Chronology
2697-2597 B.C.E.
97 B.C.E.
1555
Dates of Emperor Huang Ti, author of the
acupuncture manual, the Nei Ching.
First mention of Taoism.
Initial publication of the prophecies of
Nostradamus.
Samuel Richter establishes the Golden Rosi-
crucians.
The Church of the New Jerusalem systematizing
Swedenborg's thought is founded in
London.
Anton Mesmer is denounced by the French
Academy.
American Spiritualism begins with the
claims of the Fox sisters in Hydesville, New
York.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Henry Steel
Olcott and William Quan Judge found the
TheosophicalSocietyin New York.
xix
Chronology
Blavatskypublishes Isis Unveiled.
Edwin Dwight Babbitt publishes The Principles
of Light and Color on chromotherapy.
Formation of the Society of Psychical Research
in London. The book, Oahspe: A New
Age Bible, channeled through automatic
writing, is published by John Ballou Newbrough.
Modern interest in Atlantis begins
with the publication of Ignatius Donnelly's
Atlantis: TheAntediluvian World.
Formation of the American Society of Psychical
Research.
Emma Curtis Hopkins breaks with Mary
Baker Eddy to begin what subsequently
emerges as New Thought.
William Wynn Westcott and Samuel Liddell
MacGregor Mathers found the Hermetic Order
of the Golden Dawn.
Blavatskypublishes TheSecret Doctrine.
Charles and Myrtle Fillmore found what
eventually becomes the Unity School of
Christianity.
With the death of Madame Blavatsky, Annie
Besant becomes the head of the Esoteric
Section of theosophical students.
Organization of the Nationalist Spiritualist
Association of Churches in Washington,
D.C. The World's Parliament of Religions is
held in Chicago.
Chronology xxi
Swami Vivekananda founds the Vedanta
Society in New York. Daniel David Palmer
discovers chiropractic.William Q. Judge organizes
the American branch of the Theosophical
Societyas a separate order.
Founding of the Naturopathic Society of
America.
Max Heindel founds the Rosicrucian Fel-
lowship.
Formation of the International Vegetarian
Union. Levi Dowling publishes The Aquarian
Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
The Tantrik Order is established by Pierre
Bernard in America.
The Sufi Order founded in London by Hazrat
Inayat Khan. Arthur Edward Waite's
publication of The Pictorial Guide to the
Tarot. Linking the cards to the Kabalah ensures
their popularity throughout the English-speaking
world of the twentieth cen-
tury.
Reflexology introduced to the United States
by WilliamFitzgerald.Rudolf Steinerbreaks
from the Theosophical Movement to form
anthroposophy.
Formation of the International New Thought
Alliance.
Founding of the Astrological Lodge of Lon-
don.
Chronologyxxii
1916 Gurdjieff introduces the enneagram to his
students.
Rudolf Steiner's Waldorf Schools are instituted.
Hatha Yoga is introduced to the West
by Sri Yogendra.
Pararnahansa Yogananda begins the SelfRealizationFellowshipin
Boston.
The International Sufi Movement is inaugurated
in Geneva. Alice and Foster Bailey
found the Lucifer Trust, later renamed the
Lucis Trust.
Founding of the American Astrological Society.
Alice and Foster Bailey establish the
Arcane School.
Dinshah Pestanji Ghadiali founds the Spectro-Chrome
Institute. The Yoga Institute is
established by Sri Yogendra in Bombay.
Krishnamurti is recognized as Maitreya by
Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater. Sufi
Leader Meher Baba permanently enters "the
Silence."
Aurobindo experiencesthe descent of divine
consciousness into the physical. Pir Vilayat
Inayat Khan is named by his father as the
successor of the Sufi Order. Founding of the
American Academy of Kinesiology and
Physical Education in New York.
Publication of Gattefosse's Aromathdrapie
in France.
Chronology xxiii
Krishnamurtiformallydenies he is Maitreya.
