Becoming Buddhist - Experiences of Socialization Self Transformation in Two Australian

What does it mean to be a Western Buddhist? For the predominantly Anglo-Australianaffiliates of two Western Buddhist centres in Australia, the author proposes ananswer to this question, and finds support for it from interviews and her ownparticipant-observation experience.Practitioners''prior experiences of experimentation with spiritual groups and practices-andtheir experiences of participation, practice and self-transformation-areexamined with respect to their roles in practitioners'' appropriation of theBuddhist worldview, and their subsequent commitment to the path toenlightenment.Religious commitment isexperienced as a decision-point, itself the effect of the individual''sexperimental immersion in the Centre''s activities.During this time the claims of the Buddhistworldview are tested against personal experience and convictions. Using rich ethnographic data and Lofland andSkonovd''s experimental conversion motif as a model for theorizing the stages ofinvolvement leading to commitment, the author demonstrates that this study hasa wider application to our understanding of the role of alternative religionsin western contexts.

Product details

• Authors: Dr Glenys Eddy, Glenys Eddy
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.02.2019
• EAN: 9781350101029
• ISBN: 978-1-350-10102-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Series: Continuum Advances in Religious Studies; Continuum Advances in Religiou; Continuum Advances in Religiou; Continuum Advances in Religious Studies
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Other religions; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology of Religion, RELIGION / Buddhism / General, comparative religion, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, RELIGION / Comparative Religion, Buddhism, Sociology & anthropology, Sociology and anthropology