In the following essay, I have studied a relatively new spiritual phenomenon in Swedish society, yoga retreats, through interviews with eight representatives. I have examined how these representatives perceive their participants' needs and motives, and how these are answered. I have also studied whether the activities within the retreats are compatible with the historian of religion, Anne-Christine Hornborg's research regarding coaching. My research has shown that in addition to a need for recovery, there is also a perception that participants are looking for tools and methods to deal with a stressful everyday life. Furthermore, I have also distinguished a tendency that these tools and methods were being used as means for personal development. This tendency, along with a similar target group, a shared use of language and attitude regarding the concept of religion, was something that was comparable with coaching. Despite the fact that both activities point to the individual's inner spirituality, which can be retrieved through different methods, the goal of each activity differs. While coaching focuses on a non-religious goal, often aimed at the personal career, the goal of yoga retreats is to answer to participants existential needs, expressed in words of purpose, meaning and longing. Thus, the representatives prescribe one solution (tools and methods for personal development) for both worldy and spritual/religious needs within their participants. I have also shown that there is an ambivalence among the representatives regarding how the offered methods should be used. While there is a perception that the goal is achieved through methods, several representatives show dissatisfaction with the fact that their participants overly fixate on these methods, as this may distract the participants from the expressed goal.

Placed within the field of recent research concerning religion and contemporary religious landscapes, this thesis aims to show conceptions of human life and body displayed in ten Swedish health magazines. The analysis aims to demonstrate the appearance of body and bodily experience and in addition see in what way ”westernized” religious traditions and methods from east Asia may contribute to perspectives of health. The main theories for the study are objectified versus phenomenological understanding of the human body by Drew Leder (1992; 1990) and Kristen Zeiler (2010). The quote in the main title is from the empirical material (Hälsa & Fitness, 2014 (11), cover). ”Strong from inside and out” depicts the core of the outcome, indicating both biomedical and holistic perspectives. With science as a provable reference, the individual’s body seems to be an object to control and shape to optimize goals of esthetic or physical benefits. Here are many mental aspects involved as well as social factors, which shows that the human is a phenomenological creature. The thesis suggests that in order to accomplish health and a healthy relationship – not only towards the body but living through it – the human need to cultivate the sensation of wholeness. Having no clear counterpart, this aspect seems to be easily provided through eastern traditions and methods, treating the human as “one”.

This thesis aims at contributing to a critical discussion on the supposedly far-reaching secularity of Sweden on the one hand, and on the incongruence and inconsistency of lived religion on the other. At the center are people referred to as semi-secular Swedes – a group that is often neglected in the study of religion. These people do not go to church or get involved in any other alternative organized spiritual activities, neither are they actively opposed to religion or entirely indifferent to it. Most of them describe the ways they are – or are not – religious as in line with the majority patterns in Swedish society. The study is qualitative in method and the material has been gathered through interviews and a questionnaire. It offers a close reading of 28 semi-secular Swedes’ ways of talking about and relating to religion, particularly in reference to their everyday lives and their own experiences, and it analyzes the material with a focus on incongruences. By exploring how the term religion is employed vernacularly by the respondents, the study pinpoints one particular feature in the material, namely simultaneity. The concept of simultaneity is descriptive and puts emphasis on a ‘both and’ approach in (1) the way the respondents ascribe meaning to the term religion, (2) how they talk about themselves in relation to different religious designations, and (3) how they interpret experiences that they single out as ‘out-of-the-ordinary’. These simultaneities are explained and theorized through analyses focusing on intersubjective and discursive processes. In relation to theorizing on religion and religious people this study offers empirical material that nuance a dichotomous understanding of ‘the religious’ and ‘the secular’. In relation to methodology it is argued that the salience of simultaneity in the material shows that when patterns of religiosity among semi-secular Swedes are studied there is a need to be attentive to expressions of complexity, contradiction and incongruity. / Religious ambiguities on the urban scene

Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera hur unga vuxna beskriver sin tro med särskilt fokus på beskrivningar av Gud och Jesus. De unga vuxna som jag vill undersöka är individer som är medlemmar i de kristna studentorganisationerna Credo och KRISS. I studien vill jag också undersöka huruvida det finns någon skillnad i hur och vad de unga vuxna från Credo och KRISS beskriver som viktigt för deras tro.  Men även hur de unga vuxna beskriver auktoriteten i förhållandet mellan människa – Gud. För att kunna få en förståelse av hur unga vuxna formar sin tro har jag använt mig av en bearbetning av Paul Heelas och Linda Woodheads (2005) teori om ”the subjective turn” och dess två perspektiv ”life–as religion” och ”subjective–life spirituality”. Bearbetningen utgår från hur de två perspektiven skulle kunna komma till uttryck i talet om tro. ”Life–as religion” beskriver en hållning där auktoriteten att bestämma vad som är rätt och riktigt ligger utanför mig själv. Denna auktoritet kan vara Gud, en grupp människor, den tradition individen tillhör m.m. Vem individen ska vara bestäms av någon annan, inte av individen själv. ”Subjective–life spirituality” beskriver istället en hållning där individen och det subjektiva står i centrum. Här bestämmer individen själv och utgår från hens erfarenheter i beslutet av vad som är rätt och riktigt och hur hen vill leva sitt liv. Det heliga finns här inom människan, inte utanför. Resultatet utgår från sju individuella intervjuer med unga människor (23-29 år) som var medlemmar i Credo eller KRISS. Tre av dessa var män och fyra av dessa var kvinnor. Intervjuerna var semistrukturerade men utgick mycket från den intervjuades egen berättelse. Som analysmetod har jag använt mig av kvalitativ innehållsanalys med utgångspunkt i teorin. För att fördjupa analysen har jag även lyft fram skillnader mellan mäns och kvinnors beskrivningar av tro. Det finns en rad slutsatser som man kan dra utifrån de intervjuer som jag analyserat. Gud beskrivs med ord som faller inom benämningen ”life-as religion”. Gud beskrivs som kärlek, förälder och far men också som något som är långt borta och dolt. Här finns det inga skillnader mellan Credo och KRISS eller mellan männen och kvinnorna. Jesus beskrivs bland annat som en kärleksfull, ödmjuk och rebellisk person. Han beskrivs som en brygga till Gud och som en förebild och inspiration för hur de unga ska eller kan leva. De unga från Credo trycker här på att han visar på hur de ska leva medan de unga från KRISS menar att han inspirerar individer till hur de kan leva. Förutom Gud och Jesus lyfter de unga gemenskap, gudstjänst, bön och Bibeln som viktiga för tron. Beskrivningarna av Bibeln visar på den största skillnaden mellan hur de unga från de två organisationerna väljer att beskriva sin tro. De unga vuxna från Credo beskriver Bibeln som Guds ord medan de unga från KRISS trycker på att Bibeln måste tolkas genom deras egna liv. Även beskrivningarna av auktoritet och relationen människa – Gud visar på skillnader mellan de unga vuxna i de två organisationerna. De unga vuxna från KRISS tycker att de själva har det största ansvaret för sin tro medan de unga vuxna i Credo beskriver att Gud har det största ansvaret för att deras tro är rätt och rimlig. Paul Heelas och Linda Woodheads (2005) teori om ”the subjective turn” och dess två perspektiv ”life–as religion” och ”subjective–life spirituality” har genom den bearbetade modellen bidragit till ytterligare ett sätt att förstå unga vuxnas beskrivningar av tro. Resultatet visar att den förståelse av tro som dominerar i de ungas beskrivningar går att finna i ”life–as religion”. / In a study conducted by the Swedish National Board of Youth Affairs from 2007 close to one out of two young people answered that they believe in a God or higher power. The study ”Religion as a resource?” (2012) shows that religion is still a resource in the life of many young people. The life- and self-understanding, that takes place in the life of young people, is in many ways independent of a church, institution and/or tradition, and any contact with religion primarily takes place in a secularized context. The young people that express that religion is an important part of their life are in minority, as are those who choose to engage in a Christian organization. KRISS and Credo, two Christian Swedish student associations are examples of such organizations. In this study I focus on KRISS and Credo by interviewing seven young adults from these organizations to see what shapes their faith.    The aim of this study is to examine how young adults relate to the traditional interpretations and expressions of faith within the Christian context they have chosen to engage in, especially how they describe God and Jesus, and if there are any differences between the two organizations.  To help in this understanding I have used Paul Heelas and Linda Woodheads theory about ”the subjective turn” and their two perspectives how people relate to religion and spirituality: ”life–as religion” and ”subjective–life spirituality” (Heelas & Woodhead, 2005). A question in this study was if /how these theories can contribute to a deeper understanding of how young adults shape their faith?       The results show that although there are small tendencies toward ”subjective–life spirituality”, the descriptions given by the informants from KRISS and Credo are predominantly associated with ”life-as religion”. There are minor differences between the two organizations. However these are subtle and could be the expression of individual rather than organizational differences.

