The past few decades have seen a rise in spiritual awakening around the world. This phenomenon comes in many shapes and forms – awareness workshops, an increased interest in ancient mysticism, a return to religious studies from a new, personal standpoint, meditation and breathing techniques, seeking nature and the natural, integrating eastern philosophies with western spiritual traditions, channeling, holistic healing, women’s circles, and more.
This vibrant process of spiritual awakening has also taken place in Israel, and spirituality can now be found in mainstream Israeli society and even in central institutions, from politics and business to education and medicine.
Contemporary spirituality is also increasingly recognized by various academic fields. It seems that the acceptance of spirituality into mainstream culture has encouraged scholars to study this phenomenon, as well as its implications on other phenomena. The Israeli Conference for the Study of Contemporary Spiritualities was established to showcase research on this topic, and bring together scholars from various disciplines – the humanities, natural sciences, human science, psychology, sociology and anthropology, as well as applied fields such as medicine, social work and education. Past conferences have welcomed hundreds of participants and dozens of speakers.
