1 Mindfulness as a booming, diverse and (non) religious phenomenon - mapping and analyzing mindfulness in the city of Aarhus

Authors

  • Jørn Borup Lektor, Afdeling for Religionsvidenskab, Aarhus Universitet

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/rid.v7i2.23716

Keywords:

mindfulness, buddhism, mapping religion

Abstract

Mindfulness has become a phenomenon with widespread appeal in many Western countries. Like yoga, it has an Eastern religious origin, but through a long history it has been transformed and adapted to new cultural and social contexts. While the majority of research on mindfulness has been conducted within the health sciences, the aim of this article is to investigate the distribution, meaning and function of this practice through quantitative mapping and qualitative interviews with 16 mindfulness providers in the city of Aarhus in Denmark. The analysis reveals not just a booming phenomenon, but also a field characterized by diversity in terms of authority claims, motivations and uses. The discussion focuses on whether mindfulness can be seen as a religious practice or as a typical expression of an individualized and secularized technique.

Author Biography

Jørn Borup, Lektor, Afdeling for Religionsvidenskab, Aarhus Universitet

Lektor, ph.d.

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Published

2016-06-20

How to Cite

Borup, J. (2016). 1 Mindfulness as a booming, diverse and (non) religious phenomenon - mapping and analyzing mindfulness in the city of Aarhus. Religion I Danmark, 7(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.7146/rid.v7i2.23716

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Section

Articles