Amanda had always felt a yearning for something more, a deeper connection to the universe. So, when a friend invited her to a crystal healing session, her curiosity was piqued.
The calming atmosphere, the gentle music, the beautiful stones – it all felt very peaceful. But later that night, a strange unease settled over her. The dreams that followed were vivid and unsettling.
Shaken, Amanda confided in her pastor, who explained the teachings of the New Age movement. He shared the verse from the Book of 1 John:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1 John 4:1 (NIV)
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This encounter sparked a journey for Amanda. She wanted to understand these practices better, but more importantly, how they aligned with her faith.
This blog post is for anyone, like Amanda, who has ever felt drawn to New Age ideas. I’ll explore different practices, how they might conflict with scripture, and ultimately, how to find true peace and fulfillment in Christ.
What is the New Age Movement?
The New Age movement is a spiritual philosophy that has gained immense popularity. It promises secret wisdom, mystical experiences, and supernatural power.
The main belief is that you can become your own “god” and control reality with your mind.
New Agers worship the created things, not the Creator. They constantly appeal to the universe, energy, their “higher self,” spirit guides, or astrology.
They do not submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The New Age movement merges teachings from Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism with pagan practices like Shamanism, neopagan nature worship, and Native American religions.
This is why you’ll find many similarities between New Age beliefs and what the Bible explicitly forbids.
As you read this post, I hope that your discernment will be sharpened and you’ll cling more closely to the Word of God.
“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 19:31 (NIV)
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Why New Age Practices Are Spiritually Dangerous
Let me highlight why dabbling into New Age practices is very dangerous before diving into the specific ones to avoid:
1. New Age practices bypass Jesus and position yourself as the authority over your life instead of submitting to God.
New Age teachers tell you to look within to find truth instead of seeking God in humility. This leads to arrogance, deception, and rebellion.
2. New Age practices open doors to deceiving spirits.
The Holy Spirit explicitly warns that doctrines of demons will increase in the last days:
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV)
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Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Without discernment, it’s easy to be led astray.
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
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3. New Age practices promise secret wisdom outside of God’s Word.
The Bible contains everything you need for salvation, godly living, and true wisdom.
If you neglect Scripture in favor of “new revelation,” you’ll be tossed by every wind of false teaching.
I hope that this post on popular New Age practices equips you to exercise greater discernment and cling more closely to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Now, let’s explore specific New Age practices that are infiltrating the modern church.
1. Law of Attraction
The law of attraction teaches that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences.
Focus your mind, send “good vibes” out to the universe, and you can “manifest” money, relationships, and success.
This belief system bypasses God and glorifies the self.
It also dabbles in pantheism (the belief that everyone is God).
When you try to manipulate outcomes through your thoughts, you usurp God’s sovereignty. You must surrender your desires to Christ instead of demanding the universe bend to your will.
Furthermore, the law of attraction relies on New Age concepts like:
- Meditating to make contact with “Source Energy”.
- Tapping into the “Divine Mind”.
- Unlocking your inner potential to become a “god”.
- Raising your vibration frequency.
Scripture, in contrast, tells us to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2), pray according to God’s will (1 John 5:14), and find our identity in Christ alone.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
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The law of attraction is self-deification cloaked in pleasant euphemisms. It leads people away from their Creator by encouraging them to tap into mystical “forces” to engineer their best life.
Reject this practice as self-idolatry and continue to point people to the true and living God.
“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.”
Isaiah 42:8 (NIV)
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2. Meditation
Meditation is a broad term. Biblical meditation fills your mind with Scripture and focuses on Christ.
Unbiblical meditation empties your mind, repeats mantras, and channels universal energy.
New Age meditation aims to tap into your subconscious, unlock psychic abilities, communicate with spirit guides, and reach higher states of consciousness.
The goal is to realize your own divinity apart from God. This contradicts Jesus’s teaching:
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
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If your meditation technique uses any of these dangerous practices, avoid it:
- Repeating mantras.
- Visualizing symbols, geometric patterns, or mystical images.
- Silent observation of the breath.
- Gazing at candles or mandalas.
- Yogic body postures and gestures.
- Entering trance states.
- Channeling energy, spirits, or “ascended masters”.
Emptying your mind makes you vulnerable to spiritual attacks:
“43 When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
Matthew 12:43-45 (NIV)
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Instead of New Age meditation, fill your mind with Scripture:
“2 Whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”
Psalms 1:2-3 (NIV)
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The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth if you seek God with humility instead of pursuing hidden knowledge (John 16:13).
