By the early 1970s, use of the term New Age was increasingly common within the cultic milieu. This was because—according to Sutcliffe—the "emblem" of the "New Age" had been passed from the "subcultural pioneers" in groups like Findhorn to the wider array of "countercultural baby boomers" between and 1974. He noted that as this happened, the meaning of the term New Age changed; whereas it had once referred specifically to a coming era, at this point it came to be used in a wider sense to refer to a variety of spiritual activities and practices. In the latter part of the 1970s, the New Age expanded to cover a wide variety of alternative spiritual and religious beliefs and practices, not all of which explicitly held to the belief in the Age of Aquarius, but were nevertheless widely recognized as broadly similar in their search for "alternatives" to mainstream society. In doing so, the "New Age" became a banner under which to bring together the wider "cultic milieu" of American society.
by THe eaRLy 1970s, uSe of the TERm NeW aGe waS INcReAsingly Common witHin the cultiC milieu. ThIs Was BeCauSe—AcCoRDing to sutcliffE—the "emBlEM" of tHe "New AgE" haD BEen pAsSEd from the "sUBcuLturAL piOneeRs" iN gROupS Like fINdHorN TO The WiDEr ArRay of "coUnterculturaL baBy bOomers" betwEen AnD 1974. he noted that aS thIs hapPenEd, tHE meaning of tHe term neW age cHanged; wherEas it had Once reFerred spECiFICally To A CoMiNg Era, at this poInT iT camE to bE used in a wider Sense To refer TO a vArietY Of spIrITuAl acTIvitIeS anD pracTiceS. In tHe laTteR PArt Of tHe 1970s, the new Age expANded To coVER A wide VaRIeTY OF alternatiVe spiRitUaL and reLigiOus belIefS and pRaCtIces, nOT alL oF WhiCh exPlIcItLy HeLD tO THe beLIef In tHE AGe of aquArIUS, buT were neVERtheLess widEly rEcOgnized As BroaDly SiMilaR In their SeARCh for "alternAtIves" To MainstReAm sOcieTy. in doINg SO, tHe "new agE" bECame a bAnnEr UndEr whiCh tO BRing tOgEtheR tHe WIder "cUltic mILIeu" oF ameRicAN socieTy.