<p>The aim of this study is to investigate the components of religion and spirituality in the specific context of "Fryshuset" – a multicultural and glocal arena. Against the backdrop of contemporary researchers such as Heelas and Woodhead and their hypothesis about the "spiritual revolution" and a "new spirituality", as well as the postmodern discussion about "the return of God", this study discusses how religious change can be understood in the context of Fryshuset.</p><p>The theoretical point of departure is taken in a hermeneutical method where Fleck´s theory about "thought-collective" and Gidden´s theory about the "duality of structure" are used in order to understand and describe the dialectical relationship between individual and social structure.</p><p>The method used in this study is qualitative. The interviews are made of six individuals representing different social projects at Fryshuset.</p><p>By analyzing the material from the field study through theories on religious change, three areas are identified:</p><ol><li>"The subjective turn"</li><li>Religion and spirituality</li><li>A Cosmopolitan interpretation of life </li></ol><p>The result of this study is that the religiosity among the interviewed can be described through Taylor’s understanding of the "subjective turn". Furthermore they are also part of a "double subjective turn" understood as an internalized subjective turn. Despite the fact that a lot of what the informants describe corresponds to Heelas and Woodheads theories of "subjective life spirituality" it is not relevant to talk about a "spiritual revolution". However, according to Beckford´s theories about religion as a "cultural resource" it can be described as a kind of new spirituality which is used in order to act and think global. The individuals use religion and spirituality as a cultural resource in their formation of a larger cosmopolitan interpretation of life.</p>

The aim of this study is to investigate the components of religion and spirituality in the specific context of "Fryshuset" – a multicultural and glocal arena. Against the backdrop of contemporary researchers such as Heelas and Woodhead and their hypothesis about the "spiritual revolution" and a "new spirituality", as well as the postmodern discussion about "the return of God", this study discusses how religious change can be understood in the context of Fryshuset. The theoretical point of departure is taken in a hermeneutical method where Fleck´s theory about "thought-collective" and Gidden´s theory about the "duality of structure" are used in order to understand and describe the dialectical relationship between individual and social structure. The method used in this study is qualitative. The interviews are made of six individuals representing different social projects at Fryshuset. By analyzing the material from the field study through theories on religious change, three areas are identified: "The subjective turn" Religion and spirituality A Cosmopolitan interpretation of life  The result of this study is that the religiosity among the interviewed can be described through Taylor’s understanding of the "subjective turn". Furthermore they are also part of a "double subjective turn" understood as an internalized subjective turn. Despite the fact that a lot of what the informants describe corresponds to Heelas and Woodheads theories of "subjective life spirituality" it is not relevant to talk about a "spiritual revolution". However, according to Beckford´s theories about religion as a "cultural resource" it can be described as a kind of new spirituality which is used in order to act and think global. The individuals use religion and spirituality as a cultural resource in their formation of a larger cosmopolitan interpretation of life.

