Are you "New Age"?

Answer 1

I would say no.

Wicca's establishment dates from the first half of the 20th Century. I place the actual New Age movement as arising out of the last 30 years of the 20th.

I admit that much of the growth of Wicca did come as part of the New Age Movement, and there are a number of Wiccan variants heavily influenced by that movement.

Be that as it may, I'd place British Traditional Wicca (including my own Central Valley Wicca branch) as separate from the New Age classification.

Edit.
New Age philosophies tend to center more on the "Power of Positive Thinking" schools of thought. One of the latest books that come to mind is The Secret, where their Law of Attraction combines traditional magical principles with a framework of a motivational seminar. Their "Anything is possible with a belief in your amazing power" requires some Christian-like faith as well. In my opinion, in an effort to reduce doubt, they made some rather over-the-top claims.

Traditional Pagan groups often describe the New Age offshoots as the "fluffy bunny pagans," because of a tendency to ignore some of the darker aspects of life and Deity. Sometimes it is difficult to draw a clear line and say, "across this line, there be New Age." One aspect of many New Agers is that they seem to mix "too many" traditions together under one umbrella (such as talking about "Native American Tradition" were something universal, some sort of "Catholic Shamanism." Many fairly traditional Pagans can be quite eclectic, but there is a point at which too much eclecticism yields all surface an little or no depth.

I hope I've made my own thoughts and feelings clear enough.

Answer 2

I think anyone that wants to transform this world spiritually for the better through new spiritual ideas, and training techniques should label themselves as New Age. The one thing that they must recognize, is that the future is arrived at by hard work, and an inovative mind, always searching for new answers, and inspiration from the divine. I am New Age in this way.

Answer 3

New Age is such a vague term I generally avoid using it. (seriously, check out www.dictionary.com. Totally useless) While my religious books end up in the New Age section of the book store, I think they are misfiled and do not consider myself New Age. When I think of New Age I think of power crystals, the Age of Aquarius, hippies, and fluffier forms of angelology. That most definitely does not fit me.

Answer 4

No.

I'm a heathen.

This means, for those used to more pop culture or dictionary uses of the term, that I follow a reconstructed indigenous tribal folkway of Northern Europe . . . whereas the focus of the New Age is on personal spiritual enlightenment via any and all means available, mine is on genuinely inculcating a specific culture's pre-xian worldview and religious practices.

I find discipline a better path for me than credulity.

Answer 5

What's considered 'new age' is actually old...ancient age. It's been around since before Christianity. Yes, I am a new ager I guess you could say but I don't use the label.

Answer 6

New Agers completely misrepresent us. They are fascinated with the occult yes, but they do not really follow a religion or seek personal relationships with the Gods. They wear all black and have huge ankh necklaces and the like because it's "cool."
This is what we call the "Fluff Bunny"

Answer 7

No. Wicca is a religion. "New Age" is desperately short of any deep spiritual content, at least as I've experienced it. It is obsessed with isolated techniques, and seems to preach that enlightenment can be achieved if you just buy enough stuff or attend enough seminars.

But again, that opinion is just from my own personal experience. The mileage of others may vary.

Answer 8

I would be regarded as New Age yes
although dont use that term myself

Answer 9

Nope Heathen is about as far from new age as you can get. We're recon

Answer 10

The world spins in circles.

What is now new will soon be old.
What is old has been forgotten and might just show up and it will be new again.

It doesn't matter new or old.
It matters if it works.