and kindness goes a long way. Not everyone has that same intention, it’s my responsibility to protect myself and be present to take in my surroundings. Ultimately religion and philosophy are guidance to navigate the world we live in, but people make mistakes. Live and learn or keeping making the same mistakes. The world will keep spinning 🤷🏻♂️
Reminds me of a Kandinsky quote, "Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions. It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated. Efforts to revive the art-principles of the past will at best produce an art that is still-born. It is impossible for us to live and feel, as did the ancient Greeks. In the same way those who strive to follow the Greek methods in sculpture achieve only a similarity of form, the work remaining soulless for all time. Such imitation is mere aping. Externally the monkey completely resembles a human being; he will sit holding a book in front of his nose, and turn over the pages with a thoughtful aspect, but his actions have for him no real meaning."
Wow that's an amazing quote! I think you could even push that further and say not just when we aspire to another age but when we aspire to another's work. I do think imitation is necessary in learning the craft in order to as the old rogue the Dalai Lama says "learn the rules so you can break them properly". You learn your craft and then you have the tools with which to express something new and genuine and truthful
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I like it bc I don't think it implies you can't or shouldn't take inspiration from other sources, but that you should realize you can't get results that easily. The flower came from another time and place, so your flower has to come from you and your understanding of your own soil, even if you take inspiration from other places. It relates to lots of questions. One example being what I think you've said about gurus and knowledge in other videos -- that everything has to be rooted in your life experience, otherwise, better to throw it out.
@@njkrach Yes!! great way of putting it. It all comes back to what we can integrate into our own lives. That's what wisdom is all about as far as I can see so yeah that resonates perfectly. But I like the leaving room for inspiration because of course those who went before us have inevitably inspired us with possibilities it would take us a lifetime to even dream but between that inspiration and our grounding of it there is a great gap
This quote is incredible. Thank you for sharing!
I am a Buddhist. I have been one for over thirty years. I have yet to have any type of ecstasy, or go into some kind of mystical state of mind. I can tell you this, I have had to concentrate really hard, and really pay attention while chanting. I have had to go through a lot of painful changes. This has been all for the better. I am a totally different, and better person then I was thirty years ago.
Ok but isn't everyone different from how they were 30 years ago? What is the benefit of concentrating really hard for 30 years on chanting? How does it make you a better person?
It makes you a better person because you learn to observe yourself, and make the effort to change one's life.
Maybe you should revisit the basics of Buddha
Oddly, nothing has changed in 30 years
When I encounter various situations, I always reflect on myself and let go of my desires
happy heart
Yes
There is such a thing as fetishizing eastern thought, no doubt. But this hardly proves that a true understanding of any form of eastern thought is poison or that no westerner could arrive at a true understanding of any form of eastern thought. Are you committing the logical fallacy - and I'm sorry, I'm not certain of the Latin - of generalizing from a particular instance? Namely your own. And correct me if I get this wrong but my memory of the Latin is: dicto hoc ergo proctor hoc.
Anyway read Zen and Zen Classics by R. H. Blyth. He had a thing or two to say about the stink of Zen.
Would try something for me?
I am not sure if such a thing as “enlightenment” exists. The closest I’ve ever come to such a state is the joy and peace of knowing myself more and accepting where I am on my life’s journey. It comes and goes. The dance of confusion and struggle and growth and understanding and peace. I love the phrase “chop wood, carry water. Become enlightened. Chop wood, carry water.” When things makes sense, you feel whole then continue to chop wood, carry water…..until again it doesn’t make sense … chop wood, carry water…. And on it goes until you finally fall silent…. Because there is nothing left to say.
A very honest and true response.
Enlightenment exists. It's just not as incredible as people make it seem. It's very ordinary and it doesn’t actually solve most problems. It's just a way better perspective on life. The way most people describe it is BS tho. It's basically just realizing you're awareness. Pretty simple really
@Jonze Jones That's just an epiphany, a revelation, or a change in perspective. BS or not, that's different from enlightenment or the awakening described by most eastern religions
Second time today I have encountered the quote with the wood and water. Is the answer to one of my questions.
@@jonzejones1164 Simple, but impossible to see (like trying to look directly at one's nose) until you see it.
Thanks for making Jung relevant to a new generation and this point is VERY needed.
Thanks Stilt Factory for the kind words and yeah couldn't agree more about this point being very needed in these times
I understand the baggage associated with the New Age movement; many people are unable to fully grasp the ideas they're playing with, and they fall into the same patterns of degeneration.
But I think there are still many great ideas. To me, the age of Aquarius is that of the alchemist; one who can blend ideas from many sources, dissolve them, extract the valuable parts and coagulate them into a new form. It's the age of the man who bears his own consciousness, and can be a font unto others.
@Black Bamboo Good point. Guess I'll just seek enlightenment for myself, everyone else can get fucked.
Thanks for sharing this man. I am in process of deconstructing and decolonizing western/newage/pop spirituality while doing some deeper practise and study into Buddhism and other lineages in my ancestry. I agree with many of these points and have noticed that most western spiritulaity is culturally appropriated, diluted, and out of context teachings from eastern philosophies and practises. Especially when it comes to manifestation and law of attraction which coaches are selling as their benchmark of their business convincing people that they can make a shit ton of money just by changing mindset, completely ignoring reality and oppressive systems. Its disrespectful and gaslighting at best, and harmful and dangerous at worst.
Please drop the woke nonsense thanks
The irony that most "adepts" of the Law of Attraction seem to miss is that their New Age teachers are not themselves wealthy, healthy and in perfect harmony.
@@MichaelDamianPHD Buddhism is now woke? A religion going back thousands of years is now considered "woke" by the MAGA Trump cave people?
Definitely poison from my experiences. Didn't realize the spiritual narcissism in the community either .
You're a simpleton. You see a problem and then say there's nothing but problems here. It's like seeing problems on earth, then saying " earth is nothing but problems. Earth is drivel."
Thanks for this, I remember the allure of spirituality, chakras, being overly obsessed with being "present" , feeling ashamed of selfishness and pride when i felt it. As if having ego was wrong. And then I had my own negative experience after some time.
After a while I looked back in disdain and went full orange, really connecting with rationality and enjoying how it was the polar opposite.
At this stage I want to safely explore spirituality but am cautious and critical so as to not lose my grounding.
You put in words the fear that I had, thank you again, its a load off my mind to not be alone in this.
