CHAPTER ELEVEN VISIONS OF THE PAST 1. INTRODUCTION In chapter five I mentioned the apparent discrepancy between New Age belief in large astrological cycles, on the one hand, and the almost exclusive focus on the arrival of the next age, on the other. Even though the belief in recur­ ring cycles logically implies that the New Age will eventually be followed by yet another one, there seems to be practically no interest in such post-Aquar­ ian ages. Likewise, the ages preceding the Piscean are seldom referred to by their astrological names, possible though this would be in theory 1• While this situation seems rather strange from a strictly logical point of view, it makes sense ifwe interpret the New Age movement as a manifestation of popular cul­ ture criticism2. New Age thinking is essentially a reaction to the ideas and val­ ues which are perceived as having dominated western culture during the last two thousand years. I already made reference to this at the beginning of chap­ ter six, section 2, and will return to it in Part Three of this study. At this point, it is important to emphasize that New Age visions of the past are strongly dom­ inated by a systematic opposition of what might be called "Piscean" and "Aquarian" values. This corresponds to an opposition between the values of dominant Judaeo-Christian traditions and modern rationalism, on the one hand, and the values of New Age spirituality, on the other. The latter, however, are not emically regarded as new and unprecedented but as a revival of ancient wisdom traditions. Accordingly, we arrive at a circular vision which has three phases: an ancient period during which spiritual wisdom flourished (in some parts of the world at least); a period of spiritual decline (exemplified most clearly by the Piscean Age); and a hoped-for revival (the Age of Aquarius). As we will see, most New Age ideas about this cycle derive from modern Theo­ sophical speculation which, in turn, is dependent upon older traditions in west­ ern esotericism. It is important to notice, however, the difference in emphasis 1 The order of the astrological ages is the reverse of the order of the astrological year (where Aquarius precedes Pisces). This means that the Piscean Age was preceded by the Age of Aries (appr. 2000 B.C.), which was preceded by the Age of Taurus (appr. 4000-2000 B.C.), and so on; the coming Age of Aquarius will be followed by an Age of Capricorn (cf. Culver & Ianna, Astrol­ ogy, ch. 6: 'The Age of Aquarius'). 2 Hanegraaff, 'New Age en cultuurkritiek'; id., 'Verschijnsel New Age'; id., 'New Age Move­ ment'. VISIONS OF THE PAST 303 between the New Age movement and modern Theosophy. Theories of large cosmic cycles, successive "root races", ages of the world etcetera are a promi­ nent and central part of traditional theosophical thought; in the New Age movement, however, these theories are used at most in a very eclectic manner. In general, "macrohistorical schemes" are loosely referred to when they come in convenient, but systematical expositions are scarce3• Special mention must me made of the fact that New Age visions of history are characterized by a remarkably exclusive concentration on western devel­ opments. Not the "spiritual" east, as one might expect, but the Christian west is consistently highlighted as the center stage for those historical events which have been essential to humanity's spiritual evolution. This "ethnocentric" focus betrays a latent ambivalence which I believe goes to the heart of New Age reli­ gion. The emergence of Christianity is generally believed to mark the begin­ ning of the Piscean Age, and this might suggest that it should be valued neg­ atively. However, a figure such as Z Budapest, who hates Christianity, is whol­ ly uncharacteristic; her derisive remarks about Christianity's 'good guy, Jesus, in his long white nightgown'4 would undoubtedly offend many New Age believ­ ers. It is true that New Agers are generally very critical of how the churches have ministered Jesus's message. Characteristically, however, rather than reject­ ing historical Christianity for that reason, they prefer to look for a hidden tra­ dition of "esoteric Christianity" which is in fundamental agreement both with Jesus's message and with the esoteric core of other religions. New Age believ­ ers, then, although they proclaim the end of the Piscean Age, will seldom describe themselves as wholly hostile to the religion which dominated that age. This is not only for reasons of tolerance and "world ecumenism", although that is also involved. More importantly, it illustrates a thesis which will be put for­ ward in Part Three of this study. We will see that New Age religion is rooted in complex post-Enlightenment developments of the western religious con- 3 Fritjof Capra refers to the theories of Arnold Toynbee and Pitirim Sorokin about the rise and decline of cultures (TP 26-33). The Ramala masters present a revamped version of Joachim of Fiore's theories: the "Father aspect" of divine reality was grounded in Tibet or Northern Mon­ golia (but compare the accounts of RR and WR) at the beginning of the age of Aries (4000 years ago); the "Son aspect" in the Holy Land at the beginning of the age of Pisces; and the Age of Aquarius will complete the process by grounding the Holy Spirit in ... Glastonbury (RR 270; WR 268. Cf. WR 269: the age that will begin two thousand years from now-presumably the age of Capricorn, cf. note I-will begin in America. One cannot help wondering what "aspect" will be grounded on that occasion: the Father once again?); Ken Wilber's UfE presents a full-blown "neo-Hegelian" history of human evolution (UfE 314 about Hegel: 'Although I have not that often mentioned him in this book, his shadow falls on every page'), which is progressive rather than circular because it moves from the pre-personal to the personal to the trans-personal. Each of these theories stands isolated within our corpus as a whole. Only David Spangler's descrip­ tion of large astrological cycles (see his foundational text RBNA 92-97) seems to have found a wider echo. 4 HBWM 162. .