WAR:The New Age Movement in the Business World  by Richard Watring

   The consciousness of American business is slowly, almost
imperceptably being desensitized to the introduction of a New Age
philosophy into our culture.

   In the larger culture, the New Age movement is gaining wider
exposure through the influence of people like actress Shirley MacLaine
(Out on a Limb, Dancing in the Light), Reverand Terry Cole Whittaker,
writers Norman Cousins (Human Options), Marilyn Ferguson (The Aquarian
Conspiracy), Richard Bach (Jonathan Livingston Seagull), Hugh Prather,
Human Potential Leaders Jean Houston (The Possible Human), Michael
Murphy (Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance), Abraham Maslow (The
Farther Reaches of Human Nature), George Leonard (The Transformation -
A Guide to the Inevitable Changes of Humankind), Willis Harman (An
Incomplete Guide to the Future, Higher Creativity), and others.

   This has not gone unnoticed by the media. The NEW YORK TIMES and
U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT have both devoted articles to the subject,
as have ABC's 20/20, The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Today Show, to name
a few.

   In the business world, attention has been focused by the NEW YORK
TIMES (April 17, 1987 - Guru's Hired to Motivate Workers are Raising
Fears of Mind Control), The WASHINGTON POST (January 9, 1987 - Zen and
the Art of Making Money), NEWSWEEK (May 4, 1987 - Corporate Mind
Control), FORTUNE (July 6, 1987 - Merchants of Inspiration; and
November 23, 1987 - Trying to Bend Manager's Minds), and TRAINING
(September 1987 - what's New in the New Age?). Professional conferences
for Human Resource Development practitioners add important exposure by
featuring proponents of the movement such as Jean Houston, Marilyn
Ferguson and others.

   In an editorial entitled "Who Put the Guru in Guru Mind Control?",
Jack Gordon of TRAINING hit the nail on the head: "There is an implicit
belief held by many in the HRD profession that their job is nothing
less than to self-actualize the American workforce." He opined that
this view is both preposterous and arrogant. On the other hand,
Patricia Galagan, editor of TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL wrote that
it is "the fear experienced in getting to that ambiguous and unfamiliar
place that sends the untransformed to their lawyers." Whichever side
you are on, the positions on both sides of the issue seem to be
solidifying.

   In a series of letters to TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL, a number
of training professionals offered their views. For instance, Paul
Rondina of Digital Equipment wrote, "I see the training industry being
used to proselytize New Age religion under the deceptive marketing of
increased productivity, self-actualization and self- improvement. As
trainers, we must sound the alarm to this covert missionary work." Doug
Groothius, himself an expert on the New Age movement offered, "Some
practices ... induce a trance-like state wherein one's critical
faculties are suspended. Effective businesses need sharpened minds, not
dulled ones." Lea Deo of St. Lukes Hospital of Kansas City wrote
"spiritual encounters should not be disguised as training." Carolyn
Sorensen Balling of Amex Life Assurance offered, "For a company to
concentrate on developing the 'inner selves' of their employees for the
sake of higher performance seems manipulative". Kevin Garvey, a
consultant predicted "an array of unprecedented lawsuits" and urged
that "no corporation should blithely incur this penalty."

   But what is this movement that has attracted so much attention?

   Briefly stated, the New Age Movement promotes a "personal
transformation" of spirit (usually referred to as consciousness)
through the use of certain techniques, often called psychotechnologies.
The movement suggests that humankind has the ability and capacity to
fully self-actualize (sometimes called reaching Enlightenment or
Inner-wisdom, Higher Self) and that this is the goal of transformation.
Inherent in the movement is the Eastern philosophical view of monism,
the belief that all of reality is composed of the same essence, that
there is no distinction to be made between matter and spirit and that,
therefore, humanity is connected and individuals are extensions or
manifestations of the whole. Under this view of reality, there would be
no separation between God and Creation, since creation emanates from,
and is made of, the same "stuff" as God.

   Because humanity's true destination is the realization that
humankind is divine, the movement promotes techniques that accelerate
the transformative process. Among these techniques are a number that
are being used with greater frequency in business. Business does not
usually admit to the promotion of transformation. Most often other
reasons are cited for the use of the technique. For instance,
meditative techniques are used as part of a Stress Management strategy.

   Techniques recommended for their stress reduction value include
meditation, Transcendental Meditation, Self-Hypnosis, guided imagery,
yoga, and centering.

   Some techniques are used to enhance creativity or the intuitive
process: Guided Imagery, Visualization, Silva Mind Control, Dianetics
and Focusing.

   Certain techniques enhance self-regulation. Techniques that assist
in self-regulation include bio-feedback, hypnosis, self- hypnosis and
affirmation.

   Certain techniques are used to encourage employees to accept a
greater share of responsibility for themselves and their company. These
include EST (newly called The Forum or Transformation Technologies),
Lifespring, D>M>A>, Actualizations and other human potential seminar
programs.

   Some techniques are used to promote accelerated learning - namely,
Suggestology and Visualization. Others are used to improve
interpersonal skills, such as Neurolinguistic programming.

   These motives, the reduction of stress, the enhancement of
creativity and intuitive processes, self-regulation and the acceptance
of responsibility, accelerated learning and the improvement of inter-
personal skills, are not bad, in and of themselves.

   The danger, however, is with the techniques that are used to achieve
these ends. I have a number of very serious concerns regarding the use
of these types of personal development techniques.