Acharya Shunya is pretty great at teaching in the Vedic tradition yet also not making it...romanticized? Not sure if that's the right word but basically she doesn't hold it or the path of "enlightment" on some sort of pedestal. I've been listening to her podcast From Shadow to Self for a couple years and am currently reading her book The Sovereign Self.
If you're still looking to explore spirituality after a year since this comment I'd highly recommend giving her a try!
Yup this community forgets it’s ok to feel dark emotions we live in a cruel world so we must be realistic it takes time these things to overcome and many lifetimes another important thing is you don’t have to be guilt trapped by them we are human do the work
I was at that phase in my early 20s where I was into the whole New Age Movement. Thinking that I'm so Spiritual when I'm just a wannabe and a poser. I've collected Healing crystals, did meditation 🧘♂️ and wore a Yin Yang ☯ necklace.
I gotten into the habit of watching Ralph Smarts videos too aka Infinite Waters on RUclips. At first his message was good to teach us to Love ourselves but it was not until it started to get ridiculous for instance " How to invest Magic Money".
Looking at it now, I think these spiritual gurus are wannabes that's trying to become someone that they are NOT.
Oh look at me with my long hippy hair and me wearing that stupid crystal bracelet of mine while I go hang out in nature with my friends or tribes smoking 🚬 that Marijuana and doing some Yoga Stretches.
NewAgers are a bunch of Jokes
nonsense. You're a moron. Anything can be done in a problematic way. Anything can be full of crap. It doesn't mean there's nothing of value in it. You're a simpleton
I went off Ralph Smart when he started asking "sexy arsed "young girls to contact him to model his merch.
In ny youth I've done acid, shrooms and smoked weed going to raves. The people who go to raves were just as you describe yourself. I was never atracted to that whole shit, it always maked me laugh. Met many people who practice that esoteric or eastern shit and they are all wackos, but like 90% of them have some childhood or teenage trauma, or are very unhappy with their lives. Guess that soeaks for itself
New Age bullshit is a total sham, it's not worth your time. Stop giving a fuck about this New Age bullshit and spend your time doing things that are more productive, including reading books, going outside, drawing, etc.
In spiritual community I do see people compare each other with how close they are to Enlightenment, and also see people ungrounded and screwed his life believing everything is an illusion, reading those “teachers”s books and hypnotised himself into a worse and worse situation. In a year I watched someone fell off from collage, broke up with family and been driven out of lodging because couldn’t pay rent and don’t bother finding a job,eventually became a vagrant. And he keeps thinking he is so enlightened so conscious. I really don’t know how to help him. I feel sorry that he is in China so he can’t see this RUclips video.
I resonate with that but maybe that’s his path and truth
Hi Candace, can I ask which kind of teachers he was following?
Sounds like me, hahaha
you're full of crap. You think people are having a problem of their psychology because they're homeless? Utter nonsense
@@jacksonelmore6227 Crazy stupid is the truth?
"The greatest worship is to remain in the waking state without thought." - Nisargadatta.
But first, we must watch our monkey mind, seeing through it, letting it calm down during life, choosing the silence of peace instead of drama. Then we can sit and possibly watch the mind evaporate, leaving the naked, complete, Self.
Great video, after my journey into the new age and spiritual communities, I came out with a similar conclusion.
People forgot that Buddha said “chop wood , carry water” before and After enlightenment. They assume wealth, longevity (if not immortality) will automatically be attracted to them once they reached so called Enlightenment. That assumption is what causes comparison, spiritual pride and all the problems of ungrounding.
All paths stress the importance of being fully integrated into " Middle Earth" as the first step towards expanding into a wider perception of reality.
Thank you so much for this comment, candic. Sooo true
I've been thinking about this topic lately, mostly after watching Jordan Peterson's lectures. I never knew Jung spoke about this but it was really rubbing me the wrong way with the new age culture trying to implement eastern culture into their life for such shallow reasons, especially without knowing that the basis of their character is entirely based on western values. It makes sense now why the new age seems so pretentious. Especially because if they're *truly* seeking enlightenment, it would be a lot easier for them to open their eyes and use what they actually have, the things right in front of them meant to work in their favor instead of relentlessly working against the grain. It's as if they think they have found *the* religion/philosophy, and everyone else is just silly ignorant westerners insisting on their dumb western value system. It's ironic how they are upholding the toxicity and superficiality they claim to be against and want no part of. It's the epitome of ignorance and arrogance. The whole thing is quite paradoxical.
Thanks for the vid, more ppl need to be talking about this!
I completely agree with you about the shallow reasons. It rubs me up the wrong way as well; it's becoming intoxicated with an exotic substance. But that being said I do think there's room for a higher integration of these teachings and I do think they can be of great benefit but it's that first whiff and the fixation of the personality that can come with it which jars. Maybe in time with more exposure we can integrate it more and learn more from it with a more sober mind. It's worth remembering that Christianity too was an exotic fruit of the east when the Romans imported it but it is now part of the deepest roots of Western culture. But then Israel at that time was part of the Mediterranean culture and so not so alien to the Romans as the Far Eastern systems are for us
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I love your reply here
A brief deep dive into - The history of New testament Christianity is a complex minefield, written by/ originated by Roman Piso family who had a problem with Jewish sects in throughout the Roman Empire @@TheLivingPhilosophy . But within the earliest cultures around the Mediterranean and globally it undeniable the existence of a global trauma affecting human development and ideas. I believe the "new age " hunt to kill the Ego is wrong direction but understandable given the atheist vs theist narratives that was devised to divide us.
Ego isn't evil, it's simply a misunderstanding of what we are, a very limited view of reality.
Ego is responsible for being able to survive from 100000bc till now. You trow your ego away, you have nothing, but dont let ego consume you or guide your evey step
Thanks a lot! Wonderfully explained!! 🌻 Yes, I have experienced that, too.
Agreed, this reminds me of the kids who watch a few alan watts videos. They start muttering about their ego death to everyone they meet and how they're buddhist now lol
I love being christian n i like buddhism as well. Christanity is a lovely religion n buddhism is a great philosophy. Lets symplify things in our life, b always positive to b able to shine 💫
Ego isn't evil, Evil is evil. If ego were evil, God wouldn't have created it. Make your ego a spiritual personality and everything is good. That's the point. Without ego, you're incomplete. That's one of the misunderstandings of psudospirituality . Great video. Thanks.
