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Designing Rites to Re-enchant Secularized Society: New Varieties of Spiritualized Therapy in Contemporary Sweden

Hornborg, Anne-Christine LU orcid (2010) In Journal of Religion and Health online 25 May 2010.
Abstract
Detraditionalization in late modernity has both affected traditional religion and the domain of clinical therapy. Sweden, which is said to be one of the most secularized societies in the world, instead has allowed the public domain to be colonized by new, spiritualized practices. Sold as therapy, the services of new spiritual leaders offer anti-stress techniques to prevent burn-out, or leaders are trained to develop their leadership in coaching activities. New varieties of spiritualized therapy are rapidly increasing in contemporary Sweden, typical of which is to have added healing rhetoric to their agenda, such as "find your inner self" or "develop your inner potential". Four common denominators seem to guide these practices: self-made... (More)
Detraditionalization in late modernity has both affected traditional religion and the domain of clinical therapy. Sweden, which is said to be one of the most secularized societies in the world, instead has allowed the public domain to be colonized by new, spiritualized practices. Sold as therapy, the services of new spiritual leaders offer anti-stress techniques to prevent burn-out, or leaders are trained to develop their leadership in coaching activities. New varieties of spiritualized therapy are rapidly increasing in contemporary Sweden, typical of which is to have added healing rhetoric to their agenda, such as "find your inner self" or "develop your inner potential". Four common denominators seem to guide these practices: self-made leaders, individual-centered rites, realization of one’s Self, and intense emotions. We might also add a fifth aspect: profit. Rites have become a commodity and are sold as liberating practices for burnt-out souls or for people in pursuit of self-realization. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
New spiritual practices, therapy, coaching activities, commodification of rites
in
Journal of Religion and Health
volume
online 25 May 2010
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:84862255985
  • pmid:20499187
ISSN
0022-4197
DOI
10.1007/s10943-010-9356-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Centre for Theology and Religious Studies (015017000)
id
f4e86ede-577d-49b8-8517-7442cc40d938 (old id 2117170)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:36:16
date last changed
2023-09-03 16:46:01
@article{f4e86ede-577d-49b8-8517-7442cc40d938,
  abstract     = {{Detraditionalization in late modernity has both affected traditional religion and the domain of clinical therapy. Sweden, which is said to be one of the most secularized societies in the world, instead has allowed the public domain to be colonized by new, spiritualized practices. Sold as therapy, the services of new spiritual leaders offer anti-stress techniques to prevent burn-out, or leaders are trained to develop their leadership in coaching activities. New varieties of spiritualized therapy are rapidly increasing in contemporary Sweden, typical of which is to have added healing rhetoric to their agenda, such as "find your inner self" or "develop your inner potential". Four common denominators seem to guide these practices: self-made leaders, individual-centered rites, realization of one’s Self, and intense emotions. We might also add a fifth aspect: profit. Rites have become a commodity and are sold as liberating practices for burnt-out souls or for people in pursuit of self-realization.}},
  author       = {{Hornborg, Anne-Christine}},
  issn         = {{0022-4197}},
  keywords     = {{New spiritual practices; therapy; coaching activities; commodification of rites}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Religion and Health}},
  title        = {{Designing Rites to Re-enchant Secularized Society: New Varieties of Spiritualized Therapy in Contemporary Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9356-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10943-010-9356-5}},
  volume       = {{online 25 May 2010}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}