A New Age for the Old Ways: My views on the term New Age

New Age, a term that is either loved or disliked for a multitude of reasons in the spiritual communities. A lot of the time there is a difference pointed out between someone who is New Age and someone who is Pagan. Typically a lot of New Age shops hold a lot of expensive items, even some items you could find elsewhere for a lot less money, and almost all of the items are machine made. While in Metaphysical Shops, prices will be more appropriate for the items worth, and you may come across many more hand-crafted items.

There have even been differences pointed out between New Age and Paganism, such as someone who is New Age won't really care much for the history of things, they are more focused on the new spiritual trend. While with Pagans, they are focused on the spiritual aspects of their beliefs, they care about the history, and truly delve into things.

And finally, much of the dislike is due to how the term sounds in comparison to the religions/spiritual paths. Many of these religions go back thousands of years, so hearing someone call it New Age upsets them because the religion is anything but new.

While I can fully understand this and agree with a lot of the sentiments for the face meaning of the term, I am also focusing on more of the deeper meaning behind it.

New Age; a new time, a new era, its really not trying to say that the religions and spirituality is new, but more, it is a new time to practice these old beliefs. A New Age for the Old Ways. And what many people forget is that, while yes, the religions and spirituality have roots that go back hundreds to thousands of years, time changes things.

I am very much a big supporter of reaching back to our roots, because without our past, we don't have a future. We should yes try to reconstruct as much as possible of the ancient beliefs, but we also must keep in mind that what we are practicing will never be exactly as how it was practiced in the past. So in a sense, there is still a newness to the practices because they are being revived after much of the practices being lost for so long.

Time moves forward, it doesn't go back, things will never be the same as they once were because anything that doesn't change dies. Beliefs are like water, as long as its flowing there is always fresh oxygen, there is a constant renewal and it stays clean and alive, but when water becomes stagnant, very little life can come about. There is no renewal, no way to clean it and remove any of the debris that has gathered, and eventually barely anything is alive in it.

So in a way it is a New Age, a New Age for reconnecting to our roots,  a New Age to reconnect with the Universal energies, a New Age for the Old Ways to live once again.

When the Past is Remembered

Because it is February, and in the Northern Hemisphere this is a time of awakening in the earth, I feel called to write about another type of awakening.

I'm a big believer in past lives, always have been, but even more so now. And I'm one who has always been curious about what my past lives were, but I've never gone through past life regression nor have I tried to on my own.

I only remember three past lives, and they all popped up on their own, or had been triggered. The most significant was the second life I remembered, because it is also of a life I shared with my husband, and he was even the one who triggered it.

It began when he and I were having a chat and he suddenly stopped and had somewhat of a confused yet questioning look on his face. I had asked what was up and he said a random name popped up in his mind and asked me if the name meant something to me. The moment he spoke the name, instantly I began to hear the sounds of men screaming, clashing of metal, and that name being shouted just loud enough to be heard over the sounds of battle. A day passed and that was all I heard mixed in with every day noise.

It was after that that the visual memories came forward, I remember rushing, fighting, doing my best not to get hit by any of the weapons I faced. And then hearing the name once more, but closer and more panicked, causing me to turn around, a second later struck in the chest by a spear. The pain was immense and I immediately dropped to the ground. I remember my vision starting to fade and sounds becoming more of a faint echo and hallowed.

I remembered the last moments of my life in that time period (couldn't tell you when exactly nor what kind of life I lead before my death). I can definitely say it isn't pleasant remembering such a thing, but it also was a very interesting experience, that, was repeated again with the third set of memories (not getting into that one).

It took some time, and reassuring things, for me to learn and accept it wasn't just my imagination going wild or anything. (You know how it is, you experience something, and immediately question whether it was legit or not). After my husband spoke about some of the things he remembered (which he was the one calling my name), before I told him what I remembered, reassured me that yes it wasn't my imagination.

I have never pushed to remember anything else, because for me, I have come to accept I will remember what I am supposed to remember. There is specific information, knowledge, or wisdom I am to gain from those memories, so I know I won't remember anything that will not help me in this life.

One thing I will say is that I have come to learn the difference between what is my imagination, and what isn't. For me, I can still control what happens in my imagination, basically, lucid daydreaming. When it isn't my imagination, I cannot control anything, everything happens on its own, like a vision. And its that difference that allows me to know when I'm actually remembering something or having some form of vision, or spiritually traveling.

And learning this, having these memories, has helped me move forward in my path and I have learned to better trust my abilities. Every experience we have helps us grow, and helps us awaken in our spiritual path.