Well god didint greate ego if you are christian you should know how ego comes after Luficers fall and humans being casted out from eden so its not a good thing dont justify your ego
@@mariharrik5987 Can you quote some scripture on Lucifer being the ego? Ego isn't evil...ego is the kingdom of heaven By the way, Yahwehism/El is a egotistical being. You need to know what you worship. God created ego because it exists. But it didn't create itself. The spirit knows, the ego seeks to understand, it's the art of seeking that defines a good ego...the spirit already has all knowledge so the ego is the child experiencing everything new. Rember what Jesus said about little children? The kingdom of heaven! The kingdom of "Wow!"
The joy of wonder, the thrill of discovery, the gift of surprises!
In the beginning God asked "what am I"- we are the result of that inquiry. Ego allows us to experience the newness of living while the spirit already understands the timelessness of being.
@@TheProphetofLogicHe didn’t say Lucifer WAS the ego, he said they came after his fall. When he was casted out of Heaven. Ego started when humans were deceived into thinking they could be like God. Read 2 Timothy 3:1-7 in what the world would look like in the last days. God does not create egos.
@@TheProphetofLogic YHWHism? YHWH means “I am that I am” He isn’t egoistic and even if He was He has every justification to be so (He literally made everything with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”), He is the One and only God, satan is a fallen angel who was envious of humanity he became so egotistical through his pride and his nature is to destroy humanity, please reframe from that new age idea, repent. Jesus saved us but that makes zero logical sense, are you stating that YHWH is evil? If so then why? With the evidence of good He has done, He has given you the Holy Spirit, a Spirit meant to guide you to everlasting peace. What you say makes no sense logically, where did you get this knowledge from, what books are you reading? What videos are you watching? YHWHs wrath is insane and you and I know that it shouldn’t be something you should be playing with…
EGO is PRIDE, pride causes destruction for you to ask for scripture upon ego means you aren’t to familiar with the definition of ego or scriptures of the Bible.
You ever heard the phrase “ego lifting” short and sweet.
For a while I was involved in this, but I stopped because I realized that I was no longer interested in my material life, or social life and I just wanted to keep meditating and searching more about the different dimensions out of this world. Something that brought me many troubles along the way...
I love that you are taking this critical view on spirituality and your points are great. As I study cultural anthropology, thus far I have understood New Age or post modern spirituality more as a dissapointment of people from Christianity and its critique points (priest scandals a.s.o.) But understanding that even here cultural appropriation takes place - and therefor romantasizing the ´Other` is a really great point for reasoning. One must take into consideration that cultural assimilation + accumulation always happen at the vulnerable end of ones society. Just like those, that are weak to extremism for example. Also the point of inflating ones ego with spiritual accessoires was cool. Sounds almost like capitalism and its societal diffferentiation mindset mirrors back in spirituality. The evolved ones :D! Will save this one for my BA. Thank you!
I’m not sure how old you are as you say you’re a student? But I’m old enough to know three generations before this one that was into NA:
Beat, Hippie, Grunge/NeoHippie
If you count the punk rock movement of the 80s four gens.
Perhaps the initial NA at the turn of the last century was a critique of Christianity but not by Christians, but by ppl of other religions who disliked Christianity. And all the other movements I mentioned were not rly populated by disappointed Christians either. Idk where you’re getting your info from but that’s really false. Unless you’re not talking about America? And if you’re not then on that case your statement about capitalism is off base too, bc European countries where NA was big, like England and France, were socialist.
Only this latest movement (I’d say last 20-25 years) has attracted more Christians who lapsed. That part is true. It’s probably the first time a large group of lapsed Christians would consider Eastern practices as opposed to simply joining a different Christian sect or being agnostic.
In those past movements it was v public and well known that were many scandals with gurus (ab ooose, d rugs, money) and the stigma of “cult” so most Christians stayed away even from things like yoga or acupuncture until, as you say, it was culturally appropriated in the last 20 years or so. I still know ppl who are terrified of both. It is not a natural segue for lapsed Christians. It was also incorporated into modern medicine with many practices now offering a mix of Western and Eastern practice. Again, the majority of Doctors who offer this not in Christian communities. Or formerly Christian. Also, Idk if I’d call that appropriated as opposed to marketed to the West by the East.
Personally I think the turn of the last century NA through the 90s was appropriated. There I can agree with you. It’s a Westernized version and usually not rly the religion ppl claim to be practicing.
But where I disagree with you is…The recent NA renaissance was again packaged and marketed to the West by the East. So idk if appropriated is the right term this time around, as opposed to sold. So if it’s a capitalized form of religion, it’s not bc it’s the user reflecting that back but bc it’s what they’re being taught. I disagree with you there too. Especially bc if it’s lapsed Christian’s you’re talking about, capitalism is rly antithetical to the concept of humility. Or poverty. Or charity. xD
Perhaps it’s the ppl who lack these attributes who leave Christianity to practice in NA, and thus you get that competitive ego thing going on, which I see a lot of in NA
Anyway your information is rly faulty I’m so surprised. Anyone who ever studied comparative religion is aware of who the leaders of movements were and who their members were and where they hailed from. That’s too bad. I’ve heard students have rly bad information that doesn’t reflect reality but wow. That is terribly far off.
There are still plenty of ppl alive from those older movements I recommend you talk to a few and get some first person interviews and have them direct you to much better sources.
What does New Age bullshit have anything to do with Capitalism, for fuck's sake?
Does this look accurate?
Theosophy -> New Age
New Thought -> Evangelicalism
Was there a mixing of the two?
Where does Self-Help go?
The New Age is good and bad. I had a mystical experience as a result of meditating which led me to live in The Findhorn Community for 5 years. The idea that spiritual pride can lead to people developing inflated egos which mean they bypass self awareness of their true emotional and behavioural realities seems to be based in reality. Many people perceive some New Age people in this light and so it is a trap for them and kind of annoying for those around them. It is especially true of some people who teach or hold positions of power. On the other hand I met people who seemed really genuine, kind, and wise who thought of themselves as being on the path in quite a humble way. I definitely think it helped me to do things and have a sense of purpose that I wouldn't have otherwise.
After watching this video maybe I don’t know what new age even is. :) It really got me thinking and I’m grateful for it.
I grew up in a very strict traditional Christian household, then atheist for 20 yrs, and now I call myself very spiritual… My experience is that the spiritual (new age?) teachers I’ve listened to), seem to be much LESS the type of “I’m right” “believe me” “follow me” “if you don’t agree with me, you’re dumb” etc. which I saw in Christianity and atheist/humanistic/materialists. Even thought i enjoy Jung, I find some psychologists obsessed treating him like a guru and taking every word of his as truth.
