Question: Bonger asks if listening to New Age music is dangerous. He also wants to know if “meditation” as practiced by New Agers is similar to the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude?
Answer: Personally I have heard the “New age” music you described (instruments and nature sounds). This is usually the music they play at spas because the nature and soft sounds are very soothing. The ones I’ve heard are purely instrumental, i.e., do not have any lyrics, and because of this I personally think that listening to this does not go against God’s Word. The music is neither suggestive/sensual nor blasphemous (unlike many pop, rock and R&B songs). I am not sure how the “new age” music of this type will promote the beliefs of the new age. It may, however, arouse curiosity and entice the constant listener to “try out” new age since the music is nice and relaxing. It’s remote, but can be a possibility.
On the other hand, the meditation that you talked about is a very serious matter. I have learned about this kind of meditation from a professor in college, where it involves “emptying the mind” and relaxing and allowing “nature” to talk to you in silence. This type of meditation is very dangerous, and this is not the type of silence and solitude that the Bible teaches.
The commands in 1Peter are clear: prepare our minds for action! 1 Peter 1:13 says, “[Be holy] Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Christ Jesus is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:7 says, “The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” — “Clear-minded does not mean “empty-minded.” Clear-minded means knowing what to pray and how to pray.
We are also to “Set our minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2) Emptying the mind and making it idle opens it to a very dangerous situation which Satan can use to deceive, plant wrong thoughts about God and lead us astray.
The command rather is to fill (or set) our minds with the Word of God, to meditate on His Word. We can do both in solitude (during our alone times with God) and silence (during our daily quiet time). But we can also be in constant communication with God through prayer (even during noisy, busy times!). We can never do this if our minds are blank.
It is therefore not a wonder that Paul adds a “helmet of salvation” to the armor of God. What is the helmet for? It is to guard the head (or the mind) against any attacks of Satan. Helmet of Salvation — which is to remember our salvation through God’s grace — to protect us from any lies Satan might fill our minds with. “Emptying the mind” is therefore not an option. We can’t guard our mind if it is empty, but instead exposing it fully to attacks.
Hope this answers your questions. It is good that you raised these issues because new age beliefs are very “in” right now, and are practiced by many in Hollywood. Many unsuspecting people including some in the faith are being lured into adopting their lifestyle and their values–Jaymee Anne Bernardo
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