The cultivation of ‘wild channeling’: lived religion as a normalizing force

Channeling, a New Age form of spirit mediumship, is a hyper-individualized religiosity, with proponents claiming that each person can create his/her own reality. Yet, most channels hold to very similar beliefs and practise their craft in a uniform manner. This, for most channels, involves moving thr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary religion
Main Author: Klin-Oron, Adam 1975- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Carfax Publ. [2020]
In: Journal of contemporary religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B New Age / Spirituality / Medium / Channeling (Parapsychology) / Religious life / Institutionalization
RelBib Classification:AG Religious life; material religion
AZ New religious movements
Further subjects:B Lived Religion
B Phenomenology
B Channeling
B New Age
B Institutions
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Description
Summary:Channeling, a New Age form of spirit mediumship, is a hyper-individualized religiosity, with proponents claiming that each person can create his/her own reality. Yet, most channels hold to very similar beliefs and practise their craft in a uniform manner. This, for most channels, involves moving through two stages: first, in the wild phase, they undergo powerful experiences of direct encounters with non-material beings who can be harsh and demanding, sensations are strongly embodied, the experience can be horrifying and its meaning remains obscure. In the second, cultivated stage, channels come to understand these raw experiences through pre-existing narratives of meaning learned from friends and literature, the entities channeled are benevolent, and both the content and the form of the sessions come to emphasize empowerment. Both the phenomenology and repetition of lived religion, it is shown, can serve as a regulating force, creating institutionalization of religious practices and beliefs, even when these advocate individualism and are situated in a milieu lacking any formal institutions.
ISSN:1469-9419
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2020.1759899