The Now Age

What does a Weber grill have to do with being? I have no idea, but I thought it deserved some attention.

Last week I was reading one of my favorite magazines, Dwell, which is all about modern architecture and design with the tag line "At home in the modern world." Reading Dwell is a great sensory experience for me. I love the feel of the paper it is printed on, the weight of the pages and the photographs and layout are, of course, modern, and clean and appealing. Much of the content is more modern than my personal style, but that's one reason I enjoy it so much. I feel as if I'm at least aware of what's happening on the leading edge of design. Imagine my delight and surprise when I saw these 2 advertisements in the May issue:

Weber has an ad that looks similar to the picture (above) here, but the only copy on the page is this:

Go ahead and let your love flow. Find your happy place. And just be.

Once again, really have no idea what the grill has to do with being.
Next, an ad for California Closets simply says:

SPACE | TO BE

This one is not quite as confusing to me since just looking at the photographs of those beautifully organized closets makes me feel all zen inside. But still, it's a CLOSET we're talking about.

The fact that these ads are showing up in media which
#1 has nothing to do with spirituality/inspiration and
#2 is all about the latest modern lifestyle trends, reinforces what I have known for a while - there is a shift taking place in our Western Civilization. As a group we are becoming more open to and aware of our spiritual nature. Evidence is everywhere. The prevalence of yoga studios, interest in holistic healing methods and even the popularity of spas which cater to our minds, bodies and spirits. My belief is, this is no trend. It is a cultural transformation, and it doesn't look like religion in the traditional sense. It is a more personal, internal awareness of the whole picture of who we are. The New Age has evolved into what I call "The Now Age" and I am excited to be observing and participating in it. I'm sure to have much more to say about this, but for now

Being is hot. I like it.