I agree, New Age writers often show a disdain for their own audience that does neither themselves nor their audience any good. They are cutting away at the foundation on which they stand. In my opinion, instead of being irritated and trying to outrun a label that follows one around anyway, why not turn around and embrace it and better define it? Thank you for being an excellent blog host and making your guests feel like they are a respected part of an important conversation. A rare thing in the blog world.

Very happy to meet another New Ager! And however much I'd like to disown all the so called "teachers" that target the New Age consumer, I agree that Ray and Harris are not outside of the New Age movement. I look at them like they are the looney cousins of the New Age, part of the family, yes, but only a small part of a very big family. And because they're rich and flamboyant they get a lot of attention, but we should not assume they speak for the entire family. Nor should the rest of the family be sent to jail because of their crimes. Thanks for making the distinction between New Wage and New Age, much appreciated.

As I said, New Age and New Thought are not the same thing. I consider myself both an advocate and critic of the New Age, and to all those who enjoy the popular sport of bashing the New Age movement, I respectfully ask that you become a little more familiar with what it is you are bashing. I think you'll find that what you are doing is the equivalent to beating up the victim of identity theft.

http://www.newagepride.org

Interesting rant, but you advertise your blog as "critical discourse" and this is more a knee-jerk screed against the entire New Age movement. I absolutely agree that Ray and Harris are hucksters taking advantage of people, but please keep your aim trained on them, it is sloppy logic to start spraying condescension on the entire New Age movement.

Bill Harris is NOT the New Age any more than Pat Robertson is Christianity or Sarah Palin is the Republican Party. Every philosophy produces both great minds that truly help people and small time crooks who attempt to bilk people. James Arthur Ray and his Secret cohorts do not teach/sell genuine New Age philosophy, which grows from Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. The Law of Attraction is from the school of New Thought, and true, it has aggressively gone after the New Age market. But real New Age philosophy warns against their brand of spiritual materialism, and it is so sad to me that "critics" like you carelessly lump the garbage together with what is genuinely helpful to personal growth. You are helping the New Thought hucksters get away with the identity theft of the New Age.