Hey Calm,
Wow, you feel that way too? How happy I am to know I'm not alone either! I was involved with the new age for 5 years with various authors (Caroline Myss, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, The Secret and the Abraham Hicks teachings, lightworkers, ascension, Karen Bishop, Sal Rachele, tons of channelings, Sonia Choquette) for varying periods of time each. I can spout the lingo with the best of 'em. I did not attend any workshops/seminars or give any money, thank God, but what I did give (my mind, time and energy) is, I feel, in some ways, far worse. You name it, I tried it. It'll suck you in, and promises bliss, but if this mind-numbing crap is bliss, I don't want it. When classical music didn't affect me as it used to, and when I woke up from a disturbing dream one night, I realized just how deep I was in, how apathetic and indifferent I was becoming. And I know how scary and unnerving it can be, trust me. So you're not alone. So I came here for help, and the damage isn't permanent (at least, I hope it isn't), and though my recovery is painfully slow, here is what I am doing.
1. Reading this forum a lot. There are posts here, such as people trying to stamp out the work of Byron Katie from their minds (no pun intended), that can apply to other new-age authors such as Tolle.
2. Becoming knowledgeable about psychological tactics and marketing ploys that are being used. Yep, psychology tactics do exist! I didn't know until somebody told me about them... I thought people really did channel certain information, for example. Until I started looking at my feelings and this group introduced me to people like Carl Sagan (who writes on varying psychological stratigies cults use to recruit members), Milton Erickson (who apparently was a genius and whose stories Byron Katie twisted viciously to her own ends) and William Atkinson, (who, I think, was the original guy behind the concept of the Secret, and Esther and Jerry Hicks did nothing but steal his info and touted it as the wisdom of an ancient group of all-knowing, all-loving entities called Abraham.) I'd never heard of these authors of psychology and science until the group introduced me to them via various postings! I must keep reminding myself of the stratigic and plageristic actions of these new-agey little weasels every day, and it helps slowly damage their credibility. So you might have to do a bit of background research on Tolle and see if he isn't engaging in some illegal activity, or at least, activity that raises a few eyebrows.
3. Doing research on these authors and discovering that they're all filthy rich, which is a bit inconvenient for us mere mortals, considering that they say they want to help the rest of humanity. Because you see, my definition of helping humanity is relating to us in some way, shape or form. So if the economy is bad and we don't have jobs, the least authors could do if they truly wanted to help us would be to charge on a sliding scale, provide their services for free because they recognize some people need scientific proof, which isn't available, or talking to us on our level (translation: using language we can understand.) It's staring me in the face now, but it took me awhile to notice the striking similarity between these "enlightened/spiritual" authors, and the fact that they made this their business, and though they constantly preached (everybody's gonna get enlightened, but you don't necessarily have to make money from it if that's not your calling", I couldn't help noticing that such a high number of authors made money from the new-age movement, it implied that was what you had to do to become enlightened. You never see a paper boy, mechanic, garbage collector, or someone with a real occupation who is new-age. Unless their occupation is psychic, healer, energy worker, or something. If they do have a secular job, they hardly speak of it and prefer to make new-age their main focus, when I think it should be the other way around. Another thing: Is it me, or has anyone else noticed that people attracted to the new age are into esoteric concepts (mysticism, yoga, meditation, energy work, crystal healing, reiki, alternative medicine, metaphysics, etc)? You'll never find a new-ager who has no interest in metaphysics, implying that you have to have an interest, and/or an understanding of, such things if you want to have any hope of achieving happiness.
Another poster opened my eyes to the fact that authors don't follow up with the clients they're trying to help in a personalized, "hey, I was concerned about you, just thinking of you and wanted to find out how you were doing since we last spoke" sort of way. No follow-ups or one-on-one contact, unless of course you pay for the latter. I questioned a couple new-age people about all this and got some nasty, defensive responses back. New-age people write books, channel messages, and travel the country giving seminars, workshops and lectures. They do not, as one told me, have time for the likes of ordinary people such as us and our mundane activities (or at least that what the channeled spirit said, according to him.) If they do advocate balance, they imply or say outright that they want us to spend time following their techniques. So much for the enlightened character. I no longer read any new-age stuff because my mind'll slip back into believing it, and now I have a strong aversion to "love and light", so much so that when anyone says or writes that phrase, it makes me want to puke my guts out.
4. Making the decision to not become enlightened because it's too much work. This is a tough one, because I'm still inclined to believe the authors, that the illusion of bliss is still possible. My concious choice to no longer pursue enlightenment allows me to pursue mundane activities, like watching the news and giving myself permission to feel negatively about tragedy like a normal person, or allow myself to have judgments/oppinions about other people based on my observations of them, order to become like the rest of humanity. I take spinning classes and music lessons, and train my mind to focusing only on those activities at hand. It is helping to put a smile on my face, although I admit I worry I'll pay for my secularism in the coming new world (like I said, I'm still inclined to believe it. Internal thoughts are so much harder to stamp out than external behaviors. I got rid of my new-age trinkets long ago, but it doesn't help enough.)
5. Thinking rebellious thoughts on purpose. Basically, reading a new-age concept and think the opposite/ So if Eckhart Tolle says "get rid of your mind" I think, "I love my mind and ego, and I'm going to keep it."
6. Having the good people on this forum here to help. They're invaluable, really. Don't know what I'd do without you.
Here are a couple websites I find helpful.
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snakelyone.com]
You know how sometimes the most humorous things have rings (more like alarm bells) of truth to them? Also, the fact that you can still laugh shows that all is not lost, that you still have some humanity left, so start from that spark of humanity and go from there. You laugh while reading the article, you laugh so hard you cry, you cry and empathize with other people on this forum because we're all going through the same thing in some form or another, and the feelings will snowball back into you.
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www.zimbio.com]
This article, "The Myth of Spiritual Enlightenment" speaks to my heart and makes me cry, perhaps because deep down I know it's true, and also delivered in such a genuinely loving way. You can tell by the tone. Yet I need to revisit it again and again to remind myself of these things, because the sheer popularity of the new-age movement influences me enough so that I unwillingly believe the new age authors.
I hope I have been helpful in some small way, and if there is anything you need, feel free to contact me anytime, because there is strength in numbers.
Your new friend,
Brynhild