Id recommend to everyone no matter their belief system to Observe, not Absorb, any and all information. This goes for everything including parents, spouses, teachers, politicians, religious leaders, authors, philosophers, doctors, musicians, business leaders, self help teachers, newscasters, your best friend, a phd, etc.
I have many friends I would consider New Age and they all seem pretty open to finding new knowledge (hence learning from many cultures around the world) and seem to be ok when shifting their beliefs. There are arguments for and against that outlook. It’s a fine line when you’re mind is so open your brain seems to fall out.
It may sound like I’m defending New Age, but I actually have been looking into the issues with it to get all sides.
I have definitely met some who seem to just “wish” or “surrender” to life and don’t try to actually do anything to improve their circumstances. And some others just seem superficial and dress like a hippie and play around with crystals and consider themselves more enlightened. This is just general human immaturity which we find anywhere.
Most I know seem relatively “normal” in society and you probably don’t notice them.
We share many similarities! I had the exact same path, Christian family, dogmatic teaching, hypocrite culture, rejection of the belief, nihilist phase, toxic environment, sentimental break, inner shift, personal development, new life abroad, radical change, development of spiritual beliefs based on building of critical thinking and self discipline. And here I am. 😄Wow! that's so enthusiastic that your comment drove me to sum up my entire life in keywords.
We tend to forget that Christianity started as an Eastern religion, so what is exotic and what is local is not so simple. But I get the point he's making for sure and the point your making about the trap of enlightenment...and the trap of all knowledge, really. Good show!
Yes! I fully agree and think that Jung overshot a bit there. On the other hand it's a much more recent relation than the eastern schools - we are all children of Sumeria after all whereas China and India are relatively autonomous originations of civilisation
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I think Jung is saying the same thing as when Thoreau said,
"I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes."
@@owretchedman Haha what a gem of a quote
@@TheLivingPhilosophy For sure. America is very lucky to have had the transcendentalists appear in their country.
Its a valid and important area of discussion but I would ask the question; what indeed are our our roots in the Western philosophical paradigm..Paganism, Christianity, Wiccan? We have a situation in which almost everything is interpreted through the lens of scientific rationalism, and I would venture that it is this that makes the allure of Eastern spiritual practice so very magnetic to many.
So what to do? Keep your wits about you whilst surrendering to the unknowable...not easy. Almost none of us can achieve this balance (self included). Sometimes you just have to take a risk, although I would point out that the idea of cultural rootedness runs contrary to the concept of the universal.
Follow your own path, your own curiosity, inspired in one or other Master but looking for Direct Experience and not Memorisation of Enligthment descriptions.
@@raffacasting That is so true. You're absolutely right, my sibling in Christ! I will carve my own path independently, so that I would reach my own full potential. Also, I have already chosen my path... ...It's to become rich and own a fast-food restaurant.
I think Jung is referring to strands of universal truths that are being contaminated by a Social Economic Consciousness. People have to deal with the issues of the world that causes us to not see our consequences to the world.
👆👆👆
Yes, that's how I read it. Jung, in other circles, is directly identified as a proto New Ager. I think this gentleman is commiting misreading?
So true - the danger of intoxicating the mindset with Enlightenment sensations is something everyone struggles with along the path. Great point. The worst is when people in your close circle are still stuck in that dogmatic pursuit which affects you indirectly. Thoughts on how to alleviate the repercussions without meddling in their own journeys?
It maybe a simpler idea. This is simply something like a fashion trend. It is cool to be "spiritual". It is popular, so many people are into it, not interested in cultural background. And it makes an opportunity to earn money on these trends, so they become even more popular. An the cycle continues, until something breaks it (like cancer research and cigarettes)
I've observed these groups in action. They're just like everybody else though many times they display an above it all arrogance, becoming hierarchal and cliquish. Every group has a "most enlightened one" and the sucking up turns my stomach.
This is a great video, however Jung understood that even the western concepts of religion did come from the east and worked their way to what we have today (western dominated religion) in the west. Especially when you read Aion: Phenomenology part 2, he basically is saying throughout tradition and thousands of years the goal post has moved to center around the current aura of what we experience. So around 2000 years ago was the age of Pisces, correlated with Jesus the fish and all the happenings of that time. Now we are in the age of Aquarius. Christian narratives dwindle as we discover through technology (Aquarius, communication, air) that much of it was based on past discoveries and Jesus was based on other narratives. We have all these -ism, and -ologies, and atheism was most popular around the turn of the age. And since Jung was Gnostic we know 100% that his formation of god was internal, alchemical, and psychical. We must understand fully western concepts before moving on to the eastern ones. Because the powers that be have been psychologically controlling us for so long. Now that when we want to learn something new like eastern thought, it can be so troubling because we couldn’t discern the foundations of the abrahamic ideology first. Jung knew that religion was important because it’s sets a foundation for people to act morally, no different than other fables and myths it kept people in line. That text is in Aion as well (speaking about the psychical influence of religion) Once you understand the commonality between it all, you won’t even need a religion or ideology to follow because you know what is true to you. This is the new age, age of Aquarius.
On the other hand, exploration of different religions can lead to seeing what is common in them at the abstract level which can give the deeper grounding you're describing. (Although any insights would obv. have to be incorporated into someone's life.)
Anybody who thinks they can 'give up' the ego or whatever will inevitably be caught in ego-trappings which have now been pushed into the shadow. The ego should be in proportion to the self.
Can't have Buddhism rammed together with the new age .
Indeed. But in the West they have become awfully mixed up. I'm planning a video on this topic soon enough so keep an eye out Boho!
@@TheLivingPhilosophy cheers.i will.have a good day.🦦
That’s where New Age stems from with Hinduism mixed in.
Gretat video. I agree on most counts. A few clarifications for your consideration:
Enlightenment is originally a specifically Gnostic word, and is therefore deeply embedded in the substratum of Western culture. We have simply applied the term to Eastern concepts.
Secondly, Jung himself was a visionary, who had deeply mystical experiences.
Finally, although Jung is wisely advising caution, it was his exploration of Eastern symbolism which introduced him to the concept of the mandala, which became central to his practice in later life.
