Description. New Age
inner work involves turning inward to seek the "wisdom"
of alleged inner guides, "sanctified" or empowered
imagination, the power of the unconscious mind,
"archetypes," and other information sources. Concepts
from Jungian psychology in particular are employed in New Age
inner work.
How does it claim to work? For
New Agers, every person has a divine "inner core" or
"higher self" that can be contacted by the proper
methods (meditation, visualization, dream work, yoga, Jungian
active imagination, shamanistic practice, and so on). This inner
core is said to be a reservoir of wisdom and information on any
number of subjects.
Scientific evaluation. Discredited;
neither brain research nor the objective study of the mind offers
evidence for the claims of New Age inner work.
Examples of occult potential. Psychic
development, spiritism.
Major problems.
Spiritism is masked under neutral categories (e.g., the
unconscious mind or "higher self") and redefined as
latent human potential.
Biblical/Christian evaluation. The
inner nature of man is not a storehouse of tremendous divine
wisdom and power; rather, man’s true inner nature is sinful and
self-serving (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19-20).
Potential dangers. Psychological
hazards. (e.g., forms of psychopathology); problems resulting from
self-deception or the reception of false information from the
inner work in any number of areas (e.g., finances, doctrine,
health; occult influences).
