An Indian tantric tradition and its modern global revival: contemporary nondual Śaivism

"This book analyses the contemporary global revival of Nondual Śaivism, a thousand-year-old medieval Hindu religious philosophy. Providing a historical overview of the seminal people and groups responsible for the revival, the book compares the tradition's medieval Indian origins to modern...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Osto, Douglas 1967- (Author)
Format: Print Book
Language:English
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Published: Abingdon, Oxon New York, NY Routledge [2020]
In:Year: 2020
Series/Journal:Routledge studies in tantric traditions
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Kashmir / Śaivism
B Siddha yoga
B Śaivism / Non-dualism / New Age / Spirituality
B Lakshman Joo, Swami 1907-1991
B Muktananda, Svāmī 1908-1982
RelBib Classification:BK Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
Further subjects:B Kashmir Śaivism
B Spiritual Life Hinduism
B Tantrism
B Cults
Description
Summary:"This book analyses the contemporary global revival of Nondual Śaivism, a thousand-year-old medieval Hindu religious philosophy. Providing a historical overview of the seminal people and groups responsible for the revival, the book compares the tradition's medieval Indian origins to modern forms, which are situated within distinctively contemporary religious, economic, and technological contexts. The author bridges the current gap in the literature between "insider" (emic) and "outsider" (etic) perspectives by examining modern Nondual Śaivism from multiple standpoints as both a critical scholar of religion and an empathetic participant-observer. The book explores modern Nondual Śaivism in relation to recent scholarly debates concerning the legitimacy of New Age consumptive spirituality, the global spiritual marketplace, and the contemporary culture of narcissism. It also analyses the dark side of the revived tradition, and investigates contemporary teachers accused of sexual abuse and illegal financial activities in relation to unique features of Nondual Śaivism's theosophy and modern scholarship on new religious movements (NRMs) and cults. This book shows that, although Kashmir Śaivism has been adopted by certain teachers and groups to market their own brand of "High Tantra," some contemporary practitioners have remained true to the system's fundamental tenets and teach authentic (albeit modern) forms of Nondual Śaivism. This book will be of interest to academics in the fields of religion and Asian philosophies, especially South Asian, tantric, neo-tantric and yoga philosophies, alternative and New Age spiritualities, religion and consumerism, and new religious movements (NRMs) and cults"--
Item Description:Includes bibliographical references and index
ISBN:0367436892