New Age Beliefs

"New Age Beliefs," an occurrence that can be defined as "New Age Beliefs," developed as a result of the research of the generation of '68 and those who opposed the Vietnam War; it spread all over the world through the influence of gurus coming wave by wave from the Far East at that time. The New Age beliefs that received the most attention in Türkiye are coaching, mindfulness, meditation, NLP, breath therapy, reiki, bioenergy, and family constellations...

According to experts, the foundation of 21st-century beliefs lies in feelings of unity, solidarity, and brotherhood. This topic was thoroughly discussed at the "Identity and Belonging with New Age Beliefs in Türkiye in the 21st Century" discussion at Altınbaş University, where experts in the field participated.

The participants of the discussion, moderated by Dr. Fatma Altınbaş, Head of the Sociology Department at Altınbaş University, included Dr. Burcu Doğan Koçak from Beykent University and Theta Healing Master and Science Trainer Bağnu Çorakçı.

Dr. Fatma Altınbaş stated in her opening speech that thoughts change over time and that New Age beliefs have become an element of popular culture in the 21st century. Dr. Fatma Altınbaş made evaluations such as "People use these methods to find healing and improve themselves. These changes are also related to a person's education, socioeconomic status, and the cultural products they consume."

Dr. Burcu Doğan Koçak, who conducted her doctoral study on New Age beliefs, shared the results of her research conducted with 252 individuals. According to her, in New Age beliefs, individuals believe in the idea of "I must be well first to be able to touch others' goodness."

Dr. Burcu Doğan Koçak explained that there is a transition from community to individual in this doctrine and that the philosophy of being the best version of oneself lies beneath it. Pointing out that individual identity cannot be independent of the era lived in, Burcu Doğan Koçak said, "The type of person who was more conservative in the 70s is different now. Nevertheless, everything is interconnected, and healing is a strong concept. These beliefs are based on energy and every kind of well-being. We can define it as breaking the patterns in the subconscious mind and creating a new 'self.'"

Referring to interesting findings from her research, Koçak noted that, contrary to popular belief, traditional religious beliefs can actually be compatible with this philosophy. Koçak said, "40 veiled women who defined themselves as religious and conservative participated in the research. They evaluated them in separate categories, saying 'Religion is between me and Allah. This New Age belief is about my mental and physical health.'"

Koçak also mentioned the interest shown by financiers in the research and identified the age of 40 as a turning point. Koçak said, "Indeed, people show interest in these fields when they enter a period of new search. They have average to upper-middle income levels and are well-educated."

Examining the profiles of the participants in the research, Koçak pointed out that individuals mostly feel a lack of meaning in their lives and expressed: "Along with the search for a new identity and 'self,' there is a desire to make changes, not being satisfied with their current physical attributes. 55 people chose this job as a new profession for themselves as personal development coaches. Today's people, in proportion to their desire to belong to a social environment, turn to centers where these trainings are provided. In this regard, there are many underground structures that claim to provide education in spiritual matters under the names of energy, coaching, or meditation in the market. You can't provide personal development training to people with just 2-3 certificates. Dangerous situations can arise as some of their existing traumas are triggered."

Another guest speaker at the discussion was Theta Healing Master and Science Trainer Bağnu Çorakçı. Çorakçı, a graduate of Hacettepe University's Department of Public Administration, has a master's degree in Behavioral Sciences and provides training in Theta Healing, designed to help individuals change limiting subconscious beliefs that prevent them from reaching their goals.

According to Çorakçı, the essence of the matter lies in knowing oneself first and then knowing other people. She emphasizes that the working area is where the mind and the subconscious are separated from each other. Çorakçı, stating that their goal is to silence the negative voices saying "you cannot succeed" in the human mind, said, "The environment in which a person is born determines their future life. If a person does not receive attention and affection from their mother, they do not know what they will do in their later years. They flit from branch to branch in relationships and careers. If they do not feel like they belong anywhere, they will experience major problems."

Çorakçı, stating that the biggest obstacle to human progress and transformation is fear, reminded that both learned and innate helplessness can lead to this. Saying that it is necessary to find the underlying fear, Çorakçı advised, "Continuously ask yourself 'What is the worst that can happen if this doesn't work out?' Try to see the feeling there."