Photo by Habib Beaini on Unsplash
Don Veinot recently sent me a brief video, Spirituality Without Religion: The Rise of the ‘Modern Mystic’ (less than 9 minutes), that discusses how society is now more open to “spirituality” without connecting it to specific religions, at least not knowingly. This has been a trend for some time and is not new. It is just that practices like yoga, burning sage, mindfulness, breathwork, energy healing, shadow work, and other similar practices, are no longer viewed as fringe or even just merely tolerated, but are embraced as paths to what is called wholeness, wellness, “holistic spirituality” and other ideals that have reached a high status in today’s culture.
What is described in the video is what I would call the New Age. The good thing about this report is that:
1. It acknowledges that these practices and beliefs are spiritual
2. It validates warnings that such spirituality has gone mainstream
3. It points out the “wellness” (i.e., alternative healing/”natural” healing/”holistic healing”) factor as part of what has spurred this new spirituality along
Listed are the 10 key points the video makes about spirituality. These are given as the video presents them. My comments on a few points are after this list.
1. Religion and spirituality are not the same: the video points out that religion is associated with doctrine/dogma, certain practices, organization, and is seen as restrictive. Spirituality is viewed as open-ended and has no central teachings; each one is free to choose their own personal path.
2. The modern mystic rejects dogma, moves toward a diverse set of practices they can tailor to their needs such as meditation, mindfulness, energy healing, and/or the use of psychedelics.
3. Merging of science and spirituality: Claims of scientific validation of things like mindfulness and meditation are demystifying spirituality and make it more accessible to those previously skeptical.
4. Rise of Eastern philosophies in the West, such as mindfulness, meditation, and karma.
5. Nature-based and cosmic spirituality are growing: There is a growing attachment to the natural world and finding spiritual meaning in nature.
6. Personalized spirituality is key: Freedom to form one’s own beliefs
7. Technology fuels the spiritual movement with practices such as Shadow work and energy healing
8. Psychedelics and spiritual awakening: There is a renewed interest in the use of psychedelics for spiritual purposes
9. Mysticism is becoming mainstream: Tarot cards, astrology, sound healing, breathwork (the video points out that the latter two are popular in “wellness movements”)
10. The core idea is inner transformation: The video shows images of yoga and chakras — End of list from video
CANA has warned about all of these practices mentioned in the video for years, pointing out their spiritual nature and purposes. Yet many of these ideas and practices can be found in the church.
The Third Point, Science and Spirituality
The third point about science and spirituality is ironic because there is little or no science in these spiritual practices; there are only claims for them as being scientifically validated. I did many FaceBook posts on exposes revealing the flawed methodology of Mindfulness studies, despite claims that Mindfulness is a therapy for anxiety and fear.
The data showing negative effects was suppressed in several major studies. (If interested, please Google “Mindfulness flawed studies” or “Mindfulness claims debunked” as there are too many articles to list).
Mindfulness was never designed to treat anxiety, elicit calm, or help one in any way. Its sole purpose is impersonal: to lead the person via its meditation techniques to realize the mind does not exist and the self does not exist. It is ultimately a tool to deconstruct the self (attachment to the self in Buddhism leads to rebirth which is continuing the cycle of birth and death), which then brings a supposed awakening to the Buddhist concept of the true nature of reality.
This is why so many people doing Mindfulness had breakdowns. Many Buddhist teachers pointed out that Mindfulness should be done in concert with Buddhist teachings and under the guidance of a teacher.
As for science, the Bible has more evidence for it than Mindfulness, Yoga, shadow work, and other such practices. Archaeological finds continue to give more credence to historical references in Scripture. Science itself is the discovery of God’s creation; so science is not opposed to or incompatible with the Christian faith.
Point 7, Shadow Work
Note that “shadow work” from Carl Jung is put in the category of Spirituality, as it should be. Shadow work, a term once unfamiliar to most Christians, is now not only more familiar but is taken seriously by some. This is due to the popularity of the Enneagram.
