"New Age Movement" or "New Spirituality Movements and Culture"?

The author considers that the "New Age movement" and the "World of the Spir itual" (so called in Japan) are distinct although similar phenomena which s hould be grouped together under a common term: New Spirituality Movements a nd Culture (NSMC). "Movements" embraces various types of "New Age" and "Wor ld of the Spiritual" groups and can also include other groups with common c haracteristics. The word "spirituality" is used because many people in the movements consider that they belong to a new age of "spirituality" that is to follow the age of "religion" as if comes to an end. But many adherents d o not like to take part in collective actions. This individualistic inclina tion sometimes justifies classifying the phenomenon as a "culture" rather t han a "movement". The term NSMC can also be considered to comprise part of the new body of global information and culture.