Meditative Ritual Practice and Spiritual Conversion-Commitment: Theoretical Implications Based on the Case of Zen
Rationalist and cognitive theories of the social actor account for change experienced by members in the process of spiritual conversion-commitment in terms of learning a role and/or a new symbolic universe. An alternative and complementary view of conversion-commitment processes can be developed by...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
1982
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| In: |
Sociological analysis
Year: 1982, Volume: 43, Issue: 3, Pages: 257-270 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Rationalist and cognitive theories of the social actor account for change experienced by members in the process of spiritual conversion-commitment in terms of learning a role and/or a new symbolic universe. An alternative and complementary view of conversion-commitment processes can be developed by taking ritual practice as a mechanism whereby personal transformation is affected non-cognitively. Meditational rituals at the core of many new religious (especially Eastern religious) practices can be seen to produce certain consequences impacting behavior and consciousness in a way not previously discussed by received models of conversion-commitment. These consequences are interesting sociologically in that they are facilitated by the organized ritual practices of various groups and shaped and sustained by interaction with, and the support of, co-present others. These consequences give rise to a sensitivity that has been called witness consciousness and set one up for the possibility of a religious or conversion experience. How this occurs in the case of Zen practice is examined. |
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| ISSN: | 2325-7873 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sociological analysis
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3711260 |