Aldous Huxley New American Library Bhagavad Gita Hinduism

Aldous Huxley in the introduction to the New American Library edition of the Bhagavad Gita interprets the Gita as not only the distillation of Hinduism but also the distillation of religion in general. Huxley claims that the theology of the Gita is relevant to all religious people not just to the Hindu because he says it presents the four basic elements of a spiritual world view.
He presents these four fundamental doctrines as what he calls the Perennial Philosophy:

"First: the phenomenal world of matter and of individualized consciousness - the world of things and animals and men and even gods - is the manifestation of a Divine Ground within which all partial realities have their being, and apart from which they would be nonexistent.

Second: human beings are capable not merely of knowing about the Divine Ground by inference; they can also realize its existence by a direct intuition, superior to discursive reasoning. This immediate knowledge unites the knower with that which is known.

Third: man possesses a double nature, a phenomenal ego and an eternal Self, which is the inner man, the spirit, the spark of divinity within the soul. It is possible for a man, if he so desires, to identify himself with the spirit and therefore with the divine Ground, which is of the same or like nature with the spirit.

Fourth: man's life on earth has only one end and purpose: to identify himself with his eternal Self and so to come to unitive knowledge of the Divine Ground."

Of course, Huxley's Divine Ground is called Brahman in the Gita. But after Huxley discusses these four aspects of religion giving examples from a variety of religious traditions, he comes to the modern world-view and conjectures about why modern people have turned away from religion - he blames industrialization and technology.

Because of technological progress, Huxley claims that a utopian vision of life on earth has driven people away from the thurst for spiritual knowledge. He writes about the doctrine of progress through technology: "These false and, historically, aberrant and heretical doctrines are now systematically taught in our schools and repeated, day in, day out, by those anonymous writers of advertising copy who, more than any other teachers, provide European and American adults with their current philosophy of life."

I think we should put Huxley's pessimistic remarks about modern technology into historical perspective. He wrote these words in 1944 at the height of World War II. The technological innovations that he was witnessing were the most destructive forces of terror that man had ever unleashed on the planet. It is no wonder, then, that he sees technology as the antithesis of the religious life.

new age religion wiki wikipedia section on new age Spirituality Philosophy and cosmology

Spirituality - wiki on Spirituality "While there is no unified belief system, many spiritual practices and philosophies are common among adherents of the New Age Movement".



some important new age religion key words, are in this section that you will see crop up in new age religion discussions often.

in new age religion words like Spiritual beings
Gods, angels, Ascended Masters, elementals, ghosts, faeries, Spirit guides and the Afterlife, spirit, reincarnation and/or near-death experiences, among other terms in the section below.

"Philosophy and cosmology
Main articles: Philosophy and Cosmology
Theism
There is a general and abstract idea of God, which can be understood in many ways; seen as a superseding of the need to anthropomorphize deity. Not to be confused with pantheism.[citation needed]
Spiritual beings
Gods, angels, Ascended Masters, elementals, ghosts, faeries, Spirit guides and extraterrestrials can spiritually guide a person, if they open themselves to their guidance.
Afterlife
Consciousness persists after death as life in different forms; the afterlife exists for further learning through the form of a spirit, reincarnation and/or near-death experiences. There may be a belief in hell, but typically not in the traditional Christian sense or Islamic sense of eternal damnation. Universalist views of the afterlife are common.
Age of Aquarius
The current time period is claimed by some astrologers to be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius correlated to various changes in the world and some claim that the early 1960s was the actual beginning of the Age of Aquarius, though this claim is highly contentious. Common claims about the developments associated with the Age of Aquarius include, but are not limited to, human rights, democracy, innovative technology, electricity, computers, and aviation. Esoteric claims are that the Age of Aquarius will see a rise in consciousness.
Astrology
Horoscopes and the Zodiac are used in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters.[28]
Teleology
Life has a purpose; this includes a belief in synchronicity—that coincidences have spiritual meaning and lessons to teach those whom are open to them. Everything is universally connected through God and participates in the same energy.[29] There is a cosmic goal and a belief that all entities are (knowingly or unknowingly) cooperating towards this goal.
Indigo children
Children are being born with a more highly developed spiritual power than earlier generations.
Interpersonal relationships
There are opportunities to learn about one's self and relationships are destined to be repeated until they are healthy.
Intuition
An important aspect of perception – offset by a somewhat strict rationalism – noted especially in the works of psychologist Carl Jung.
Optimism
Positive thinking supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything;[34] this is based on the concept that Thought Creates. Therefore, as one begins focusing attention and consciousness on the positive, on the "half-filled" glass of water, reality starts shifting and materializing the positive intentions and aspects of life. A certain critical mass of people with a highly spiritual consciousness will bring about a sudden change in the whole population.[35] Humans have a responsibility to take part in positive creative activity and to work to heal ourselves, each other and the planet.
Human Potential Movement
The human mind has much greater potential than that ascribed to it[37][38][39] and is even capable of overriding physical reality.
Spiritual healing
Humans have potential healing powers, such as therapeutic touch, which can be developed to heal others through touch or at a distance".