Religion is changing. Contrast experiences (disruptive and revelatory experiences) are leading many people into new contemplative practices (meditation, yoga and ayahuasca) to create their own blend of spirituality. How do they find meaning? And how does their spirituality differ from therapy, art or wellness?
We focus on (1) empirical research on "new spirituals." Who are they? What drives them? How do they engage with meaning? How are they changing the religious landscape in the Netherlands and the West? (2) The philosophical questions that such fluid spirituality raises. What does religion still mean in this context? What is the role of transcendence? In what ways do non-Western traditions (Zen, yoga, ayahuasca) meet Western modernity? We follow the ontological turn initiated by thinkers like Bruno Latour: how can we think in a new way about what does and does not exist, and are there multiple ways in which things can exist?