I find a lot of New Age spirituality to be a bit damaging to the psyche because it promotes spiritual bypassing, hyper-independence, and doesn’t acknowledge that oppression is real.

Spiritual bypassing = Positivity mindset that doesn’t allow space for “negative” emotions. Using things such as Law of Attraction to gaslight others who are feeling their full range of emotions.

Hyper-independence = “Who heals the healer?” Promoting the idea to do everything by yourself, even creating competition on who is the most “spiritual” rather than building community.

The lack of acknowledgement of oppression and very real socio-environmental factors doesn’t make New Age spirituality reasonable for the marginalized.

When people call me spiritual, though I understand their intention, if we really breakdown that word I’m far from it.

I’m a religious person that practices an African traditional religion every day. I am a traditionalist, using ancestral technology to navigate my life.

It’s not a stretch to say the lack of acknowledgement of oppression means that New Age spirituality really wasn’t for black people and other PoC, but mainly created by and for white spiritualists.

I strongly believe my black people and other poc should look to engaging with their own ancestral technology and run away from New Age.

Because the biggest thing you’re missing for growth is a relationship to your community and elders to properly assist you.

New Age spirituality promotes people to thinking they’re always correct and leads to appropriation of other cultural religions for the sake of New Age.

Which leads to a lot of damaging misuse of indigenous religions. Because New Age doesn’t have rules, elders, or regulations.

People who practice New Age spirituality can read 1-2 books, get reiki once, and take some masterclasses with a white yoga instructor and proclaim themselves as a “guru” all within 72 hours. Because New Age doesn’t have rules. How do you know if someone is really legit?

If you’re black and interested in African Traditional/Diasporic religions like Hoodoo, Ifa, Orisha Santería, Condomble, Benin Vodun, Haitian Vodou, Oguega, etc you gotta drop the New Age mindset before you enter. These religions have rules, eldership, and regulations for safety.