There is neither a clear definition of the phenomenon, nor of its origin. Well, the most that can be said is that the movement of the New Age is a group of ideas, suppositions and preparatory practices in view of a better period for humanity, where peace and happiness will reign throughout the world. At least this is the expectation of those that proudly make up part of the movement, or are accused of belonging to it.
This hope in the Golden Age, or the Kingdom of the Millennium, or the Kingdom of the Thousand Year Peace, is the common link among the multiple facets of the New Age. Apart from this, it looks more like a confused gathering of esoteric groups, naturalistic philosophies and countless practices of mystic-occult groups, all chemically fused into a single denomination.
The traditional religions, principally the Christian ones, have no sympathy for the New Age. They see it as an enemy that has come in from the cold and they treat it as such. For sure there are more than a hundred books alerting the Christians on the dangers that they are exposed to, since there can be no salvation for renegades that help increase the ranks of the Antichrist army, or for the Antichristian, as each new leader of a sect or philosophy is a natural - and obligatory - candidate for the post as the Beast of the Apocalypse.
But in spite of the curse of the Armageddon the movement grows undisturbed all over the world. Day after day it continues recruiting a growing number of followers, whose biggest difficulty is choosing one of the permanently open and ever inviting multiple entrances.
There is no denying that in the last few decades there has been an explosion of new philosophical concepts, of the most varied forms and shades of life. And we have to acknowledge that they are all opposed to one another in one way or the other, and to the religious orthodox and the pro-scientific; the two great arks considered as safe houses and trusted by humanity as they have always comforted “normal” travelers during one's life passage on Earth.
Yes, there have been some smaller vessels that followed other directions, not traveled by those two great philosophical arks, in opposite directions, but their numbers were never very big, their passengers were scarce, and their crews always the same. They were but exotic rafts, that awoke some curiosity when observed from the fleet of one of the two flagships, but nothing of any great consequence.
Now, however, the sea is agitated, not full of rafts, but spacious ferryboats, each one following a different route, and all these embarkations are committed to transport their passengers directly to the unknown land of the New Age.
Where does this certainty come from that makes thousands of people eagerly await the Age of Peace? Is it a coming Age that seems to be imminent?
This unquestionable certainty inexplicable through rational thought is engraved in people's souls. Indelibly recorded there.
In ancient times, people on Earth received news that an exam would await mankind when the period for their spiritual development had finished. And those that passed the exam - known today as the Final Judgment - would then live in an Era of Peace, the Thousand Year Kingdom. This is the proof that the origin of this knowledge of the New Age comes from very ancient times, and this knowledge was not wiped out by previous incarnations, as only the body changed and not the individual's soul.
Today, we are actually living the last phase of this final examination of humanity, whatever stuck to our souls appears suddenly and impetuously manifesting itself in our conscience. That is why many people manifest a yearning and in their inner selves are convict of the arrival of a New Age, without knowing exactly why they are aware of this. The majority has abandoned the traditional religious and scientific concepts and is seeking other paths; to them the Age of Peace is not seen as an imaginative utopia, for they have been waiting for it with absolute certainty.
However, even if they do not admit such a possibility, it is certain that the embarkations of religion and science will not take their occupants to the New Age, and also the countless other alternate vessels will not be successful in their task. Humanity's unstoppable spiritual decadence that has already been in progress for thousands of years has not left a safe recognizable path to that goal to be followed anymore.
It is neither the religious-scientific dogmas nor the contortionists' mystic-occult beliefs that can enable somebody to pass through the Final Judgment and allow him enter the New Age. There is only one path that leads there, the simplest and for that reason the most despised by the present day human being, who is a slave to his incorrigible presumptuous intellect.
This path, exhaustively exhorted and explained by the prophets of ancient times, and later on by the Son of God himself, Jesus; is to live according to the laws that govern Creation, tuning our thoughts, speech and acts to the vibrations of these primordial laws. Whoever fulfills this today shows that they have developed correctly. This is why the right way of living is the only embarkation prepared for the crossing of the Final Judgment, capable of facing the terrible storms that approach, and to safely dock at the New Age.
Roberto C. P. Junior