According to Heelas New Age groups are characterised as self-spirituality where people are seeking spirituality and try to find themselves and detraditionalisation are those who reject scared texts and value personal experience and discovering the truth about themselves. People can find in this in New Age groups, where beliefs include UFO’s and aliens, astrology, tarot cards, crystals, various forms of alternative medicines like healing, yoga and magic. New Age groups are extremely diverse eclectic, their beliefs can vary from being world-affirming that help people succeed in the outer world and world-rejecting that help people become enlightened in the inner world.
Drane argues that New Age groups appeal because of the changes in post-modern society, where there is a loss in faith of the claims to have the ‘truth’. Since science promise of bringing a better world seemed to be lost and society is more fragmented e.g. wars and global warming thus making people disillusioned with churches as it fails to meet their spiritual needs. As a result people are turning to New Age groups to help them on a journey of self-spiritually rather than the metanarratives of traditional churches.
There is also loss of faith in science due to problems caused by science and technology
New Age groups can also be appealing because it is part of late modern society. In the modern era, as we have tried to become enlightened and New Age groups fit part of it also being modern and individualised. We are now trying to know ourselves, especially expressive professionals such as scientists and doctors who are interested in human potential. However, Bruce would argue that this can’t possibly be real religion because of its relaxation elements.
Heelas also believes that New Age groups apply to modernity in serval ways. New Age groups give a source of identity because an individual may have a fragmented lifestyle, a group will give them a sense of ‘authentic’ identity. As consumer culture creates promises that can never be fulfilled, a new age group will fulfil their promise. Rapid social change in today’s society disrupts established norms and values therefore a New Age provides the truth. And lastly due to the decline of organised religion, having an alternative such as a New Age group can provide beliefs.
New Age groups appeal especially for women, as the Kendal study saw a 1.6% growth of New Age organisation since 2000. New Age groups help women reject their ascribed role that they have in traditional churches, whereas New Age groups often give women a higher status and will give them a sense of self-worth. New age groups have elements of healing and caring that attract women to find their authentic self. On the other hand, some women may like the iron cage that having gender roles in a traditional churches have because it tell women what to do in life.
New age groups appeals to an individual because they offer different types of beliefs. The most common ones are new age groups such as Wicca, a world rejecting group, is based of witchcraft but is new age because it has become popular with those who want to reconnect with the world and get back to nature as opposed to what is happening in today‘s society where technology and science is driving us away from this. Transcendental Meditation is an evidence based meditation that can help overcome conditions such as anxiety, depression and high blood pressure. This is perfect for middle class people who are finding an alternative response to heavy medication. It’s well educated, well-read audience may also lost confidence in science and technology because it can’t help them physically and spiritually. And finally The Findhorn community gives individuals a place to get away from their fragmented life that is repetitive to enjoy the countryside and rediscover themselves in a community, doing enjoyable activities.