   Firstly, most people who have grown up in a Western Judeo- Christian
tradition do not share the same view of reality as that promoted by the
New Age Movement. In order for the technique to be of value, the
individual must adopt the new view (often called paradigm- shift) which
underlies the change being sought. For this reason, one sees increasing
acceptance of beliefs in reincarnation, karma, monism (or pantheism),
synchronicity (the belief in the interconnectedness of all life),
metaphysics (the belief that the mind has the power to influence forces
within the universe which can change meaterial reality), cosmic unity,
paranormal phenomena, out-of-body experiences, and the like.

   Secondly, most of the techniques described are either tantamount to
a hypnotic induction, or, their use renders the individual more highly
suggestible to hypnotic induction. Most people know what hypnosis is,
however, very few people know that the use of affirmation,
suggestology, neurolinguistic programming, some forms of guided
imagery, est and est-type human potential seminars employ some of the
same psychological dynamics as hypnosis. (Most lay persons are not
aware of the fact that hypnosis can be induced without a relaxation
suggestion - this is called active-alert hypnotic induction).

   Even those techniques that do not qualify as hypnotic induction may
ultimately facilitate the same result. Most meditative techniques
increase the level of "alpha" rhythms in the brain (so do chanting, the
repeating of a mantra and other spiritual exercises). People who are in
an alpha state are substantially more suggestible than those who are
not. Further, when people use certain meditative exercises, they often
experience the loss of self-identifying awareness and come to
experience a oneness with a wider consciousness, often called cosmic or
unitary consciousness. If this experience is reached while the person
is in this heightened state of suggestibility, they are more
susceptible to influence than if they were in a normal working state.
It's quite logical then that persons will be more inclined to adopt the
"belief" in a unitary reality because they have "experienced" it while
in a heightened state of suggestibility. This would explain why so many
are embracing an Eastern philosophy or religious practice.

   Thirdly, while it cannot be proven scientifically, many people
believe in the existence of a supernatural realm, one inhabited by
either angels or demons, departed spirits, or discarnate souls. Many of
the techniques being promoted involve encountering a person's "inner
wisdom" or "higher self" or "master teacher". This entity encountered
through Silva Mind Control and some forms of guided imagery and
visualization is often described as simply the personification of our
own psyche or sub-conscious. But, what if it is not? If there really is
a spiritual realm, then it is possible that the entities which are
encountered are not really part of our self, but some other self. If
so, then the promoters of these techniques are really promoting a form
of spiritism. Worse yet, some, including Willis Harman, are encouraging
the process of "channeling" as a means toward higher creativity. What
used to be considered mediumship or occult correspondence is now being
promoted as a benign technique for transformation and human potential.

   In his book, Higher Creativity , Harman poo-poos the issue of
whether or not the source of "illumination" is the self, or is apart
from the self. He wrote, "The fruits of the channeling phenomenon can
come to be appreciated and used to the benefit of humankind - leaving
open the issue of the ultimate nature of the channeling source ..."
This attitude must be strongly discouraged in favor of hard answers to
some very hard questions.

   Four years ago, a survey was conducted among 9,000 Personnel
Directors regarding their exposure to a number of New Age techniques as
well as certain of their beliefs. Of the over 10% response, roughly 45%
had either used or seen used at least one of eleven New Age
psycho-technologies included in the survey. More surprising, 15%
believed that at least one of the eleven was beneficial in developing
human resources. The survey included meditation, biofeedback, Silva
Mind Control, T.M., visualization, hypnosis, focusing, est, Dianetics,
centering and yoga.

   I am usually asked certain questions as I present my arguments
against the use of these techniques. Among them, "Aren't these
techniques beneficial to industry? Don't they really help a company or
employees in some way?" I cannot, and do not, argue against the
effectiveness of many of these techniques. Meditation probably does
reduce stress. Biofeedback most certainly is an effective tool for
self-regulation. Hypnotic induction can certainly be of therapeutic
value when administered properly. However, I do not think that the
potential benefits are worth the risks, as outlined earlier.

   Another question I am often asked is, "Why are businesses rushing to
use these techniques?" Obviously, business is striving for excellence
in every respect. If business can gain a competitive advantage by
having their employees use New Age techniques, certainly they will be
open to it. I honestly believe that most business people who promote
these techniques are ignorant of the psychological and spiritual
dynamics involved, however, there are a small number who are actively
trying to promote transformation.

   Another question I am often asked is, "Where do I see this going?
What is the likely outcome of the continued use of these techniques?" I
see two specific outcomes if business continues its use of these
techniques. First, I see the potential for religious discrimination
charges being filed by persons who suffer some adverse action at the
hands of their employer because they resisted the program or technique.

   Secondly, I foresee serious liability damages being awarded to
persons who suffer psychological harm as a result of New Age
techniques. Some psychologists and sociologists consider many New Age
techniques to be a form of mind control. Already, many individuals have
sued a number of human potential or "new religious" movements for
psychological harm. Many individuals and anti-cult groups consider
these and other New Age groups to be "destructive cults". If these
groups are open to damage suits, it stands to reason that the
corporations that offer or encourage these same programs to employees
will become co-defendants in such suits.

   Finally, I am often asked, "What difference does it really make?" It
makes a great deal of difference if you subscribe to a Christian world
and life view. The underlying view of reality and of the nature of
human beings of the New Age Movement stands in direct contrast to the
primary tenets of Orthodox Christianity.

   Having said all that I've said, my concluding message is very
simple: Private corporations that are not church-affiliated should
neither attempt to change the basic belief systems of their employees
nor should they promote the use of techniques (i.e. altered
consciousness) that accelerate such change, and while spiritual growth
is important, corporations should not prescribe the methods whereby
employees grow spiritually. This is better left for those more
qualified than the Human Resource Development Department.

   Computers for Christ - Chicago
