Metaphysical baggage

Examples

• Acupuncture: See "Energy healing", below.
• Akashic records: A cosmic database containing the history of every soul and event in the universe. According to this belief, it is possible for certain individuals to access the akashic records and gain insights into past lives or future events.
• Astral projection: The practice or belief that an individual's soul or consciousness can leave the physical body and travel in the "astral plane," a non-physical realm of existence.
• Aura: A subtle energy field or luminous body that surrounds all living things, particularly humans, reflecting their emotional, mental, and spiritual states.
• Chakras: Energy centres in the body that correspond to various physical, emotional, and spiritual states. These concepts are rooted in Eastern traditions like Hinduism and Buddhism.
• Channelling: Receiving messages from spirits, higher beings, or otherworldly entities. Practitioners claim to act as intermediaries between the spiritual realm and the physical world.
• Cosmic energy: A mystical force that flows through the universe, connecting all living beings and objects.
• Crystal healing: The practice of using gemstones and crystals to channel energy and promote physical, emotional, or spiritual healing. Advocates claim that specific crystals have unique vibrational frequencies that can influence the human energy field or balance the body's energies.
• Energy healing: The belief that practitioners can channel "healing energy" into a person to restore balance or promote wellness. (See Wellness", below.
• Karma: The belief that one's actions (good or bad) will return to them in some form, either in this life or in future lifetimes. This idea originates from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
• Law of attraction: The belief that thinking positively or focusing on what you desire can bring those desires into reality.
• Ley lines: Believed to be invisible lines of energy that connect ancient monuments, sacred sites, or locations of spiritual significance around the world.
• Reiki: See "Energy healing", above.
• Wellness: In modern health and medicine, wellness refers to holistic health - the idea that health is not just the absence of illness but a state of overall well-being that includes physical, mental, emotional, and sometimes even social and spiritual health. It is often used to describe preventive care and health promotion; for example, smoking cessation, and fitness programmes. However, the term "wellness" has become increasingly commercialized and culturally loaded in recent years, especially in the consumer health industry, and now includes supplements, essential oils, alternative therapies, etc.

Vague and unverifiable concepts

The above is far from a definitive list, and the concepts listed suffer from several flaws:

• Lack of clear definition: These concepts are often used vaguely, without a precise, universally accepted scientific definition, which makes them ambiguous and speculative. As a result, they can mean different things to different people.
• Spiritual connotations: These terms are frequently associated with ideas such as "life force" or "prana" (from Indian traditions), "chi" (from Chinese philosophy), or "ki" (in Japanese culture). These concepts suggest an invisible energy that supposedly flows through living beings, contributing to health, vitality, and spiritual awakening. For example, the term "spiritual healing" is often used in the context of practices like Reiki, acupuncture, and other alternative therapies, where practitioners claim to channel or manipulate this cosmic energy to restore balance or promote well-being. However, such practices are generally not supported by rigorous scientific evidence.
• Lack of scientific basis: These concepts are often described in ways that suggest they operate outside the known laws of physics, such as energy fields that can be harnessed through mental or spiritual practice. This portrayal often ignores or misrepresents established scientific principles, leading to misunderstandings of fundamental concepts in physics, such as energy, matter, and forces.
  
  In some metaphysical circles, quantum mysticism is loosely associated with quantum mechanics, even though there is no direct connection between the two. Some New-Age interpretations of quantum physics (often termed "quantum mysticism") blur the lines between scientific concepts and mystical beliefs, contributing to the conflation of the two. This has led to the popular but erroneous idea that "cosmic energy" can be tapped into in ways similar to quantum phenomena, such as harnessing the "energy" of consciousness or intention.
• Interconnectedness and universal oneness: In many spiritual traditions, philosophical and mystical teachings are used to convey the idea of an underlying interconnectedness of all things in the universe. This interconnectedness is often presented as a unifying force that connects everything — people, objects, nature, and even the cosmos itself. However, this notion of "oneness" or "unity" is more philosophical and spiritual than empirical or scientific.
  
  Some belief systems also associate manifestation and synchronicity with the ability to manifest desires or intentions. In these practices, individuals may believe they can tap into universal energy to bring about personal transformation, attract wealth, health, or even love.
• Misinterpretation of physics terms: Metaphysical concepts are often mistakenly used to describe actual, scientifically proven forms of energy - such as electromagnetic radiation, gravitational energy, or dark energy. However, in metaphysical contexts, these terms are frequently misapplied as vague, mystical forces that are not governed by the laws of physics. This misuse leads to confusion and misinterpretations, especially when these concepts are presented as catch-alls for undefined energies.
• Cultural and historical associations: Occult traditions, including Theosophy, mysticism, and certain branches of Western esotericism, often discuss energy flows that transcend the material world, typically associated with spiritual or mystical awakening. Similarly, Eastern philosophies found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism, include deeply ingrained spiritual practices, such as chakra healing or energy work, that have been adapted or distorted by modern New-Age thought to suit contemporary self-help and wellness ideologies.
• Psychological and emotional manipulation: In modern New-Age circles, metaphysical concepts are sometimes used as marketing tools for various wellness, healing, or self-help products and services. Advertisements for products like crystals, essential oils, meditation apps, and energy healing services often rely on vague references to cosmic or spiritual energy to promote their effectiveness. These practices often promise to tap into the universe’s energy to facilitate personal growth, healing, or transformation, but the claims are typically unsubstantiated and often appeal more to psychological needs than to scientific evidence.

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