Edgar Cayce founds the Association for Research
and Enlightenment. The Vegetarian
Societyof New York is established.
Guy and Edna Ballard establish the Saint
Gerrnain Foundation and the Saint Germain
Press to sponsor the "I A M Religious Ac-
tivity.
The Philosophical Research Society is organized
by Manly P. Hall in Hollywood,
California. The White Eagle Lodge is
founded in England.
Kirlian photography is discovered as a
means to record the body's aura.
Founding of the American Federation of
Astrology.
The contemporary Western pagan movement
and Wicca are inaugurated by Gerald B.
Gardner in England.
The Organic Gardening Experimental Farm
is established by J. I. Rodale near Emmaus,
Pennsylvania.
Corinne Heline publishes Healing and Regeneration
through Color.
Aleister Crowley publishes The Book of
Thoth, affirming de GebClin's belief in the
Tarot as repositories of Egyptian magical
symbolism.The Vegan Society is founded in
xxiv Chronology
England. Alice Bailey publishes the first
volume of Discipleship in the New Age.
Paramahansa Yogananda publishes Autobiography
of a Yogi.
Norbert Wiener and Arturo Rosenbleuth
establish the discipline of Cybernetics. Kenneth
Arnold launches the flying saucer era
with sightingsnear Mount Rainier.
Alice Bailey publishes The Reappearance of
the Christ.
Buckminster Fuller conceives the geodesic
dome.
The Urantia Foundationis established.
The founding of Astara.
L. Ron Hubbard founds Scientology.
The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare
acknowledges the validity of Shiatsu.
Founding of the Aetherius Society by
George King.
Founding of the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship.
Past-life exploration through hypnosis
is introduced with the publication of The
Searchfor Bridey Murphy.
Revision of the International New Thought
Alliance's Declaration of Principles. World
Fellowship of Religions established by Kirpal
Singh.
Chronology xxv
Mark Prophet founds the Summit Lighthouse.
Founding of the Astrological Association
of Great Britain.
Virginia Satir, Don Jackson, Jules Ruskin
and Gregory Bateson begin the Mental Research
Institute in Palo Alto, California, focusing
on Family Therapy. Benjamin Creme
breaks with George King.
Formation of the American Vegan Society.
Ohsawa Foundation, the first macrobiotics
organizationin the United States, is founded
by Michio Kushi and Herman Aihara.
Esalen Institute is founded by Michael Murphy
and Richard Price. The Findhorn Community
is established by Peter and Eileen
Caddy and Dorothy Maclean.
Richard.Alpert and Timothy Leary are expelled
from Harvard University. Ann Wigmore
establishes the Hippocrates Health Institute.
Jane Roberts begins to channel
"Seth."
Idries Shah publishes The Suj%. "Initiation
of the Earth" according to the Aetherius Society.
Marguerite Maury's English publication
of The Secrets of Youth and Life.
Corinne Heline publishes Color and Music
in the New Age.
Rescinding of the Asian Exclusion Act,
thereby opening the United States to largescale
immigration. Dr. Helen Schucman begins
transcriptionof A Course in Miracles.
Chronologyxxvi
1966 Guru Maharaj Ji succeeds his father as the
head of the Divine Light Mission at the age
of nine. Swami Satchidananda forms the Integral
Yoga Institute.
Richard Alpert receives the name Baba Ram
Dass from Neem Karoli Baba in India.
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center near Big
Sur, California, opens as the first Buddhist
monastery outsideAsia.
Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche opens the Nyingma
Institute in Berkeley, California, to
provide for the study and practice of Buddhist
teachings. Holy Order of MANS
(HOOM) is founded in California by Earl
Blighton as a New Age School of Christian
Initiation. Auroville's foundation stone is
laid in Pondicheny, India. Haridas Chaudhuri
founds the California Institute for Integral
Studies in San Francisco. Oschar Ichazo
founds Arica in Chile. Carlos Castaneda
publishes The Teachingsof Don Juan.
