What are the New Age practices forbidden by the Catholic Church?

The students asked me to come up with a list of actions which are considered objectively evil according to the teachings of the Catholic Church when it pertains to the New Age Movement. These violations would be under the first commandment.

For a short and sweet explanation of why the Church forbids involvement in the New Age movement, consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 2110-2122.

If you're looking for something a little more in-depth, check out this document the Vatican put out: Jesus Christ The Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the "New Age"

(Sanguine side-note tangent: Click here to watch a short video on the difference between ghosts and demons.)

In short, the New Age movement is incompatible with Christianity philosophically and theologically because our faith and trust is in God alone.

I used to be involved in New Age practices. I didn't know that certain things like horoscopes, dream interpretation books, and so forth were a violation of the first commandment. Thankfully I met Catholics who knew the Faith and told me to get rid of all these sorts of books and I quit it all of it cold turkey. Even though because of my ignorance I wasn't fully morally culpable, I still confessed everything.

Many of my students talk to me about perceived demonic oppression and strange things happening in their houses. I give them the list below and so far, every single time, either they or someone in the family is involved in New Age practices. Even if you aren't involved, if someone in your household or one of your relatives is, you could be affected.

Involvement in the New Age is spiritually dangerous and you could be--even if unwittingly and innocently--opening up the door to demonic oppression and relationships.

Sometimes students ask me why their horoscopes or a palm reader revealed something "so true." If these sources aren't receiving their knowledge or power from God (who does not work through these vessels), then they are receiving the information from another source: the devil. The devil knows things about you and knows your life and he will use that knowledge to build a relationship with you so that you are distracted from having a relationship with God and fulfilling the mission that He has for you on earth.

If you think something fishy is going on in your home or in your spiritual life, take a look at the list below. Talk to a priest about blessing your home if it hasn't been blessed yet or hasn't been blessed in awhile. If it has been blessed but has been subject to the things below, you'll need to rid the house of New Age objects and have the priest come bless it again. Go to confession if you've been involved in the New Age movement and avoid it all completely and help educate others. If it hadn't been for my truth-telling friends, I would have continued to be involved in these practices. Also, pray some of these prayers to break curses which may have occurred due to your involvement.

If I'm missing something below please let me know so I can update the document. If you have questions about why certain actions are considered sinful or dangerous, please feel free to email me your questions.

Here's the what not to do list:

~The Evil Eye/Wearing the Evil Eye Charm or other new age charms

~Horoscopes

~Astrology

~Palm reading

~Omens and lots

~Mediums,Clairvoyance, Trying to contact the dead (this isn’t the same as asking the saints to pray for you)

~Black or White Magic (not including magic shows in Vegas, or card tricks, etc)

~Wicca

~Sorcery

~Fortune telling/Tea leaves

~Crystal balls

~Yoga /transcendental meditation

~Seance or spiritualist meetings

~Reincarnation readings

~Ouija boards

~Tarot cards

~Other occult games using ESP/telepathy or Bloody Mary, Charlie Charlie, and Blue Baby

~Reiki

~Enneagrams

~Burning sage

~Practicing table lifting, lifting bodies, automatic writing or soul traveling

~Using any kind of charm for protection

~Practicing water witching to find out where to dig a well

~Reading or possessing books on witchcraft, fortune telling, ESP, psychic phenomena, or possession

~Having anything in your home that was given to you by someone in the occult (things, even food can be cursed)

~Fascination/Indulgence with demonic topics in movies or with the occult

~Accepting the writings of Edgar Cayce or any other new age author

~Practicing mind control over anyone, saying magic spells or seeking a psychic experience

~Consulting a psychic in person or through a psychic hotline

~Pacts with satan or been involved in satan worship

~Attending witchcraft or voodoo ceremonies

~Any relatives or ancestors who have been involved in witchcraft, pagan religions, fortune-telling, or who have used magic spells

~Visiting a shrine or temple of a non Judeo-Christian religion

~Participating in freemasonry

~Use of LSD, marijuana, cocaine, or any “mind-expanding” drugs

“Healing” potions

~Chakras

~Crystals

~Jesus Malverde devotion

~Santa Muerte devotion

To download a PDF document, click here.