But I do agree with the general concept of the video. At the very least, people should be aware that there is alot more to western spiritual tradition than the exoteric religions. There is Alchemy, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Druidry, to name a few, not to mention the entire mystery of the pre celtic tradition, for which all of the great megalithic stone circles were built and for which we have still many more questions than answers. God bless.
On the fence on this one, man.
I agree re. those charlatans you speak of. There seems to be a new streaming special every year on some corrupt group I didn't know existed. I also understand the importance or practicality. I always laugh at my fellow Floridans who have the nerve to travel to cold climate with their Florida dress and attire. T-shirts alone don't work in NYC in December.
Carl Jung seems like he did very well at grafting exotic flowers in his inspirations from Alchemy- as one example. From a western point of view, the foreigness is literally in the name. I just made a whole video on this concept involving synthesis using that which is familiar and that which is not.
An interesting, often forgot piece of history, is the early 20th century 'New Thought' figures in the US who were MAJOR influences on this whole 'New Age' thing. Their branches produced fruit that drastically ranged from the 'Kybalion' to the 'Power of Attraction'. They were devoted Christians who found an alternative to the "hellfire" Calvinism of their day and used syncretism to objectively great effect.
I'm on the fence because I agree, but disagree. I think balance is key.
I fully agree with your comment!
I appreciate your start here. Perhaps it’s not worth commenting since the commonality of psychologically ungrounded spiritualism is so common as to be a distinct entity from more mature forms of spiritual practice. However, it’s worth remembering that childhood is a very distinct phase from adolescence, young, middle, and mature adulthood, and the poison flower may be a requisite catalyst for many to gain access to grace from realms of the psyche in a way they are less subject to reification and rapid assimilation by existing ego structures.
It is certainly a period of deep vulnerability to become as little children in the way you describe around 6:00-6:30, but mature spiritual methods train one to retain this relationship to the unknown while addressing psychological pitfalls through concurrent modalities akin to analysis, experiential methods, or parts work.
Perhaps I’m alluding to my proposal with the latter rather than there being a correlation with traditional methods of authentic tantric practice. Deity yoga is rather distinct and profoundly effective at refining character, grounding the ego, and conferring influence to benevolent domains of the psyche through darshan, while well conducted parts work as I know it is a recent Western phenomenon that might offer a solution to spiritual bypassing.
It’s hard to imagine some truly “new age” practitioners spiritually growing up, especially when introduced to clingy Eastern-like cults by charlatans such as the Hare Krisna movement (respect to my Indian extended family members who see ISKCON as simply another temple organization), the despicable Yogi Bhajan, Gurudjieff, or the deluded narcissists who somehow become vehicles for the transmission of legitimate practices and philosophies.
However most of the traditions you describe are not aimed at brainwashing through psychological God realm fixation. It’s simply rare for Westerners to relate to the exotic as something more than a commodity for personal adornment or to wander in deeply enough to move past the self.
Anyhow, just a smattering of thoughts in response to your opening conversation. You really do have a nice channel.
Great work! I am working on a series titled 'Spiritual Narcissism' which delves more into the clinical applications of utilizing these Indigenous ideals and stripping away their ethical and moral philosophy (i.e, self-help industry)
Ah that sounds fascinating you must send me a link when you're done! Very interesting topic
Have you posted anything in that series yet? I’d love to check that out.
You have no idea what you are talking about. The core of what is called "New Age" is not "ideas". It is direct experience where one's realization and perceptions organically stems from the culmination of that experience. Jung was way off here.. There is no rule that realization of the self or illumination means absence of being grounded in the psychological and emotional self.
This just popped up on my feed and I hadn’t seen you before. Massive help. Thank you!
Damn, even Carl Jung called out New Age bullshit.
Years ago I took an introductory course on the "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce, who is considered one of the de facto founders of the modern New Age. In the class we learned about his channeling and predictions (none of which have come true, by the way). I bring this up because at the end of the class, the teacher and my classmates agreed that we had all become much more enlightened than Christians. Why? Because instead of believing in Jesus and 1 life/1 destiny (which may be wrong), "we" now believed in Edgar Cayce and reincarnation. I just sat there dumbfounded. Beliefs do not make you enlightened. That is crazy. It is your consciousness. But everyone there was patting themselves on the back because they had embraced reincarnation, which they interpreted to mean that they were far above even the most generous loving sacrificial Christian who devoted his/her life to being Christlike.
What do you think about the course of miracle?
It's sad how Hinduism and Buddhism is getting roped into this New Age movement. Have people forgotten both Hinduism and Buddhism is much older than all the Abrahamic religions. Also there are similarities in the teachings of Buddha and Jesus.
It seems very disrespectful to Eastern Philosophies and Religions when it was the West society that sought out the Eastern beliefs not the other way around. In fact Western beliefs were forced onto the world but that doesn't get mentioned often enough.
Exactly right.
(There is an issue with the sound.)
If you are in the spiritual community and trying to shed light on the dysfunctional dynamics it is like the Einstein quote: no problem can be solved from the sam level of consciousness that created it.
You have to get out, then look back and get your lesson. The Western spiritual community is cemented in dysfunction and narcissism.....Even Jung has been religisized by the spiritual narcissism.
I take one valuable quote with me: "Truth is a pathless land." J. Krishnamurti
Thank you.. this is the best understanding I have had regards new age spirituality & spiritual bypassing. I have just been reading Rudolf Steiners thoughts on ancient lands such as Lemuria & Atlantis- Steiner being of new age thought, I became confused about what new age is, based on my original understanding of it.. and in one sentence it was said, not looking at the darkness of the mind, bypassing the shadow.
I respect Steiners work although I would not suggest I am any kind of scholar, so to learn his teachings are new age came as a shock as the Occult interests me.. but it really is as simple as not visiting the dark.
Spot on..thanks. I’ve been on a long journey and coming to the same conclusion now. Jung has always spoke to me
Yeah new age is such an incoherent hodge podge, that’s the problem with it for me. A lack of grounding is a good way of putting it. That said, I find the history of theosophy and related new age/ occult ideas kind of fascinating in a way. I even kinda find the weird pseudo-gnostic beliefs of alien cults like Scientology interesting lmao. The influence new age has had on the general culture is impressive too. A lot of people, including nominal Christians, believe in karma, reincarnation, alternative medicine, etc. Some early new age groups had female clergy and very perennialist philosophies that presaged recent trends in liberal Protestantism too.
