Free EBooks and Texts - New Age Movements

About New Age

The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, consciousness research and quantum physics".[2] The term New Age refers to the coming astrological Age of Aquarius.[1]

The New Age aims to create "a spirituality without borders or confining dogmas" that is inclusive and pluralistic.[3] It holds to "a holistic worldview",[4] emphasising that the Mind, Body, and Spirit are interrelated[1] and that there is a form of monism and unity throughout the universe.[5] It attempts to create "a worldview that includes both science and spirituality"[6] and embraces a number of forms of mainstream science as well as other forms of science that are considered fringe.

The origins of the movement can be found in Medieval astrology and alchemy, such as the writings of Paracelsus, in Renaissance interests in Hermeticism, in 18th century mysticism, such as that of Emanuel Swedenborg, and in beliefs in animal magnetism espoused by Franz Mesmer. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, authors such as Godfrey Higgins and the esotericists Eliphas Levi, Helena Blavatsky, and George Gurdjieff articulated specific histories, cosmologies, and some of the basic philosophical principles that would influence the movement. It experienced a revival as a result of the work of individuals such as Alice Bailey and organizations such as the Theosophical Society. It gained further momentum in the 1960s, taking influence from metaphysics, perennial philosophy, self-help psychology, and the various Indian gurus who visited the West during that decade.[7] In the 1970s, it developed a social and political component.[8]

The New Age movement includes elements of older spiritual and religious traditions ranging from Monotheism through Pantheism, Pandeism, Panentheism, and Polytheism combined with Science and Gaia philosophy; particularly Archaeoastronomy, Astronomy, Ecology, Environmentalism, the Gaia hypothesis, UFO religions, Psychology, and Physics.

New Age practices and philosophies sometimes draw inspiration from major world religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese folk religion, Christianity, Hinduism, Sufi Islam, Judaism (especially Kabbalah), Sikhism; with strong influences from East Asian religions, Esotericism, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Idealism, Neopaganism, New Thought, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Universalism, and Wisdom tradition.[9]

The subculture that later became known as New Age already existed in the early 1970s, based on and adopting ideas originally present in the counterculture of the 1960s. Two entities founded in 1962: the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California and the Findhorn Foundation—an intentional community which continues to operate the Findhorn Ecovillage near Findhorn, Moray, Scotland—played an instrumental role during the early growth period of the New Age movement.[28]

Widespread usage of the term New Age began in the mid-1970s (reflected in the title of monthly periodical New Age Journal), "when increasing numbers of people [...] began to perceive a broad similarity between a wide variety of "alternative ideas" and pursuits, and started to think of them as part of one "movement"".[29] This probably influenced several thousand small metaphysical book- and gift-stores that increasingly defined themselves as "New Age bookstores."[30][31] As a result of the large-scale activities surrounding the Harmonic Convergence in 1987, the American mass-media further popularised the term as a label for the alternative spiritual subculture, including practices such as meditation, channeling, crystal healing, astral projection, psychic experience, holistic health, simple living, and environmentalism; or belief in phenomena such as Earth mysteries, ancient astronauts, extraterrestrial life, unidentified flying objects, crop circles, and reincarnation. Several New Age publications appeared by the late 1980s such as Psychic Guide (later renamed Body, Mind & Spirit), Yoga Journal, New Age Voice, New Age Retailer, and NAPRA ReView by the New Age Publishers and Retailers Alliance. ^1*

E-texts New Age Literature

Gems from the East: A Birthday Book of Precepts and Axioms, ed. by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Dialogues of G. de Purucker by Gottfried de Purucker

Messages to Conventions, and Other Writings on the Policies, Work and Purposes of the T. S. by Gottfried de Purucker

Studies in Occult Philosophy by Gottfried de Purucker

Occult Glossary: A Compendium of Oriental and Theosophical Terms (1996 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker

H. P. Blavatsky to the American Conventions, 1888-1891, With a Historical Perspective by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Kirby Van Mater

Isis Unveiled: A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Key to Theosophy by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

Secret Doctrine Commentary: Transactions of the Blavatsky Lodge of the Theosophical Society by Theosophical Society Blavatsky Lodge

An Invitation to The Secret Doctrine by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy (1979 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker (HTML at TUP)

Archaic History of the Human Race (1939 edition) by Gertrude W. Van Pelt

Index to The Secret Doctrine by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and John P. Van Mater

The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

The Voice of the Silence: Being Chosen Fragments from the "Book of Golden Precepts" (1889 edition) by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

Evolution and Occultism by Annie Besant

  A Treatise on the Seven Rays by Alice Bailey - Volume 2 - Volume 3, Volume 4, VVolume 5,

Alice a. bailey Twenty-Four Books of Esoteric Philosophy

Echoes from the Orient: A Broad Outline of Theosophical Doctrines by William Quan Judge

Letters That Have Helped Me by William Quan Judge

Mind is a Myth: Disquieting Conversations with the Man Called U. G. by U. G. Krishnamurti

Thought is Your Enemy: Mind-Shattering Conversations with the Man Called U. G. by U. G. Krishnamurti, ed. by Antony Paul Frank Noronha

The Courage to Stand Alone: Conversations with the Man Called U. G. by U. G. Krishnamurti

Selected Works. (with biography and other writings) by U. G. Krishnamurti

The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett From the Mahatmas M. & K. H. (based on the 1926 edition), ed. by A. Trevor Barker

The Masters and the Path of Occultism by Gottfried de Purucker

The Esoteric Tradition (1940 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker

Golden Precepts of Esotericism (1979 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker

Fountain-Source of Occultism (1974 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker

Man in Evolution (1977 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker, ed. by Grace Frances Knoche

