Religiosity as cultural toolbox: a study of Estonian new spirituality
Date
2016-10-07
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Abstract
Üha suurem osa religioossetest nähtustest jääb Lääne sekulaarsetes ühiskondades väljapoole institutsionaalseid religioone. Enamik Eestis levinud religioosseid või vaimseid uskumusi ja praktikaid ei kuulu otseselt ühegi religiooni alla – neid toetab New Age’i subkultuurist välja kasvanud uue vaimsuse keskkond. Et taoliste õpetuste järgmine ei eelda püsivat kuulumist kogudusse või gruppi ning õpetused ise hõlmavad väga erinevaid valdkondi, on uut vaimsust väga keeruline määratleda või analüüsida lähtudes tavapärastest religiooni indikaatoritest nagu uskumused, kuuluvus ja religioossed praktikad.
Doktoritöös vaatlen uue vaimsuse keskkonda eelkõige kui üht allikat, mis pakub erinevaid kultuurilisi tööriistu nii maailma mõtestamiseks kui ka konkreetsete probleemide nagu haiguse või töökaotuse puhul abi ja toetuse saamiseks. Taolised kultuurilised tööriistad võivad olla nii abstraktsemad väärtused, tähendused (sh ka eksistentsiaalse maailmakorralduse kohta) aga ka näiteks spetsiifilised tehnikad või rituaalid näiteks „rahaõnne“ kasvatamiseks või „aja maha võtmiseks“. Uue vaimsuse keskkonnas osalemine ei pea olema järjepidev, õpetusi kasutatakse vajaduse tekkimisel. Uue vaimsuse tegeliku ühiskondliku ja kultuurilise tähenduse tabamiseks tuleb analüüsi kaasata ka neid, kel on ehk vaid mõningad (latentsed) uskumused ning üleüldine valmisolek õpetuste poole pöörduda. Töös pakun välja mudeli, mis kaardistab inimeste valmisolekut või kalduvust uue vaimsuse keskkonnast pärit lahendusi kasutada.
Õpetuste järgima hakkamine ei ole instrumentaalne tarbimine, kus otsus langetatakse puhtalt näiteks hinna vm „toote omaduste“ alusel. Uue vaimsuse keskkonnas peetakse kõige olulisemaks isiklikku kogemust, mis kinnitab igaühele personaalselt õpetuse tõeväärtuse ja toimivuse. Olulist rolli mängib siiski ka laiem tähenduslik foon, mis loob valmisoleku ning tekitab „tõelisuse aura“, mis paneb inimesi vaimseid lahendusi ja tehnikaid piisavalt usaldama, et neid ise järele proovida. Uus vaimsus levib peamiselt interneti, meedia, raamatute toel. Taoliste levikukanalite efektiivsus näitab, et tavaline kasutajakogemus on (virtuaalsete) võrgustike toel muutunud üha olulisemaks õpetuste kandjaks ja neile usaldusväärsuse loojaks. Individuaalseid valikuid tähtsustava religioossuse kandjana on mitteformaalsed võrgustikud traditsioonilistest institutsioonidest (nagu kirik) isegi efektiivsemad.
Under the umbrella of New Age-based spirituality, a series of fuzzy and disguised forms of contemporary religious phenomena are grouped. This dissertation traces how the Estonian spiritual “milieu” functions as a source of cultural tools (namely, spiritual knowledge or practices). Given the situational and low-intensity involvement of new spirituality practitioners, concepts such as belief(s) or belonging, commonly used in the study of religions, are inadequate to grasp the full scope of new spirituality. Based on their previous experiences, knowledge, and social contacts people position themselves differently in relation to spiritual tools and values. Inclination to new spirituality indicates the potential willingness of a person to use a spiritual “toolkit” and therefore characterizes the person’s mental disposition towards using spiritual solutions. For example, people who have some (generally latent) beliefs in spiritual phenomena and a theoretical willingness to try spiritual solutions could be described as weakly inclined – which is likely the most common position for Estonians. Using spiritual tools (teachings, practices) requires some degree of practical and attitudinal preparedness and initial willingness to start applying the solutions that the spiritual milieu offers. Turning to spiritual/religious solutions and becoming involved in new spirituality is a multi-layered process involving finding general credibility and then seeking individual confirmations through personal (often bodily) experiences. In the context of weak primary socialization into religions and the presence of hostile public representations, this support is provided by spiritual events or by personal or mediated guidance (internet pages, books, consultations). As informal networks play an increasingly prominent role in disseminating spirituality, the categories of “dominant” and “vernacular” religion are losing their relevance. Religious participation is based on new types of institutions – network based and less centrally organized but still structured by implicit internal rules, normativity and power relations. The lines between “soft” and “hard” or “alternative” and “dominant” are blurred; commonly, the informal networks have a stronger impact on people’s beliefs and behaviours than religious institutions such as churches.
Under the umbrella of New Age-based spirituality, a series of fuzzy and disguised forms of contemporary religious phenomena are grouped. This dissertation traces how the Estonian spiritual “milieu” functions as a source of cultural tools (namely, spiritual knowledge or practices). Given the situational and low-intensity involvement of new spirituality practitioners, concepts such as belief(s) or belonging, commonly used in the study of religions, are inadequate to grasp the full scope of new spirituality. Based on their previous experiences, knowledge, and social contacts people position themselves differently in relation to spiritual tools and values. Inclination to new spirituality indicates the potential willingness of a person to use a spiritual “toolkit” and therefore characterizes the person’s mental disposition towards using spiritual solutions. For example, people who have some (generally latent) beliefs in spiritual phenomena and a theoretical willingness to try spiritual solutions could be described as weakly inclined – which is likely the most common position for Estonians. Using spiritual tools (teachings, practices) requires some degree of practical and attitudinal preparedness and initial willingness to start applying the solutions that the spiritual milieu offers. Turning to spiritual/religious solutions and becoming involved in new spirituality is a multi-layered process involving finding general credibility and then seeking individual confirmations through personal (often bodily) experiences. In the context of weak primary socialization into religions and the presence of hostile public representations, this support is provided by spiritual events or by personal or mediated guidance (internet pages, books, consultations). As informal networks play an increasingly prominent role in disseminating spirituality, the categories of “dominant” and “vernacular” religion are losing their relevance. Religious participation is based on new types of institutions – network based and less centrally organized but still structured by implicit internal rules, normativity and power relations. The lines between “soft” and “hard” or “alternative” and “dominant” are blurred; commonly, the informal networks have a stronger impact on people’s beliefs and behaviours than religious institutions such as churches.
Description
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Keywords
Eesti, religiooniuuringud, New Age, Estonia, religious studies