Fritz Perk publishes Gestalt Theory. Elizabeth
Kiibler-Ross publishes On Death and
Dying. Tokujiro Namikoshi, founder of Shiatsu,
introduceshis practice of body-work to
the English-speaking world. The Krishnamurti
Foundation is established in Ojai,
California.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche founds the
Kame Choling center, predecessor of the
Vajradhatu Foundation. Sun Bear founds the
Bear Tribe Medicine Society in Placerville,
California. Yogi Amrit Desai discovers Ki-
Chronology xxvii
palu Yoga. William and Gladys McGarey
found the A.R.E. Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ida P. Rolf establishes the Guild for Structural
Integration (Rolf Institute). Stephan
Gaskin establishes The Farm in Tennessee.
David Spangler becomes a co-director of
Findhorn. Jane Roberts publishes The Seth
Material.
Yogi Bhajan receives the authority from
Amritsar's Golden Temple to initiate his followers
directly into the Sikh faith. Sir
George Trevelyan founds the Wrekin Trust
in England. The Arica Institute is established
in New York. Ram Dass publishes Be Here
Now.
President Nixon opens contact between the
United States and China, allowing American
investigation of Chinese medical practice.
The Academy of Religion and Psychical Research
is founded in Evanston, Illinois. Adi
Da Samraj (Franklin Jones) opens his first
ashram in Los Angeles. Benjamin Creme
announces the imminent arrival of Maitreyalchrist.
Hyemeyohsts Storm publishes
Seven Arrows, popularizing the Medicine
Wheel.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in his 1973
book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism,
introduced the new phrase of "spiritual
materialism" into New Age vocabulary.
David Spangler leaves Findhorn to form the
Lorian Association.Guru Maharaj Ji's disastrous
launch of the spiritual millennium in
Houston, Texas. With the death of Mark
Prophet, his wife renames the Summit
xxviii Chronology
Lighthouse as the Church Universal and Triumphant.
Ken Keyes opens the Living Love
Center in Berkeley, California. The American
Journal of Chinese Medicine begins
publication. Kevin Ryerson begins to channel
"John."
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche establishes the
Naropa Institute,subsequentlyto become the
Naropa University. Leonard Orr completes
his development of the process of Rebirthing.
Rajneesh founds Poona ashram. H. Jay
Dinshah organizes the North American
Vegetarian Society. Maharaj Ji is deposed
by his mother as leader of the Divine Light
Mission. Leonard Orr opens the Theta
House in San Francisco as a center for Rebirthing.
Ram Dass founds the Hanuman
Foundation. Werner Erhard invites Swami
Muktananda to the United States. Benjamin
Creme is "overshadowed" by Maitreya. Jach
Purse1 begins to channel "Lazaris." Patricia
Hayes founds the Arthur Ford International
Academy to award "Certificates of Medium-
ship."
Publication of A Course in Miracles. Linda
Clark publishes The Ancient Art of Color
Therapy. The SiddhaYoga Dham Associates
is founded.
David Spangler publishes Revelation: The
Birth of a New Age. Brad Steiger publishes
Gods of Aquarius, introducing the concept
of "Star People." Wayne Dyer publishes
Your Erroneous Zones. Patrick Watson
founds the Schoolof T'ai Chi Chuan.
Chronology xxix
Leonard Orr and Sondra Ray publish Rebirthing
in the New Age. Avanta: The Virginia
Satir Network is founded. Luc Jouret
founds the Order of the Solar Temple. Ken
Wilber publishes The Spectrum of Consciousness.
MarianneWilliamson encounters
A Course in Miracles. Matthew Fox founds
the Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality
in Chicago. Benjamin Creme announces
that Maitreya has begun his descent
from the Himalayas. JZ Knight begins to
channel "Ramtha."
Mass suicidelmurder deaths of the People's
Temple in Jonestown, Guyana. Bernie
Siege1 begins the Exceptional Cancer Patients
program for individual and group therapy.