What Is Theosophy? A General View for Inquirers by Charles J. Ryan

The Gods Await (1992 edition) by Katherine Tingley

Theosophy: The Path of the Mystic (1977 edition) by Katherine Tingley

The Wine of Life (1996 edition) by Katherine Tingley

Esoteric Psychology by Alice Bailey - volume I:, volume II

The Rays and the Initiations Volume 5 by Alice Bailey

Spirit in Crisis by Henk Oosterink

Mahatmas and Chelas by Leoline L. Wright

Light on the Path by Mabel Collins

Through the Gates of Gold: A Fragment of Thought by Mabel Collins

A Cry From Afar by Mabel Collins

Expanding Horizons by James A. Long

Wind of the Spirit (1984 edition) by Gottfried de Purucker

The Astral Light by Henry T. Edge

After Death -- What? by Leoline L. Wright

Evolution by Henry T. Edge

Initiation Human and Solar

Esoteric Psychology - a Treatise on the Seven Rays - Vol. 1

Letters on Occult Meditation

Esoteric Psychology - a Treatise on the Seven Rays - Vol. 2

The Consciousness of the Atom

Esoteric Astrology - a Treatise on the Seven Rays - Vol. 3

Treatise on Cosmic Fire

Esoteric Healing - a Treatise on the Seven Rays - Vol. 4

The Light of the Soul

Rays and Initiations - a Treatise on the Seven Rays - Vol. 5

The Soul and its mechanism

Glamour - a World Problem

A Treatise on White Magic

Telepathy and the etheric vehicle

From Bethlehem to Calvary

The Externalization of the Hierarchy

Discipleship in the new Age - Vol. 1

From Intellect to Intuition

Discipleship in the new Age - Vol. 2

Unfinished autobiography

Problems of Humanity

Education in the New Age

The Reappereance of The Christ

Labours of Hercules

The Destiny of Nations

Hierarchies: The Ladder of Life by Gertrude W. Van Pelt (HTML at TUP)

The Seven Principles of Man: An Ancient Basis for a New Psychology by Leoline L. Wright

The Doctrine of Cycles by Lydia Ross

Rounds and Races (electronic edition, modified slightly from 1940 edition) by Gertrude W. Van Pelt

Reincarnation: A Lost Chord in Modern Thought by Leoline L. Wright

The Four Sacred Seasons by Gottfried de Purucker

Yoga and Yoga Discipline: A Theosophical Interpretation by Charles J. Ryan

H. P. Blavatsky and the SPR: An Examination of the Hodgson Report of 1885 by Vernon Harrison

H. P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Movement (1975 edition) by Charles J. Ryan, ed. by Grace Frances Knoche

The Sage and the Housewife by Shanta Kelker

Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man by Rudolf Steiner, ed. by Gilbert Church, trans. by Henry B. Monges

Guidance in Esoteric Training by Rudolf Steiner, ed. by Charles Davy and Owen Barfield

Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment by Rudolf Steiner, trans. by George Metaxa

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts: Anthroposophy as a Path of Knowledge (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Calendar of the Soul, trans. by Ruth Pusch and Hans Pusch (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Christianity as Mystical Fact; and the Mysteries of Antiquity (third edition; New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1914), ed. by Harry Collison Gutenberg text, multiple formats at archive.org

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Christianity as Mystical Fact; and the Mysteries of Antiquity (West Nyack, NY: Rudolf Steiner Publications, c1961), trans. by E. A. Frommer, Gabrielle Hess, and Peter Kandler (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Cosmic Memory: Prehistory of Earth and Man, trans. by Karl E. Zimmer (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Fundamentals of Therapy: An Extension of the Art of Healing through Spiritual Knowledge, also by Ita Wegman, trans. by E. A. Frommer and J. M. Josephson (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Guidance in Esoteric Training, ed. by Charles Davy and Owen Barfield (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment, trans. by George Metaxa (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and Its Attainment (New York: Anthroposophic Press, 1947), trans. by George Metaxa, Henry B. Monges, and Lisa D. Monges (HTML with commentary at sacred-texts.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Mystics of the Renaissance, and Their Relation to Modern Thought, Including Meister Eckhart, Tauler, Paracelsus, Jacob Boehme, Giordano Bruno, and Others (New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1911), trans. by Bertram Keightley (multiple formats at archive.org)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: An Outline of Occult Science (New York: Anthroposophic Press, 1922) (Gutenberg multiple formats)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Riddle of Humanity: The Spiritual Background of Human History, trans. by John F. Logan (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Selected works and commentary (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Spiritual Guidance of Mankind (London: Anthroposophical Society, c1921), ed. by Harry Collison (HTML with commentary at rsarchive.org)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Story of My Life, ed. by Harry Collison, contrib. by Marie Steiner (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Submerged Continents of Atlantis and Lemuria: Their History and Civilization; Being Chapters From the Akashic Records (Chicago: The Rajput Press, 1911), ed. by Max Gysi (page images at HathiTrust)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man, ed. by Gilbert Church, trans. by Henry B. Monges (HTML at elib.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man (Chicago and New York: Rand McNally, c1910), trans. by Elizabeth Douglas Shields (HTML at sacred-texts.com)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: The Threefold State: The True Aspect of the Social Question (London: Allen and Unwin, c1920) (multiple formats at archive.org)

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925: Truth and Knowledge (HTML at elib.com)

The Total Freedom Trap: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard (second edition) by Jon Atack

Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard (combined UK/US edition, with supplementary material) by Russell Miller

The Mind Benders by Cyril Vosper

What is Scientology? (electronic edition, based on the 1998 edition) by Church of Scientology

Autobiography of a Yogi (first edition, 1946) by Paramhansa Yogananda

The Urantia Book (1955 edition, with notes on updates) by Urantia Foundation