3. Yoga
Yoga’s heart is Hindu spiritual enlightenment not merely physical exercise. It is by nature a worship ritual to awaken your “god within” and become one with Brahman (Hindu concept of universal divinity).
The poses in yoga are offerings to specific Hindu deities like the Sun god Surya and the goddess of destruction Kali.
For instance, the Surya namaskar (“Sun Salutation”) sequence of postures is comprised of multiple bowing-down poses to worship Surya.
Yoga isn’t just physical—it is an act of spiritual devotion.
Advocates whitewash yoga’s religious core to market it to Westerners. But by participating you align yourself with idol worship.
This violates God’s first commandment:
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3 (NIV)
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There is no such thing as “Christian yoga.” If you strip yoga of its spiritual purpose, all that’s left is stretching not yoga.
There are many ways to stretch your body for fitness and flexibility that don’t involve following a pagan ritual of worship.
“15 What harmony has Christ with Belial [the devil]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?”
2 Corinthians 6:15-16a (NIV)
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4. Universalism
Universalism asserts that all spiritual roads lead to the same divine destination.
It teaches that no matter what (or even whether) you believe, God will save and reconcile everyone in the end.
If this were true, Jesus’s exhortation to repent and believe in the Gospel to avoid perishing (John 3:16; Luke 13:3) would ring hollow.
“I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
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God’s wrath over sin revealed in Romans 1-3 would seem unjust or even cruel.
The doctrine of hell makes no sense if God excuses all sin simply because He’s so unconditionally “loving.”
This heresy traps billions of people in darkness by denying the exclusivity of Jesus Christ:
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
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Our pluralistic culture cringes on the idea of absolute religious truth. But Jesus’s words could not be clearer—He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 (NIV)
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Watering down this reality in the name of inclusion leads people away from God’s saving grace into deception. Let us cling to Scripture rather than the shifting tides of culture.
5. Crystals
Crystal healing taps into earth elements and mystical energy instead of God’s power.
It treats crystals like amulets with the magical ability to heal diseases, remove negative energy, and bring good luck.
Occultists believe they can manipulate unseen spiritual forces to serve their own ends. Scripture forbids witchcraft, sorcery, fortune-telling, and occult amulets like crystals (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
Only Jesus has the power to heal and set free:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Acts 10:38 (NIV)
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Crystals cannot detect spiritual darkness or remove demonic influence as the Holy Spirit does.
At best, crystals provide a psychological placebo effect. At worst, they usher people into contact with deceiving spirits. In either case, they pull you away from trusting in Christ.
Crystals keep people trapped in the limited physical realm while blocking access to the Almighty God.
They have become trendy idols that compete with Jesus instead of leading people to acknowledge His Lordship.
Let us warn others of these deceptive practices and not remain silent. The spiritually desperate and wounded are most vulnerable to Satan’s snares.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NIV)
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6. Tarot Cards
Tarot cards are a form of divination. Occultists believe they channel ancient mystic wisdom that unlocks secrets about the past, present, and future.
The modern Tarot deck can be traced back to 15th-century Europe. The fact that they’re mainstream today shows how much Western culture has shifted away from its Christian roots toward spiritual darkness cleverly repackaged as tools for self-empowerment.
Tarot readers use the cards to tap into psychic abilities and contact the spirit realm. But the Bible strongly condemns mediums and spiritists who consult the dead on behalf of the living.
“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 19:31 (NIV)
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“I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.”
Leviticus 20:6 (NIV)
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Attempting to access supernatural knowledge God did not intend reveals arrogance and rebellion against God.
When you pursue secret wisdom outside of Christ, you open doors to deception. Jesus alone holds the keys to the unseen world.
“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:18 (NIV)
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Spiritual knowledge comes only through God’s self-revelation in Scripture illuminated by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10).
Tarot and other forms of divination keep people trapped in bondage to the demonic by providing counterfeit guidance.
Let us point people instead to the Wonderful Counselor Jesus and the “more sure word of prophecy” in Scripture (2 Peter 1:19).
7. Astral Projection
Astral projection (or “astral travel”) teaches you to consciously exit your body and enter the spirit realm using visualization techniques, meditation, trance states, and more.
Seeking out-of-body experiences to explore spiritual dimensions invites deception in the guise of imparting hidden knowledge.
