LL writes: "How do I know if a speaker is New Age or not? There are so many of them out there, and they make some very enticing promises. How do I know who is legit and who isn't?"
One of the greatest threats to Christians in the burgeoning field of alternative health care is when these therapies require a person to adopt a belief system that is not compatible with the faith.
Photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova on UnsplashManifesting is all the rage these days. It’s about how to use your mind to will your goals into existence by using tools such as meditation, guided visualization, vision boards, and other rituals that many believe can make big things happen for anyone. Is this true, and is this something a Catholic should be get involved in?
Anonymous writes: “Some of my friends, who claim to be devout Catholics, are really getting into the book The Secret and are adopting its teachings as a way of life. They don’t think there is anything in this book that violates Catholic teaching. Is this true?”
New Age thought control techniques continue to evolve, and the latest version attempts to marry the Law of Attraction with neuroscience and the Reticular Activating System of the brain. It’s catching on, even in some Catholics circles where it’s being used in spiritual formation. What’s it all about and can Catholics use it in their quest for sanctity?
PM writes: “I was wondering if someone can be clear on the dangers of Dream Boards or Vision Boards. Is this New Age? I was invited to a party of with a group of women cutting out pictures of their wishes and glue them to a board to hang up and look at each day hoping that the ‘Universe’ will provide them all the wishes on their boards.”
Right about now, most of the planet is experiencing “cabin fever.” After almost two weeks of confinement, we’re sick of having no where to go but the grocery store and the pharmacy. Well, if you were part of the New Age “vision board” craze, you would simply hang pictures of fun things to do on a poster board along with uplifting positive words like, “go shopping” and “have a party” and – poof! – this whole coronavirus mess would be over. Can that really work?