Yeah I do find it a fascinating topic to see how it has evolved into the culture it's so interesting and I must admit there's plenty of it in my mind as well for me it's the danger of uncritically being dissolved in it as one and only school of truth that hurts my soul
@@TheLivingPhilosophy yeah and there's a danger of straight up worship of the self and messiah complexes it seems. i had a friend who was into reiki for a while and she asked me to go to her group sometimes and a lot of the people in it just seemed to really think they were specially chosen by heaven to harness specific energy fields to fight off evil spirits. it seemed less like real spirituality to me and more like harry potter discovering he was the chosen one lol.
@@JB-kn2zh Yup that's the kind of stuff that makes me physically ill. Jung's student Marie Louise von Franz once said that you can tell when someone has an ego inflation because it irritates the people around them and that's the exact sense I get when I spend time in that sort of environment. Now I do think there are interesting things that happen in spiritual circles and there is something happening there but when that something intoxicates the individual with the idea that they are special and messianic then it spoils the whole thing. The wine is heady though so it's definitely a case of there but for the grace of god go I
Do remember that buddhism didnt exist in China, Tibet or Japan before it was brought in and got melded into the culture. So its certainly not just the west that is importing new metaphysical systems. And as was said, the west had already done the same with Christianity. Shall we get rid of that and go back to the old Gods like Hegel and others suggested , I dont think so Haha
I've been to see the relics of St Thomas in Chennai, they have a form of Christian orthodoxy that goes back as far as any. It was quite an eye opener because its wholly their own now.
As for spiritual specialness, I heard Ken Wilber say something about how when some kind of spiritual opening happens and someone is at an individual level of growing up, (such as orange), then the tendency is to attribute it to the individual self. I guess that kind of individualality is the predominant stage in the west, so inflation is more likey. At an earlier stage such qualities would be attributed to an external God.
Also, although I admire Jung, I think he's wrong about the cultural bias being a barrier to imbibing eastern teachings . I think its possible to make a distinction between a teaching like Vedanta and all the cultural baggage of India. I found it amusing that Jung had the opportunity to meet Ramana Maharshi when he was in India but chickened out using a similar kind of rationalization. The old west is west and east is east nonsense. More likely than not the prospect of an affront to his worldview was at stake and he didnt want to risk it .
it's intresting as i used to follow lot's of the spiritual youtubers and like on facebook aswel and over time i felt like something wasn't right but i couldn't quite figure it out then i discovered about topics like false light, spiritual bypassing and where the spiritual community seemed very passive but no action whilst the chaos is happening around them, it was quite a shock and takes a while to recover from but then you start to develop more discernment, it's like now with more newly awakend people they are paying out lot's of money for reading's, courses, retreats etc.. and it's like you can see this looking outside of yourself trap here and how these people will end up disappointed further down the line while the top spiritual youtubers rake in the cash with their click bait cleverly designed videos styles lol it's like i can spot the tactics more now.
Me personally I look as thing as acketypes in my own subconscious and conscious mind by using reason and logic. My dream work is to explore my unconscious mind by lucid dreams and figure out the acketypes in them. I'm the master of my life and I have free will which make me god of my life not some out outside agenda. Nice video and good job.
As ever thank you for the kind words and insightful comment!
Ego entails for most believing that you are just your body. The person, the individual in this lifetime, no matter in which country you may live. Or what status you may have in life. The ego mostly works against your exploration of spirituality because it wants to remain in the state it is. Blocking your path of getting to know your soul your true essence. This is no easy path. And it mostly is a troublesome path to the individual. Therefore mindfulness and meditation helps discover the one within. Just like when people go to a gym to develop their muscles, that too is arduous and painful for the body because it expands and grows. So too when one seeks to grow in spirituality learning who one truly is. No matter how comfortable and easy one has it in life,one is never quite satisfied or content throughout. Not to mention how one can be plagued with worries and anxieties.Hence the state the world is in and always has been. Learning to calm the mind is what is essential because we have forgotten what our True nature is. And not just in this lifetime
Great talk! The theosophists described two points of temptation in the initiation (Individution) process. The New Age movement is an example of the collective falling prey to the temptation of over-identifying with the bliss or light meant to push one to seek deeper within oneself rather than looking for external gratification as seen in the case of many false gurus. Until one gets to the point where one understands that spiritual growth is between oneself and the God within does one run the risk of falling prey to the external New Age dogma.
Hey all, I'm a webdesigner and I often work for coaches. I have a bugging feeling that I need to draw a line on which clients I work for for ethical reasons when it gets too spiritual. But I can't put a finger on it. If anybody can recommend reading, I'd be glad to hear tips.
All the old philosophies were new once too
Whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Wiccan or Pagan and whatever else.
One thing is 💯 factual: all paths lead to death.
Very low sound in this video. It probably works for a lot of computers but I have to use the subtitles feature to understand it.
Interesting content. You may want to adjust your microphone or get a better one because it makes your voice sound 'twangy', sort of buzzing in the top notes. Edit: have listened to the whole thing, really excellent!
Some of the most brilliant content I've ever seen on this platform. Bravo. A true teacher.
New age is antirational and contradictory to emotional aspect, besides people believe people should resolve subconscious "patterns" as if they know them personally, then they believe people should understand and go through their shadow side to heal it to no longer exist, and finally when people emotionally express themselves emotions should always be positive and people are shunned for expressing negative emotions even in appropriate situations but is healthy to express both positive and negative emotions in real life (also with social media they seem more extreme because people don't know with what conotation people speak when they express their truth), just as they say people should accept both "positive and negative" aspects of life, just that they should not express themselves if it is not by a certain narrative and positive even to the extent where it goes against the reality, or they keep pressing on the negative past of people to remind them of it as if understanding what you need to change, when maybe not having a clue just making people feel bad and hooking them on, especially fake gurus and spiritual people, is like they always have a solution to real life matters by repeating the same stories but just want people hooked. Is almost like an emotional manipulation of some sort and people believe outer appearance and behaviour have to always do with people's past and how they are within, people may have a bad behaviour but not be evil on the inside, not everybody likes everybody, not everybody has something to hide because they don't want their privacy exposed, and is this fake unity created where people pretend they always know what goes on without seeing a situationship for real. People may act out a certain way they had to in a certain situations, does not make them all with bad intentions, people take everything as bad intentions what others say and every action to be intentional and literal, demonise spontaneity therefore and it must always be negative subconscious matters why people are not positive, how come nobody's past is ever positive (maybe they just see all that in people), and they know why every behaviour comes out from people somehow, link it to the nearest thing they think they have unresolved from the past. People also believe somehow people are not rational, if they have negative emotions with the rational conclusion together or if they are emotional besides the facts, as if a complete correlation between the two influencing people to not be trustworthy but then some people abuse emotions and try to divert truth from being spoken with them, is like everything has to be positive nice with them but then revenge you through messages to speak all negative things about you, yoru personal life and your past as if needed to be resolved to be polite to them because they find themselves offended over the truth, so much they see from a bubble of energies not acknowledging the concrete matters of situations in life that happen or are happening.
