It’s Like Growing Roots inside Something Deeply Familiar: An Explorative Qualitative Study of Anthroposophic Mantra Practice and the Subsidiary Exercises

Anthroposophic meditation, a European tradition focused on cognition, self-development, and sociocultural renewal, has two common practices. Anthroposophic mantra practice aims to connect practitioners to a spiritual reality. Subsidiary exercises develop clear thinking, willpower, and virtues that support meditation and link practice to daily life; they may also reduce negative effects from meditation. Some perceived effects overlap with prior meditation research, while themes like cognitive insights, virtue development through practice, and beneficial impacts on one's sociocultural environment suggest new research directions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Anthroposophic meditation is unique in that it arises within a European context and emphasizes cognition, self-development, and sociocultural renewal. This article presents the perceived effects of two of the most common Anthroposophic meditation practices within the current sample (N = 30). The first, Anthroposophic mantra practice, seeks to connect the practitioner to a spiritual reality. The second, the so-called subsidiary exercises, focuses on developing clear thinking, willpower, and certain virtues that support meditative development, while also deepening the connection between the meditative and daily life of the practitioner. Additionally, the subsidiary exercises may represent a way of reducing negative effects or handling potential challenges arising from meditation. Some themes overlap with the findings of previous studies on meditation. Other themes, such as cognitive insights, the development of virtues through meditative or spiritual practice, and the potential for beneficial impact on one’s sociocultural environment, open up new avenues of study.