Exploring New Spiritualities: Ritual Experiences of Religious Women in Türkiye
摘要
This research aims to analyze the new spiritual orientations of religious women in Türkiye. In this context, it examines why religious women living in Türkiye are turning to new spiritual formations and how they experience practices such as yoga and meditation. Moreover, this study aims to understand Muslim religious women’s perceptions of religion and spirituality and how they relate their religious beliefs to the yoga-meditation rituals they practice. In this qualitative research, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 female participants from İstanbul (a cosmopolitan metropolis in the western part of Türkiye) and Batman (a small city in the eastern part of Türkiye). Observations of three different groups working on new spiritual formations were also made. The data collected from the interviews and observations were analyzed using Maxqda software. The study found that individuals who practice religion are drawn to new forms of spirituality for emotional, physical, and social benefits. It was also revealed that the religious individuals included in the study found yoga and meditation to be compatible with their religious practices. Furthermore, participants in this study viewed religion and spirituality as one and the same, and their perceptions of religion and spirituality were reshaped by their participation in new spiritualities.