The Enneagram is in the church mainly due to the influence of Richard Rohr, a heretic who teaches another Jesus and another gospel, specifically, the gospel of Perennial Wisdom, which is incompatible with the Christian faith. The first book for the evangelical church was IVP’s “The Road Back to You,” by Rohr followers and associates, Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile (Stabile and her husband, who are Methodists, were mentored by Rohr for many years).
The second Enneagram book was by Rohr follower Chris Heuertz, “The Sacred Enneagram.” Neither of these books read like a Christian book, yet “The Road Back to You” is the most popular Enneagram book in the church and sold over a million copies as of 2 years ago.1“IVP’s Bestselling The Road Back to You Draws More Than One Million Enneagram Enthusiasts,” IVP Media Center, 2023
Rohr is a fan of Carl Jung, and incorporated Jung’s idea of the shadow self in his Enneagram teachings. Many Christian counselors (and pastors) use the Enneagram, and Christian counselors like Dan Allender speak of the shadow self with total sincerity, as though it is a real thing.
The shadow self is a concept related to Jung’s spiritual views, and it does not exist. One can define it any way they desire because it is not real. It tends to take the place of “sin” and obfuscates rather than clarifies. Used along with the ideas of Jung or of Enneagram teachers, it is destructive because the ideas of Jung and the Enneagram are spiritually opposed to God.2See CANA Facebook posts, “Shadow Work or Shadowy Work?” and “Into the Shadows: Carl Jung, Shadow Work, and the Enneagram“
Point 7, Energy Healing
Energy healing is essentially sorcery because it is the manipulation or attempted manipulation of an unknown, unquantifiable energy (i.e. supernatural power from spirits) for a specific purpose. Energy healing is found in all pagan beliefs, including the New Age and the occult, where it plays a huge role. Some energy healing practices are obvious, such as Reiki.
But energy healing can also hide under other modalities, which appear to be “natural” or more scientific. These include homeopathy, acupuncture, shiatsu, reflexology, tapping, cupping, and dozens of others. Homeopathy, acupuncture, reflexology, tapping, and the Lifewave Patch have become almost normal in the church, but these are all based on beliefs in some kind of force (Vitalism, chi, life force) in creation and in the body. I consider these to be derivatives of sorcery. Ironically, what is termed “natural healing” is almost always based on very unnatural energy beliefs.
Claims for these practices’ efficacy explain them using scientific terms which deceives people into thinking there is an objective basis for them. But this is false.
Point 9, Healing Deceptions
The video lists breathwork and sound healing as spiritual and points out that the “wellness movement” has helped to make these popular. CANA has posted on the terms “wellness” and “Breathwork,” both of which comes straight from the New Age.
Wellness does not mean health. Breathwork is partly based on Eastern spiritual beliefs and partly on beliefs in a vital force or energy that animates creation, combined with pseudoscience.
The practice of Sound healing is based on spiritual beliefs of everything being energy and having a vibration, and that these vibrations relate to healing and health. A lot of pseudoscience is used to make sound healing appear credible.
The term Wellness has allowed these New Age and occult practices to fly under the radar so that they can enter schools, workplaces, and the church. People do not know that Wellness does not mean health. Rather, it means one is responsible for one’s health, including your thoughts and your “invisible” body which is made up of chi/chakras/the meridian – whatever one believes in. These things do not exist but they act as spiritual vehicles for deception and destruction.
The solution is to recognize that these methods are spiritual and are opposed to Christ; therefore, one should avoid them as well as warn about them. For more information, go to christiananswersnewage.com. Suggested search words on articles I have done on these issues are Breath, Chi Therapies, Enneagram, Life Force, Mindfulness, Richard Rohr, Vibrations, Yoga.Ω
Before trusting Christ, Marcia Montenegro was a professional astrologer and was involved in Eastern and New Age practices for many years. Through her ministry, Christian Answers for the New Age, Marcia speaks around the country and on radio and writes on New Age and occult topics. She has a Masters in Religion from Southern Evangelical Seminary, Charlotte, NC, and serves as a missionary with Fellowship International Mission, Allentown, PA. Based in Arlington, VA, she is the mother of an adult son and the author of SpellBound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today’s Kids (MCOI Publishing LLC, 2024). She is also co-author of Richard Rohr and the Enneagram Secret (MCOI Publishing, 2020) with Don and Joy Veinot You can find her online at: CANA or on Facebook at Christian Answers for the New Age
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I wish that this article existed 25 years ago. It may have saved me a lot of $$$ and time. Alas, some of us have had to learn the hard way.
