Hinduism/New Age
The Influence of Hinduism on the New Age

In today's world there is a very powerful and influential movement that for the most part appears to be very positive and beneficial for man as he lives in this chaotic, stressful and problematic world.

World View
This new movement is called the "New Age" but in reality it is anything but "new". In fact, it is a modern revival of ancient religions of the East such as Hinduism, Buddhism and others. The people in the "New Age Movement" believe that the present world order is about to experience a breakthrough of an unlimited new order comprised of peace, prosperity and perfection.

The following quote is most illuminating from J. Gordon Melton, a New Religions expert, who defines what the New Age is: "It is ultimately a vision of a world transformed, a heaven on earth, a society in which the problems of today are overcome and a new existence emerges" (Chandler: 1988:27). Though the term "New Age" is an umbrella term with wide associations and patterns, at the core of its movement is the emphasis on self-discovery, spiritual growth and enlightenment.

World View: Hinduism Oneness
The first thing to recognize is that Hinduism is a multi-faceted religion which encompasses polytheism, theism, and pantheism. At the center of its religion is the all encompassing world view of oneness or monism and that the individual person is identified with the whole. There is "tat vam asi", a phrase in Hinduism meaning "thou art that" which refers to the unity of the subject interpenetrating, arriving at the logical conclusion that there is no difference among God, a person, a tree or a rock. All is one continuous reality with- out boundaries or divisions; thereby the individual is God. The Upanishad, which is a major Hindu scripture, places Brahman, which is the same as Atman, the self, on the level that Christianity, Judaism and Islam place God . "The place that Brahman has in the world view of the Upanishad and the Vedanta correlates with the place that God has in monotheism. Brahman is the basis of everything, if not the creator" (Carmody: 1989:109). "Though you do not see Brahman in this body, he is indeed here. That which is the subtle essence in that have all things their existence. That is the truth. That is the self, and that, Svetaketu, that are thou" (Groothuis: 1986:141). Hinduism teaches that you are the creator of your own reality and you must overcome being caught in the world of illusion called Maya and experience oneness called Moksha. Moksha refers to the release, liberation, salvation from the bondage of Samsara or reincarnation. Another aspect of this monism philosophy is that Hinduism escapes the problem of evil by rebirth or reincarnation coupled with the concept of Karma which teaches that one's present life is the result of one's actions in a previous life. Therefore, what one suffers is not wrong or evil but a result of one's karma and deserved; consequently, evil and good are the same.

World View: New Age Oneness
As one thinks about all this, a person can hardly miss the similarities between these concepts of Hinduism and the New Age Movement.

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