Spiritual awakening is becoming a common phenomenon in alternative spiritual communities and is no longer exclusive to a small elite of religious saints and disciples. There is limited research on spiritual experiences outside religious contexts in the Nordic countries. While relevant theological research exists on religious experiences in Christian contexts, much of the research on alternative...
In recent years, contemporary tantra, sometimes referred to as “neo-tantra” has spread substantially throughout Sweden. Emphasizing intimacy and polarity as means to healing and liberation, the movement tends to highlight ideals of “masculine males” and ”feminine females”, while identifying women with Shakti (creativity/immanence) and men with Shiva (consciousness/transcendence). This text...
Charisma is an unstable basis upon which to build authority. Charismatic leaders need their followers to perceive them as being endowed with extraordinary, even supernatural, gifts. Detractors can in turn question whether the leader actually possesses these unique qualities. Using Judith von Halle and her conflicts with the Anthroposophical Society as a case study, we address the question of...