This article should be printed and posted as a PSA in all doctor’s offices. The lines between conventional Western medecine and ‘Wellness’ have been soo blurred that many are unsuspecting when PhD’s recommend Yoga or mindfulness for anxiety, etc. Integrated medicine is quite deceptive. Much discernment is necessary.
Thanks for the comment, Christa. I agree with you. I was warning about this stuff quite awhile ago but no good platforms for it. I actually said in 1993 in a talk at my church (as a pretty new Christian) that when the NIH unveiled their program that year to study “alternatives” in healing that it would open the door to New Age spirituality. Because no matter what their findings (and after billions of taxpayer dollars they found almost zilch credibility in those “therapies”), it would give the alternatives credibility. And it did. It unleashed New Age “healing” on the culture imo.
I’m an ex neo-vedantic (hindu roots) new ager.
I used to be into so much “cosmic/spiritual” stuff: trance channelings, ancient wisdom, gnosticism, David Icke, psychedelic drugs, hindu gurus and buddhist variants. I was illuminated by the Kundalini (serpent) spirit then 10 years ago I got rightly enlightened by the Holy Spirit – which proceeded to reveal what a fool I was before. Spirit led to the REAL Yahusha/Jesus Christ and everything changed – Paradigm Shifted. . . I’m BORN AGAIN (John 3) and it’s an ongoing surprise to me 😁 (Darren’s Spirit Level page has no connection to Marcia Montenegro or MCOI)
It’s interesting to me how as we’ve moved farther away from religion (particularly Christianity) and into “spirituality” – whatever that may be to the person practicing it – we’ve seen a rise in mental illness that these same spiritualities and practices claim to help. While much of this could be caused by society’s addiction to phones, I think that these practices may have something to do with it, too, especially since so many of them tell you that you’re God, so whatever happens to you is your fault (i.e. “You’re not thinking enough positive thoughts.”)
Hi, MJ, thanks for reading and for the comment! I think spirituaity fills a void left by the Christian churches who are moving away from sound doctrine and holding to Scripture as authoritative. And you are right, these spiritualities will not heal anyone and will only make one’s state worse, even if the person thinks they are better.
“The first book for the evangelical church was IVP’s “The Road Back to You,” by Rohr followers and associates, Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile (Stabile and her husband, who are Methodists, were mentored by Rohr for many years).”
Stabile’s husband was a Roman Catholic priest before leaving the priesthood and marrying Stabile. I was friends with the man she left for Stabile.
Thanks for the info, Doug.
Thank you Doug. Although that is true, Suzanne doesn’t seem to ever mention her first marriage or information on how it ended. However she does write publicly that “My husband Joe is a United Methodist pastor, but he was a Roman Catholic priest until he was 40. And so…. He’s 74. So we’ve been in the United Methodist Church for 34 years. He is currently on staff at First United Methodist Downtown Dallas as a retired clergy person.” in Find wholeness and balance with the Enneagram
Shortly after hearing your talk on the Enneagram at EMNR conference in Tallahassee, I discovered that First United Methodist in Dallas had an upcoming Enneagram workshop. I wrote to them warning that it was heretical, but if Joseph Stabile is on staff there it is no wonder my warning went unheeded.
Yep, that might have something to do with it. Thanks Doug!
And even if Joseph Stabile was not on staff at that church, they might have ignored the warnings anyway. In Don’s and my experience in dealing with the Enneagram in churches, most pastors/church leaders/teachers either reject the information provided against the Enneagram as dubious or rationalize it as a tool that can be helpful. They tend to believe all the Christian Enneagram books/teachers. In some cases, they do not even want to consider any information critical of the Enneagram, according to the many people we’ve been contacted by on this issue.