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The '''New age movement''' is a large collection of differing beliefs and practices, which all share a desire for [[spiritual]] growth and personal development. Practices often include a mixture of [[astrology]], [[reincarnation]], [[tarot card]] reading, [[crystal ball]] gazing, [[acupuncture]], [[meditation]], [[Eastern mysticism]], and many others. An early influence on the growth of the New Age movement was the founding of the [[Theosophical Society]] by [[Madame Blavatsky]] in 1875, but it gained most popularity in the 1960s, when its followers looked forward to the dawning of the [[Age of Aquarius]] and the passing of the Age of Pisces which they saw as dominated by [[Christianity]].<ref>The Age of Pisces, Greek "fishes", signified by the [[Astrology|astrological]] [[Astrology#Sun signs|Zodiac]] sign of two fish swimming in opposite directions, is seen by New Agers as evident in the early Christian use of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ IChThUS, Greek for "fish" '''ιχθύς''' ''ichthys'' (origin  of the word for the scientific study of fish [[Ichthyology]]), as representing Ίησούς Χριστός Θεός Ύίός Σωτέρ – '''Ί'''ησούς '''I'''esous, '''Χ'''ριστός '''Ch'''ristos, '''Θ'''εός '''Th'''eos, '''Ύ'''ίός '''hU'''ios, '''Σ'''ωτέρ '''S'''oter – "'''J'''esus '''Ch'''rist '''G'''od's '''S'''on '''S'''avior".</ref>

The '''New age movement''' is a large collection of differing beliefs and practices, which all share a desire for [[spiritual]] growth and personal development. Practices often include a mixture of [[astrology]], [[reincarnation]], [[tarot card]] reading, [[crystal ball]] gazing, [[acupuncture]], [[meditation]], [[Eastern mysticism]], and many others. An early influence on the growth of the New Age movement was the founding of the [[Theosophical Society]] by [[Madame Blavatsky]] in 1875, but it gained most popularity in the 1960s, when its followers looked forward to the dawning of the [[Age of Aquarius]] and the passing of the Age of [[Pisces]] which they saw as dominated by [[Christianity]].<ref>The Age of Pisces, Greek "fishes", signified by the [[Astrology|astrological]] [[Astrology#Sun signs|Zodiac]] sign of two fish swimming in opposite directions, is seen by New Agers as evident in the early Christian use of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ IChThUS, Greek for "fish" '''ιχθύς''' ''ichthys'' (origin  of the word for the scientific study of fish [[Ichthyology]]), as representing Ίησούς Χριστός Θεός Ύίός Σωτέρ – '''Ί'''ησούς '''I'''esous, '''Χ'''ριστός '''Ch'''ristos, '''Θ'''εός '''Th'''eos, '''Ύ'''ίός '''hU'''ios, '''Σ'''ωτέρ '''S'''oter – "'''J'''esus '''Ch'''rist '''G'''od's '''S'''on '''S'''avior".</ref>

The New Age Movement does not use strict dogmatic teachings.  Jonathan Adolph says that the New Age Movement "has no religious doctrine or teachings of its own."<ref>Jonathan Adolph, "What is New Age?" ''New Age Journal'' (Winter 1988)</ref> A notable characteristic of New Age is it's drawing of cross-religion and cross-culture elements - a typical New Age believer can sometimes comfortably mix Christian crosses and/or angels with ancient Egyptian, Wiccan, Native American, Greek or Celtic symbols making no distinction between them.

The New Age Movement does not use strict dogmatic teachings.  Jonathan Adolph says that the New Age Movement "has no religious doctrine or teachings of its own."<ref>Jonathan Adolph, "What is New Age?" ''New Age Journal'' (Winter 1988)</ref> A notable characteristic of New Age is it's drawing of cross-religion and cross-culture elements - a typical New Age believer can sometimes comfortably mix Christian crosses and/or angels with ancient Egyptian, Wiccan, Native American, Greek or Celtic symbols making no distinction between them.