I think what Carl was alluding to was the same as the Buddha saying Buddhism is the vessel with which to get to the other side and once there should be left on the bank so as not to become a trap.
I think whats missing here is a consideration of the unbalanced stifling nature of the modern West, we're culturally engrossed in a culture of that holds rationality, capitalism and racial supremacy as ideals to a substantial degree. While not letting the alternatives be appropriately explored thus creating a rift in the Western consciousness of denying irrationality, spirituality and unity. Which comprises the collective shadow of the west. Sure there is something to be said that rejecting all of the cultural norms we grow up with and jumping into the opposite is not helpful, but there a distinct lack of meaningful spiritual outlets in modern or even historical Western culture that exist meaningfully today.
In short, it's fair to say that spiritual bypass is a major issue but it's missing the point that this is an overcorrection in a stiving for balance.
Great comment! How can we achieve true spirituality in a materialistic, capitalistic society? Traditional organized western belief systems and religions all are capitalistic and materialistic in their own ways (and New Ageism too) and people are trying to break out of those systems which seem so reductionist and stripping of our desire for awe, mystery and individuality.
@@nataliewantscookies It may sound like a cop out of an answer but to me it must be through radical individualism. We can only surpass these institutions and systems of oppression by surpassing them personally, regonising their insufficiency and transcending them. But noone can prescribe this, or tell us how, it is essentially a personal journey.
@@GigaClutch I like your answer. Not easy but it makes sense.
Just joined! Great topic. I always like the humour within it all. I’d say a good title for this video would be “how not to fix a problem with a problem”😅
The message at the entrance of the Oracle of Delphi is „Know thyself“.
This is a simple prescription. Do you know yourself? Your own inadequacy, your own failings, your own embarrassing aspects, the things you are ashamed of? Do you know your real talents and level of skills even?
The issue is if a spiritual practice is not about knowing thyself, it’s about maintaining a fantasy of oneself.
Now look at spiritual teachers. Did Jesus, Socrates, Buddha prescribe to know thyself. Yes.
I think it is fine to research another religion or tradition, but the real issue is the attitude of trying to know oneself not maintaining a romantic fantasy.
wonder-full video! I found recently the Rosicrucian alchemical works, via Edinger's 'Mystery of the Conjunctio', to be especially helpful to my western mind. But then I don't think TPtB want us to uncover the Western Magickal/ Wise-dome traditions. How much easier to rule over (internally and externally) divided beings ;)
I am glad somebody thinks the same as me, is almost like I am the only person that realizes this and nobody else can say it in the world, society is based on it so much they think spiritual new age beliefs are something obvious nowadays, even if may become toxic. But I think depth psychology is rather harmful to people than helping them out, it renies positive aspects of life and past.
Sometimes you have to shake the Ground in your familly to give them reminder...That your life has value that you are also GODS favorite just like rest of the familly...❤️
I like your comment here. I went through therapy to learn how to stand up to old behaviours in my family. To shake them up and remind them: yes I'm part of the family and that doesn't mean you own me or my soul. I'm an individual who can look after myself. To my family: I want your love but I don't need it to survive. So nowadays when they momentarily take their love away as punishment because I didn't do XYZ... (an old manipulative pattern) my wellbeing is still ok because I've healed that. I no longer go crying back to them begging to be loved. That was my old pattern. And this angers them that I no longer do this. They're waking up to the fact.
all that glitters is not gold -William Shakespeare
making pretty huge leaps here
Discernment is tantamount
Certainly no more than any other unfounded religious thinking found elsewhere (which is all it).
I’d like to hear more from you regarding this topic, your video feels like a little glimpse and I can’t quite grasp the fullness of what you’re saying. I think it’s worth balancing your perspective by mentioning how the eastern traditions as they’ve matured in western translation since Jung’s time also offer a pathway to the very depths. Not all ‘enlightenment’ paths are rooted in foreign fantasies and symbols. We have some very good western teachers now that have simplified and condensed these eastern traditions to suit western man and his condition. Can you please include examples of the types of character that you’re pointing to as I value your perspective but I feel ‘new age’ is just too vague a word. Thank you, love your channel
Marcus David Smith You make a valid point.
If you have to tell people how enlightened you are, you're probably not that enlightened
People also have this misconcept people need to be rid of ego instead of having a healthy ego, understanding you are not the body you are operating but the soul is ok but that does not mean you don't know who you are no longer, let just everybody barge in, accept others way of thinking to in their delusional mind be your trueself and you accept others opinions and belief systems because otherwise you have ego, as if your belief system is wrong but theirs is right, it still is a belief system, is not the absence of thoughts. Is like saying you should be a blank palette so I can put colors on them but not have any colors of yours. And people accuse others of ego for not doing what they think is ok for one's life with audacity and conceitedness, whenever they don't do what they believe is good in society, even if what they do does not harm others. Is like ego is justification for dismantling person's expression of words, and that somehow every negative word means people have such thoughts and they keep repeating them to be a "bad" person, even if they may not be doing that, they just say what they consider to be truthful and right Is like people promote poverty consciousness, how people should be satisfied with things not working for them, how failure should be encouraged because we know we learn form failures so why never win at things or they believe in progressivism how people are succeeding when it shows how society considers to be success.
7:37 Get into your own reality, experience your conflicts and what they trigger in you. "Go home for Christmas" ~ I love this !
What perhaps is not being addressed as clearly as it could be, is that the spiritual and religious structures, methods and institutions of nonWestern, non monotheistic cultures and traditions, all have a less repressive relationship to the energies of the collective unconscious than monotheism, and are therefore informed by and interfaced with levels of consciousness that our separate ego identity does not easily co-exist with.
