Modern Spiritualism
*Disclaimer: If you’ve been following me or know me personally, I have not gone off the deep end (stay tuned for Part 3), I’m a Christian (for those who don’t know me), I’m exploring this topic from a secular perspective, working toward objectivity. I have not abandoned my faith, nor am I pointing fingers to shame, I’m just trying to explore a difficult topic.
In order to talk about Modern Spiritualism, let’s first define the word. Spiritualism is the practice of communicating with the dead through the use of a medium or channel. This should not be confused with Spiritism. For the sake of understanding, Spiritism is defined as the study of communication with entities. It was first introduced to the Western World by Allen Kardec in the 1800s. When we think about the term modern we can think of the whole of history; modern being the last 200 years. Modern Spiritualism overlaps the end of the Modern Industrial Movement.
Historically, until the introduction of the Ouija Board (Elijah Bond, July 1 1890), anyone who wanted to communicate with the dead (typically grieving family members) would hire a medium and have a seance with the hope of hearing from their dead loved ones. After the Ouija Board gained popularity, there was a slight decline in the popularity of psychics and mediums, as people could presumably talk to their dead loved ones in the comfort of their own living rooms. There was a span between the 1950s until about the early 1970s that this may have been all but forgotten, except for a few hushed conversations and closed circles. Until The Exorcist hit theaters and a renewed public interest in Ouija Boards and Spiritualism gained momentum again.
With the dawn of the Millennium, and advances in technology, Modern Spiritualism is all over cable television. With over 60 paranormal television shows, I was able to find a list of 10 that happen to be the most popular: Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, The Dead Files, Paranormal Witness, A Haunting, Destination Truth, Paranormal Lockdown, Ghost Hunters International, Paranormal State, and Celebrity Ghost Stories (for the full list of paranormal shows visit www.ranker.com). One commonality between most of these shows is the use of psychic mediums during investigations. Along with the popularity of these shows came new technology for communicating to spirits. Much of this technology had already existed, but has now been altered specifically for ghost/spirit hunting. Some products include; Mel Meters, EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) Recorders, Spirit Boxes and many, many more (www.ghoststop.com). Let’s not forget smart phone apps. In the dawn of the smart phone, we now have the ability to communicate with the dead/spirits in our pockets.
In the last 10 years Spiritualism and the New Age movement have blurred lines and sort of melded together. With more and more people identifying as “Spiritual” rather than ascribing to one faith, they’re seeking their own truth. This also lends itself into the teaching of Theosophy: there is no religion higher than truth. Elements of Yoga, Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism, the use of crystals, energy healing, grounding with nature, some would even go as far to say light workers and white (those who only practice for the good of others) witches would fit with the New Age Movement…etc, are blending together as people pick and choose bits and pieces from each study/practice that fit with their truth.
In this quest for one’s own truth, it seems that Millennials are making their mark, changing the way these movements have previously been perceived. The New Age Movement of the 1960s and 70s is gone, it is now mainstream to find statues of Shiva next to Buddha on store shelves, offered as decor for the home. People aren’t necessarily going off to communes to practice “alternative religions.” They can walk down the street, walk into a Core Power Studio to practice Yoga and get a workout at the same time. Western religions are no longer talked about in hushed conversations, those who practice them are no longer “hippies,” but (predominantly) 21-30 year olds, our neighbors, coworkers, friends and family.
The problem with picking and choosing parts of Eastern religious philosophy while blending with bits and pieces of Modern Spiritualism that adhere to one’s own truth, it’s that it’s all self-gratifying. If we look at how Millennials are perceived: selfish, self-absorbed, and attention-seeking, there is no higher power to whom one submits other than themselves. If each individual believes themselves and their own truth as all important, then anything else, any other belief system (religious or secular) becomes an attack on their personal truth and in turn will then be attacked by the individual.
When living a life devoted to one’s personal truth, even acts of kindness become self-centered, seeking to look selfless in the eyes of other people. Volunteering becomes something to brag about rather than something one does without expecting any recognition what-so-ever.
I’m left with more questions than answers after exploring this topic. How do we, as a society, move past self-centeredness? How do people move beyond looking for personal truth to seek Truth? When do people stop fighting each other because their personal truths do not align (how can they, if each individual has their own truth)?
Stay tuned for Part 3, Seeking Truth.