Spiritualities of Life: New Age Romanticism and Consumptive Capitalism

This enlightening book explores the ways in which inner–life spirituality has been experienced, understood, and valued in western society. In doing so, it traces the development of modern spiritualities of life, from the origins of Romanticism in the late–eighteenth century, through to the counter–cultural sixties and on to the wellbeing culture. The result is an insightful account of the spiritual landscape. In a provocative argument, Heelas takes on the belief that holistic spirituality is merely an extension of capitalism in which people consume spirituality without giving anything back. He contends that much of the wide range of popular mind–body–spirit practices are really an ethically charged force for the “good life”. These expressivist and humanist spiritualities, he argues, are helping us to find balance in the face of the suffocating demands of twenty–first century living. Building on The Spiritual Revolution (2005, with Linda Woodhead) and The New Age Movement (1996), Spiritualities of Life completes a trilogy of books by this acknowledged world leader in the field.

Preface. Introduction. PART I: PORTRAYING SPIRITUALITIES OF LIFE . 1 From the Romantics: The Repertoire. 2 Wellbeing Spirituality Today. PART II: THE ‘CONSUMING GROWTH’ DEBATE . 3 The Debate. 4 The Language of Consumption and Consumeristic Aspects of Mind–Body–Spiritualities of Life. 5 The Sacred and the Profane: Spiritual Direction or Consumer Preference?. 6 The Matter of Personal Significance: Profaned Superficiality?. 7 Work: Consumptive or Productive?. PART III: TO WORK BEYOND THE CONSUMING SELF . 8 A ‘Fag Ending’ of the Sacred or Fit for the Future?. 9 Inside Out. Epilogue: Birthright Spirituality Beyond the West. Appendix: Evidence Indicative of Inner Life ‘Beliefs’. Notes. References. Name Index. Subject Index: Some Main Themes and Arguments

Paul Heelas is Professor in Religion and Modernity in the Department of Religious Studies at Lancaster University. For some thirty years he has published extensively, including The New Age Movement (Blackwell, 1996) and The Spiritual Revolution (Blackwell, 2005, with Linda Woodhead), and is one of the world’s leading authorities on the study of contemporary spiritualities.

"A welcome contribution to many areas in the study of religion and culture … .An alternative to the popular idea that everything within the New Age can be denounced as simple individualist consumerism." ( Reviews in Religion and Theology , January 2010) "[Heelas] convinced me, a skeptic when encountering his book, that new age philosophies are more complex than their American Journal of Sociology critics allow." ( American Journal of Sociology , November 2009) "Heelas′ style is, as ever, measured, elegant and good–humored, and this book will undoubtedly appeal to, and be accessible to, those outside the academy who are interested in religion and culture, and who might wish to think through the changing spiritual landscape in Britain today." ( Theology , November 2009) "His emphasis is on inner–life spirituality or simply ′spiritualities of life,′ rooted in a universal human potential and developed by a variety of effective practices. [He] makes plausible the importance of holistic forms of complementary and alternative medicine. Recommended." ( CHOICE , November 2008)