An analogy would be the chemical, microbial and bacterial composition of the soil in India vs the same factors in New England. The external environments are very different from one another, and so any transfer of a plant native to one area that is transplanted to the other will struggle to adapt. The psychic 'soil' that the seeds of Yoga and the meditative traditions of India germinated in and developed in are much more fertile and supportive of those types of consciousness than the barren soils of Puritanism would be. There is bound to be 'transplant shock" to a person of the western mind set, as there is a significant number of interfaces required between the two that simply do not exist. Christian expectations of spiritual bliss or ecstasy of an individualized soul do not relate well with a more transcendent, non individualized self.
Perhaps even more importantly, one should bear in mind that every spiritual and religious tradition around the world, was developed by speculation and not fact. Our ancestors did the best they could in trying to understand the realities behind the phenomena of the natural world, the planet and their own internal experiences. They had very little empirical data or fact to support any of the conclusions that they came to. Everything that they saw or experienced was the result of the influence and actions of a god, goddess, demon or planetary alignment.
There are literally millions of people in the west who still retain more of a speculative orientation to life, rather than one informed by reason, logic and scientific fact. People who seek astrological guidance being but the most immediate and easy example. The New Age population is rife with irrational and wishful thinking. And I, having spent over 50 years in the midst and on the fringes of New Agism, have some personal experiences to base my statements on.
For example, I've practiced a form of Tai Chi on an almost daily basis since 1976. In every Tai Chi class one might participate in or Tai Chi video one might watch on RUclips, invariably one will hear about the experience of the limbs moving as if moving through heavy air. Sadly, the student is left with little more than a mental construct or idea, and all too often they are told to imagine the sensation. However, if a person conducts the movement with the least amount of effort needed to express the movement, the arms are naturally heavier and in the the field of gravity, they feel even heavier. One is actually having a conscious and intentional interface with the field of gravity. There is nothing imaginative about it. And if one holds in mind that we are all being breathed by the atmosphere, then one can have an interactive experience with both gravity and the atmosphere. If they ancient Tai Chi masters were aware of scientific fact, they surely would have expressed their teachings accordingly.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that a lot of naïve and innocent people are being led in the New Age paradigm by people who don't really know what they're talking about, but who are only repeating what they've read and studied in translated texts.
Every lecture or instruction on meditation will begin with the instructions to find a comfortable sitting position, with no information as to how the body can organize itself and support itself in the seated position. Which I believe is largely due to how disembodied the Christian tradition has left us to be. People in Asia and India sit more naturally than we in the west do, but that part is all too often over looked and not included in the instructions, and so the 'meditative' experience is more mental than embodied. If a person is simply watching their thoughts while sitting, they are not meditating, they are watching their thoughts.
Very interesting points
I think these problems exist almost entirely on the RHP it's the same thing you find in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism... It's really hard to have some of these problems on the LHP.
What is most importat is the reason hidden behind your spiritual searchings. It might be greed or grandiosity or power hunger. Outside you could pass for a saint but inside there is corruption and manipulation and dishonesty. The key is to be honest with yourself first.
Mathematics keeps me grounded.
Let everyone do what they think is best. It is easy to generalize. About Hare Krsnas most people know nothing about. They see only some corrupted institutions in the west not knowing deeply about that culture and origin. Not everything black and white. If you say everyone should be something else, something that you suggest, it is not good, because all spiritual paths have different aim and object. Some speciality. But i undertstand that there is corrupted people sometimes using their power.
Yes
Buddhism and Hinduism is new age?
Says a hippie I'm not even surprised.
LMFAO
If you do your research, it is Buddhism and Hindu mixed together.
@@TierraLynnit's not stop it.
The word "ego" is bandied about as if we really knew what it actually referred to but I doubt that very much and yet many people are trying to rid themselves of it. No wonder there's so much confusion about these matters.
As a current grounded new age pagan, I find this extremely refreshing to hear! You are so eloquent in describing the nuances of his writings.
"But psychology is of the bodymind/meatsuit/3D-self/physical-you, and thats not really who you are!"
spirituality was like a curtain coming down over my perception. I had no way to get clear again, until you realize you are a cause of a lot of the "phenomena" like visions, and even synchronicities. there were some good experiences had, but also a lot of mental suffering with no real guidance. it's this darkness in your childlike vulnerability that is very hard to explain, and not to mention exhaustion from the mix of beliefs and practices
I went looking for this after watching your more recent videos incorporating Ken Wilber's work on the four quadrants. I've travelled the path you elucidate here with Jung's writings, and in my experience it can indeed be a trap. I've lately settled into an appreciation of Epictetus and Lao Tzu as two manifestations of a state of mind that I call Peaceful Uncertainty. I don't know, and I don't need to know. Experience is subjective but sufficient.
Perhaps I'm not searching your channel history effectively, but I would very much enjoy a comparison/contrast of Reductionist thinking (mostly found in physical science but I think also in philosophy) with Wilber's (and perhaps others) integrative approach to the experience of being human.
Do we have an essential nature that can be described? Or are we trying to describe something that we are developing as we go?
What fun we can have. Thank you for everything.
That would be a great topic to cover. Maybe on the next pass of Sex Ecology Spirituality I'll hone in on that
Love Ken wilbur, Joseph cambell works
I don't think Enlightenment should be any big deal it should be the norm
Very interesting,
thank you
Well said
No one is "spiritual" until they learn from direct experience that psychic powers are absolutely real.
Well done!
You can see new age ideas pop up on certain church circles here and there, attached theological terminologies to validate its teaching and it causes a lot of problems. The emerging church movement, the prosperity Gospel taught by the likes of Kenneth Copeland are a few examples.
Thank you.
Round and round in circles but I didn't get anything from the video
this is excellently observant. would love to chat more about this as it's a growing phenomenon and problem
I agree. When he spoke of Eastern symbols/religions being intoxicating but also poison I thought of the current cult of personality in the US today, how it's also intoxicating and poison.
Jung has a story: a woman (representing us) is lying a pile of bananas (representing spirit). An elephant (representing self) wants to get at that pile of bananas and simply throws the woman off and begins eating them. In line with this metaphor, I think that the self inside us will get at that spiritual existence or throw us off in the process. This is a common idea across time from the first notion of the logos or universal truth or ideas such as natural law.
I think that although Jung thought that it was dangerous to mix cultures and spiritual systems of belief, on the one hand. On the other he embraced it. For this reason, I am not sure what you are saying. Question: are you saying that we should learn from all philosophies across the world and time? Or that we should neglect them because they are too dangerous?
Saints still want to be worship for being saints forget exact quote, or revered - Nietzsche