Passions in contemporary spirituality II A cosmopolitan spiritual mood Prof. Dr. Anne Koch Chair Religious Studies Salzburger Hochschulwochen 2016 Download: www.uni-salzburg.at/rs...yesterday Describing affects - Affect politics & affect economy Affect discourses - Society of fear, of fatigue - Affects after 9/11 Consequences for contemporary religion - Intensity, embodied, exotic, embedded... 2 1
Are there global affect economies? Alternative spirituality sociological - holistic milieu - mainly private - individualized - consumerist - integrative of several traditions - self-empowering - interested in alternative healing - a niche for elderly women Global Christianity e.g. does it feel the same to be guilty in Jakarta and in Salzburg? 3 Is there a yogic emotional regime = habitual set of related emotions and modes of experiencing To deliver information for orientation in social world emotions are trained through regular practice Buddhist detachment from feelings? Or relaxation? the meditative intensification of the moment the experiencing of the self and of one s own body 4 2
Emotional regimes politcs of affect Both are habitual result from an interplay of - socio-economic structures - body styles - strategic goals - milieu-specificities Politics of affect - a societal-wide emotional regulation - with players from economy to art and politics Praxeological emotions are a practical engagement with the world 5 Is there a global yoga? Extension History of transfers Translocal scenes, retreats and resorts Global trends (doga = dog yoga, business yoga) 3
Yes: A specific configuration Social milieu, global-minded people Communication and media Eventization Part of global movements Language same background of economic culture Yoga Aid World Challenge (YAWC) 2007-2012 Australia, New Zealand, North America (USA, Canada), Asia (India, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan), Europe (UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands), Africa (Kenya, Zambia, South Africa), and South America (Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico) 4
Yoga Aid World Challenge (YAWC) Join us for Yoga Aid World Challenge Japan! Join hundreds of yogis and some of Japan's most influential teachers on Sunday September 9th in the Yoga Aid World Challenge: a 24-hour global yoga-relay. Beginning in Sydney, the World Challenge will follow the sun west, tour through 20+ countries at 200+ events, and end at sunset in Los Angeles. In a network of simultaneous community events across the country, we will celebrate the collective power of yogis by practicing together in this global event and fundraising for charity. Yoga Aid, Homepage, Japan, http://www.yogaaid.com/japan, accessed 07/29/2012. 9 Advertising movie I Advertising movie II 10 5
Imagination as global The affect economy/emotional regime of YAWC Owing 6
The founding narrative of YAWC We are here to give back to the world (Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji according to Clive Mayhew and Eriko Kinoshita at Rishikesh 2006) Owing 14 7
Gratitude Living4giving 8
Competing Log&In & &&English& &&Italiano& && Germany&&September&9,&2012 Find&a&Challenger&... Germany &Germany Challengers Events Teachers Charities Ambassador Media About Blog Register&Now Find&a&Challenger Find<a<Challenger Select&an&Event&from&this&menu. Find<a<Team Select&a&team&from&this&menu All Venues All Teams Connectedness 9
Affect economy cosmopolitan mood owing compe tition Gratitude Selfempowerment Selfempower ment connect edness 10
Conclusion emotional signifier: redemption through joyful yoga practice and spreading this gift to others Relevance of meaning of life 21 Affect economies mixed with neoliberal practices Cosmopolitan spiritual mood of a global middle class charitization: yoga enters a new arena of political visibility and moral aspiration 22 11