The aim of this paper is to use a cultural-hermeneutic methodology to investigate how meaning is constructed in a contemporary social situation (co-culturally) and to suggest the Christian concept incurvatus in se as a critical theological resource (counter-culturally). Central to this account is how to think theologically in a secular situation. It could also be understood as a habermasian translation of a christian experience of the human problem as curved into themselves (homo incurvatus in se) into a existential language for a (possibly) universal experience. I liken this curvedness to the pervasive individualism of today’s society and argue that meaning-making based on the idea of individual freedom can lead to a lack of meaning and existential emptiness.  To arrive at a discussion of incurvatus in se as a theologically critical resource for the study of existential emptiness, I analyze film, parenting and worship to get an idea of what a meaning-making process can look like in these examples. The result of this analysis suggests that by viewing these activities as something that points beyond themselves, rather than something that only reflects the subjective, they can play a meaning-making role.  In light of this result and the interpretation of the situation, I propose a concept of humans as homo incurvatus in se as contrast to an idealization of individual freedom and selfrealization. Overall, this study develops a excurvatus ex se approach that is constituted by conscious and critical meaning-making and argues further that a modified understanding of the human problem as curved into themselves can serve as an incentive, or even a primus motor, to seek meaning outside the subjective in a responsible way.

The purpose of this study is to examine how people express their beliefs in crystals through the comments section of one of Sweden's largest crystal retailers. The aim of the thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary religious expressions of crystal users. In total the study material consists of 172 comments collected from the website Ohlamoon.se written between January 2019 and September 2023. The study is conducted using a thematic content analysis and follows an abductive approach. Stark &amp; Finke's Rational Choice Theory (2000) has been employed as the primary theory against which analysis questions are posed, the thesis also utilizes Heelas &amp; Woodhead's (2005) description of The Subjective Turn as a secondary theory against which the results are discussed. The conclusions from the study revealed that crystals are described as possessing positive qualities that in various ways, reinforce, support, or comfort users. In this way crystals can be likened to personal pillars of support that actively contribute to users' lives with their properties and agency. Users form personal relationships and feelings of affection towards the crystals, utilizing their energy and presence in daily life as well as during meditation and rituals to achieve a sense of deeper spiritual states.

Stockholm County is a post-industrial Swedish region characterized by high levels of mobility and technologization as well as ethnic and religious diversity. Among its religious minorities exist various strands of charismatic Christianity, some of which originate from the Pentecostal revival of the early 20th century and some of which belong to more recent movements. The aim of this ethnographic study is to examine how affiliates of the multicultural charismatic Christian congregation New Life Church practice religiosity within the context of their personal daily lives, within the framework of the general congregation and in terms of their involvements with other religious organizations in the area of Stockholm. Beginning with the assumption that the practice of contemporary religiosity and the development of a religious identity are part of an ongoing process of habituation, the study describes how practitioners cultivate a form of charismatic piety characterized by certain embodied orientations, patterns of ritualization and narrative genres. To shed further light on this process, it draws upon a variety of theories concerning ritualization, embodiment, performance, narratives and materiality. Apart from this, the study also constitutes an attempt to explore and measure the impact on the practitioners’ religiosity of late modern developments such as urbanization, detraditionalization and global mobility as well as the growing absorption in consumerism, emotional intimacy and the unfolding of the “authentic” inner self. While pursuing these ends, the study also calls into question previous assumptions about charismatic Christianity in Sweden, most particularly the assumption that today’s practitioners remain inclined to be entirely faithful to one given institution and its system of beliefs and practices. Indeed this view is directly challenged herein by the finding that contemporary charismatics are far more inclined to eclectically appropriate elements and models of thoughts from various contexts of origin as well as to affiliate with and/or visit multiple Christian institutions.