Tacit Conversion
Drifting through Samsara December 2, 2021 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197579961.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA new analytical framework called 'tacit conversion' is introduced to understand personal transformation and growing commitment within Goenka's Vipassana movement. By closely examining an experienced student's language, speech inflections, tone, and narrative delivery, the chapter shows that committed long-term students perform narratives resembling 'conversion narratives' found in other traditions. Central themes in participants' self-transformation include self-acceptance, agency, and the mind-body relationship.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | An old student of Goenka's Vipassana movement |
| Key finding | Committed old students of Goenka's Vipassana movement perform narratives that resemble conversion narratives in other traditions. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter introduces the concept of tacit conversion as an analytical framework for conceptualising the process of personal transformation and increased commitment to Goenka’s Vipassana movement. This chapter is based on a detailed examination of an old student’s language and his performance of the role of a Vipassana meditator. By paying attention to the content of speech, as well as other modalities of communication, including the inflections, tonalities, and the delivery of the narrative, the chapter illustrates that committed old students essentially perform a narrative that in many ways resemble what have been categorised as ‘conversion narratives’ in other traditions. This chapter also outlines several themes that are central to the participants’ experience of self-transformation such as self-acceptance, agency, and the mind-body relationship.