Scripture records a few instances where God Himself removes someone from their body to encounter the heavenly realms or receive divine revelation.
“I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven.”
2 Corinthians 12:2 (NASB)
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But these experiences are extremely rare and always initiated by the Lord, not produced through techniques, rituals, or substances.
Any practice that attempts to program your spirit to leave your body is extremely dangerous.
You make yourself vulnerable to evil spirits who masquerade as angels, spirit guides, deceased loved ones, star beings, and more.
Demons can even attach themselves to you parasitically. And many people return emotionally tormented by what they encounter after leaving their God-given physical boundaries unprotected.
Instead of chasing astral thrills focus on pursuing intimacy with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.
He alone can impart true revelation knowledge in a balanced way that transforms your heart and mind without leading you into spiritual danger.
“18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
Colossians 2:18-19 (ESV)
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Additional New Age Practices to Avoid
Here are other New Age practices infiltrating the church today. I’ll mention them briefly since this post is already lengthy:
- Angel cards – Divination tool to access guidance from angels and spirits (forbidden in Scripture).
- Enneagram – Personality typing tool with occult origins used for self-insight; focuses on self rather than Christ.
- Reiki – Energy healing technique that channels universal life force energy; not the Holy Spirit.
- Spirit guides – Demonic spirits masquerading as spiritually advanced beings; forbidden in the Bible.
- Channeling – Practice of contacting the dead or serving as a spirit medium; strongly condemned by God.
- Past life regression – Seeking to uncover memories from alleged past lives; reincarnation is unbiblical.
- Alien contact – Making contact with alleged extraterrestrials; these are fallen angels/demonic spirits.
- Light therapy – Harness colors, visualization, chakras, and energy rather than the healing Spirit of God.
- Earth worship – Pagan reverence and worship of the earth, sun, and creation leads to spiritual deception.
- Shamanism – Seeking spiritual power/insight through altered states of consciousness.
- Spirit release therapy – Tries to “release” spirits attached to someone rather than commanding demons out in Jesus’ name.
The list of unbiblical New Age practices is too long to cover fully in this post. But hopefully, I’ve given you discernment in a wide swath of areas!
Common Misconceptions About New Age Practices
Next, I want to address some common misconceptions.
1. Isn’t Focusing on “Negative” Topics Unspiritual?
Some well-meaning Christians avoid studying spiritual warfare and deception thinking it will “pollute their spirit.”
I often hear objections like these:
- “Studying heresy focuses too much on the enemy.”
- “Other religions have truth too.”
- “Doesn’t God say to avoid arguments and debates?”
- “Let’s not judge or condemn others.”
Here’s the problem – the Bible talks about false teachings and prophets more than it talks about hell.
Approximately 20-25% of Jesus’s words as recorded in Scripture confront and correct errors in teaching.
Why does the Bible hammer so much on calling out unbiblical concepts? Because God cares deeply for those following lies that will ultimately damn them to hell.
Gently confronting them with grace and truth is an act of compassion, not judgment.
“Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
James 5:20 (NIV)
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Furthermore, if the abundance of God’s Word emphasizes discernment and testing every spirit, how can we claim it’s “unspiritual” to heed its warnings?
Misplaced tolerance and biblical illiteracy have created an environment where obvious heresy gets overlooked or even embraced in many churches today.
My goal with this blog isn’t to stir up needless debates but to awaken your discernment so you can enjoy a strong relationship with Jesus rooted in His eternal truth.
2. Won’t This Make Me Judgmental and Intolerant?
Calling out falsehood sounds intolerant in our inclusive culture. People fear it will damage relationships or shut down fruitful interfaith dialogue.
But we serve a Lord who refused to tolerate lies that draw people away from God’s kingdom.
Jesus’s sharpest rebukes were always directed at religious deception (Matthew 23).
Of course, we must speak truth with compassion, having first examined our own lives.
We should humble ourselves before God’s Word and not pronounce ultimate judgment on someone’s soul.
Discernment checks self-righteous pride at the door.
At the same time, we have a spiritual responsibility to confront poisonous concepts that keep others trapped outside of salvation in Jesus Christ.
The most hateful thing we could do is downplay or hide the seriousness of these false teachings just to avoid controversy.
If we don’t warn those following a spiritual counterfeit, who will?
How Do You Witness to New Age Friends?
