Gods of the New Age

Gods of the New Age examines the rise of Eastern spirituality and New Age practices in Western culture. Author Caryl Matrisciana draws from her personal experiences growing up in India and later encountering Eastern mysticism in the West. The book tracks the evolution of New Age philosophy from its roots in ancient Eastern religions to its modern manifestations in Western society. Through interviews and research, Matrisciana documents the influence of these beliefs on health practices, education, entertainment, and religious movements. This investigative work analyzes specific New Age concepts including meditation, yoga, reincarnation, and holistic healing approaches. Matrisciana contrasts these practices with traditional Christian beliefs while exploring their impact on Western spiritual perspectives. The text serves as both a historical overview and a critical examination of how ancient Eastern religious concepts have transformed modern Western spirituality. Through this lens, the book raises questions about cultural adoption, spiritual authenticity, and the intersection of Eastern and Western religious thought.

Readers praise the book for exposing links between New Age practices and Eastern religions, with many highlighting the author's firsthand experience in the movement. Christian readers appreciate the comparison of New Age beliefs against Biblical teachings. What readers liked: - Detailed research and documentation - Personal testimony aspect - Clear warnings about spiritual deception - Practical examples for identifying New Age influences What readers disliked: - Writing can be unfocused and repetitive - Some passages seen as overly alarmist - Outdated references (book from 1985) - Limited perspective beyond Christian viewpoint Ratings: Amazon: 4.6/5 (58 reviews) Goodreads: 4.1/5 (38 ratings) Review quotes: "Eye-opening research on yoga's religious roots" - Amazon reviewer "Too black-and-white in its conclusions" - Goodreads reviewer "Helped me understand the spiritual dangers" - ChristianBook.com review

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The Beautiful Side of Evil by Johanna Michaelsen This account explores the author's involvement with psychic healing and New Age spirituality while examining the philosophical foundations of these practices.

🔮 Caryl Matrisciana was born in India and spent her first 20 years there, giving her firsthand experience with many of the Eastern religious practices she later wrote about 📚 The book was one of the first mainstream Christian works to examine the New Age movement's influence on Western culture in the 1980s 🎬 The author later adapted the book into a documentary film of the same name, which featured interviews with former New Age practitioners 🌟 Many of the trends the book warned about - yoga, meditation, and Eastern spirituality in Western culture - have become even more prevalent since its 1985 publication 🔍 Matrisciana went on to produce over 60 documentary films investigating various spiritual and cultural movements through her company Caryl Productions