Foundation of the American Holistic
Medical Association. Foundation of the Sirius
Community as a. Findhorn spin-off.
Foundation of Insight Transformational
seminars by John-Roger Hinkins under the
auspices of MSIA. The Silva Mind Control
Method is published.
Ruth Montgomery presents the concept of
the "walk-in" in her book Strangers Among
Us. Gary Zukav publishes The Dancing Wu
Li Masters. James Lovelock develops his
Gaia hypothesis that conceives the earth as a
unified living organism. Thelma Moss publishes
The Body Electric. Mark Satin publishes
New Age Politics. Lyall Watson publishes
Lifetide presenting the concept of the
"Hundredth Monkey."
Marilyn Ferguson publishes The Aquarian
Conspiracy. Michael Harner publishes The
XXX
1981
1982
Chronology
Way of the Shaman. The American-International
Reiki Association is founded.
Rajneeshpuram created in Oregon. John
Lilly establishes the HumadDolphin Foundation.
Lynn Andrews publishes Medicine
Woman.
Frank Alper publishes Exploring Atlantis,
stimulating New Age interest in crystals.
Benjamin Creme announces through a
worldwide newspaper campaign the imminent
return of Maitreya the Christ.
Barbara Weber Ray publishes The Reiki
Factor. The countercultural commune, The
Fa- is reorganized into a cooperative village.
Constance Cumbrey attacks Benjamin
Creme with her publication of Hidden Dangers
of the Rainbow. Matthew Fox publishes
Original Blessing, shifting away from the
Christian doctrine of original sin. Shirley
MacLainepublishes Out On a Limb.
Werner Erhard modifies his controversialest
program. Vicky Hall develops Aura-Soma.
Terry Cole-Whittaker establishes Adventures
in Enlightenment.
The Unity School sponsors A Course in
Miracles festival in Honolulu. Holy Order of
MANS (HOOM) is disbanded. Jonathan
Horwitz founds the ScandinavianCenter for
Shamanic Studies. Adi Da Sarnraj begins his
divine self-"Emergence." Penny TorresRubin
begins to channel "Mafu."
Chronology xxxi
Celebration of the Harmonic Convergence
on August 16th and 17th. Rajneeshpuram is
disbanded, and Rajneesh returns to India.
Aum Shinrikyo is founded. The television
version of Shirley MacLaine's Out On a
Limb is aired. John Robbins publishes Diet
for a New America.
Jamie Sams produces Medicine Cards.
Louise Hay publishes You Can Heal Your
Life. William Bloom, Sabina Dearborne and
Malcolm Stern found the Alternative Programme
at London's St. James's Church,
Piccadilly. JZ Knight founds Ramtha's
School of Enlightenment. Matthew Fox is silenced
by the Vatican for a year.
Tarthang Tulku establishes the World Peace
Ceremony at Bodh Gaya, India.
Copies of A Course in Miracles sold reach a
half million.
The centenary celebration of the World's
Parliament of Religions is held in Chicago.
First mass deaths in the Order of the Solar
Temple. Andrew Weil founds the Program
in Integrative Medicine. Matthew Fox becomes
an Episcopal priest. Barbara Marx
Hubbard proclaims that New Thought will
become the most important movement on
earth.
Tokyo subway attack by Aum Shinrikyo.
Deepak Chopra publishes Journey Into
Healing.
Chronologyxxxii
1996 Wind Daughter becomes medicine chief of
the Bear Tribe.
Findhorn is recognized by the United Nations
as an NGO. Leo Rutherford publishes
Principles of Shamanism.
The United Nations Oslo Conference on
Religion and Belief accords the New Age
Movement equal status with established re-
ligions.
The third gathering of the World's Parliament
of Religions is held in Cape Town.
William Bloom founds Holistic Partner-
ships.
Leo Rutherford publishes Way of Shaman-
ism.
2012, December 21st Beginning of the Aquarian Age, according
to Jos6 Argiielles.