When sharing Jesus with New Age-influenced friends, focus on highlighting His superior truth and power. Do not just attack what they already believe.
For example, when crystals come up you could say, “I used to be really into crystals too. But I’ve found a deeper healing and freedom in Christ that crystals never provided.” Then share your story.
Ask good questions to understand where they are coming from instead of just blasting away. Listen twice as much as you speak.
Pray the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom to navigate each conversation with patience and care.
The life and power of Christ shining through our lives speak louder than arguments.
Pray for opportunities to demonstrate Jesus’s love in action by serving and honoring others.
When you lift up Christ, you don’t have to tear down every little thing you disagree with. The Light of Christ exposes darkness naturally. Your life must affirm the truth we speak.
Key Takeaways
- The New Age movement promises secret wisdom and mystical experiences outside of Christ. This leads many astray.
- Practices like the law of attraction, unbiblical meditation, and crystals bypass Jesus to tap into a “higher self” or the universe.
- Yoga aims for Hindu spiritual enlightenment because it is by nature a form of worship and ritual.
- Beliefs like universalism deny Jesus as the exclusive Way by asserting all spiritual roads lead to God.
- Occult practices that attempt to access supernatural power and hidden knowledge apart from Christ open demonic doors.
- The most dangerous aspect of the New Age movement is that it focuses mostly on the self rather than submitting to God.
- Jesus Christ alone is the Truth and the Life. Let us fill our minds with Scripture instead of spiritual alternatives that compete for our affection. Then we’ll avoid deception.
- Walking intimately with the Lord and allowing His Word to renew our minds is the path to true wisdom and freedom.
Final Thoughts
I hope this thorough teaching on popular New Age practices to avoid has brought discernment and hunger for the true wisdom found in Christ alone.
I want to encourage you to fill your life with the Word of God, be led by the Holy Spirit, grow in intimacy with Jesus through continual worship and prayer, and find your identity only in Him.
As you fix your eyes on Christ Jesus you’ll become rooted and established in love, able to grasp the width, length, height, and depth of His vast love for us (Ephesians 3:17-19).
I’m reminded of this passage from the Book of Isaiah that compares seeking occult guidance versus godly wisdom:
“12 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 13 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 14 Distressed and hungry, they will roam the earth; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 15 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.”
Isaiah 8:19-22 (NIV)
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Do not open yourself up to deceit. Find true life, wisdom, and satisfaction in Christ as you prayerfully study His Word and yield continually to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
I pray this post on discerning popular New Age practices has prepared and equipped you to enjoy an intimate walk with the Lord Jesus Christ as you reject that which competes for your affection!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. If New Age practices are so dangerous why are they becoming so popular?
A. People are spiritually hungry for mystical experiences because we’re made for supernatural fellowship with God.
When the church lacks spiritual power and intimacy with Christ to meet this need, the New Age provides a tantalizing counterfeit version that resonates with our souls.
Q. Isn’t it intolerant to say Jesus is the only way to God?
A. Truth by nature excludes. 2+2 can only equal 4. Jesus didn’t just claim He was “a” way but “the only” way.
If all religions were equally valid paths God wouldn’t have sent His Son to rescue us from vain spiritual pursuits at such immense personal cost. God cares too much about our eternal destinies to remain silent.
Q. Aren’t all spiritual practices that encourage self-reflection and inner growth helpful?
A. Although the principles in certain teachings may seem morally sound if the end goal draws you away from submitting fully to Jesus Christ and relying completely on Scripture, you’ll remain in spiritual blindness.
Even if temporary benefits arise, embracing an ultimately deceptive worldview keeps you from your highest purpose of intimate union with God.
Q. How can I have spiritual experiences or tap into mystical realms without dabbling in New Age practices?
A. Develop maturity in Christ through the study of Scripture, praying in the Spirit, worshipping in song, fasting, and pursuing intimacy with God. This will release greater measures of His miraculous power through your life.
As you host His presence and move according to His initiative you’ll walk in sync with the will of God.
Q. What should I do if I’ve already opened doors through some of these practices?
A. First, repent for alignment with any counterfeit beliefs or spirits. Renounce involvement with any New Age practices or objects you own.
Ask God to close any spiritual doors you’ve opened. Then fill your life with Scripture, prayer, worship, Christian community, and communion with Jesus through personal devotion.
Be empowered by Christ and His indwelling Spirit rather than counterfeits.
