Dictionary of Theology

The branch of philosophy involved with examining and discussing the ultimate nature of reality. The term comes from "meta" which means "after" and "phusika" which means "physics." Around A.D. 70 Andronicus applied to the section of Aristotelian writings that came after the physics section; hence, metaphysics. In the New Age, metaphysics deals with spiritual concepts such as reincarnation, auras, chakras, Ascended Masters, etc. and other such ideas of a spiritual nature not generally associated with Christianity.