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Editorial note
No full textEditorial note of Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis, vol. 19, based on papers read at the symposium "Exercising Power: the Role of Religions in Concord and Conflict", held at Åbo, Finland, on 17-19 August 2005
The practice of mindfulness: from Buddhism to secular mainstream in a post-secular society
No full textThe article focuses on the practice of mindfulness, which has migrated from being part of a religion, Buddhism, to being an integral part of Western psychology. Mindfulness is especially used in cognitive behavioural therapy, but also in, e.g., dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In Sweden several doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists use and recommend mindfulness for therapeutic purposes. Mindfulness is used today in many segments of mainstream medical and therapeutic care. Mindfulness is also used outside the mainstream medical and therapeutic sector, in the area of personal development or spirituality, as well as in more traditional Buddhist groups and innovative Buddhist groups such as vipassana groups. This paper investigates the migration of mindfulness from a religious to a secular sphere, and discusses whether mindfulness is a religious practice or not
Liberating the Temple Mount: apocalyptic tendencies among Jewish temple activists
No full textEvery now and then instances of violence are played out at the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem, also known as the Haram-esh-sharif. Some of the cases are referred to as results of the so-called ‘Jerusalem syndrome’, incidents when individuals’ manifestations of pre-existing psychopathology culminate in violent actions. Israeli psychiatrists and others have treated such incidents as examples of when peoples’ expectations of a heavenly Jerusalem collide with the very earthly reality in the city. For some people, such encounters may create anxiety that may threaten the victim’s very sanity. In such situations, an apocalyptic mission may become the only way for them to cope with the situation at hand. But the Temple Mount does not only attract lone-acting individuals, it also attracts organized groups who refer to the very spot as an important identity marker. In this article, the author draws on her field research material and interviews with Jewish Third Temple activists in Jerusalem collected on and off between 1998 and 2004. Here Yehuda Etzion’s, Gershon Salomon’s and Yoel Lerner’s theology and activities are studied in light of apocalyptic representations, and how these are expressed in relation to religious longing for the Third Temple in the light of the Gaza withdrawal. Not all those who are engaged in endtime scenarios act upon their visions. In Jerusalem, there have been, and still are, several religious-political groups that more or less ritually perambulate the Temple Mount area.
Einige Termini der lappischen Mythologie im sprachgeographischen Licht
No full textThe article contributes to the research on Sami mythology by presenting an analysis of a selected number of concepts frequently used in Sami mythology. In comparing different texts for possible variations in dialect, the author develops a methodology that is influenced by research conducted both within comparative linguistics and within comparative religion
Fate in the religion of the Lepchas
No full textThe Lepchas are mountainous agriculturalists who live in the State of Sikkim in the Himalayas and in some adjacent Indian districts. To the Lepchas the supernatural world is divided into two groups, the rum, or the mainly benevolent supernatural beings, and the mung, or the malignant supernatural beings. Any evil occurrence is in the first instance ascribed to the malignant activities of the mung, but it may, under certain conditions, also be due to temporary on the part of some or other rum. If it is obvious that the evil occurrence is caused by a human being, this person is considered to be governed by some mung, or he may, which is much worse, be a mung in human disguise. At all events, any evil occurrence is experienced as the result of the evil will-power of some or other malignant supernatural being. Consequently, we cannot apply our technical term "Fate" to such occurrences, and Fate as an abstract concept cannot be used, when we speak of the Lepchas
Sociology of religion and the occult revival
No full textThe "new" that makes the cults of the occult revival to "new religions" of the Western world, is their recently increased social significance. Historically most of modern occultism is anything but new. From the research and theorizing about the occult revival we have picked up some main themes. The first is the social diffusion of the new occultism. In this field, we find some studies of superstition, especially astrology. These illuminate the differences in social connotation between the consumers of superstition and the followers of institutional religion. Secondly the study of the occult revival has made valuable contributions to the conceptualizing of "cult" and the cultic phenomenon. Thirdly, we will look upon the connection between the occult revival and the counter-culture. The problem of the rise of cults as a symptom of socio-cultural change will be briefly discussed with reference to Bell's thesis of "the disjuntion of culture and social structure". Lastly, we proffer some reflections on the occult revival and the new spiritual trends in the churches, which so sharply contrast with the theology and churchmanship of the sixties
Source criticism and cultural models: constructing life histories of women missionaries
No full textResearch work is an interpretive enterprise. The variety of sources poses some central methodological questions for constructing religious life histories. There is an apparent discrepancy between the source categories concerning the content of the information. Private diaries and letters provide information on women's work and life which is not available in official reports and letters. They reveal dates, events and individuals which are not mentioned elsewhere. In histography the question of discrepancy is normally solved by comparing the sources with an aim to arrive at the "true picture" of how things have been. Such a picture is believed to portray not only the true life situation of the individual or group in question but, depending on the nature of the data, also the epoch and time situation itself. From the viewpoint of social sciences and comparative religion one will ask: could the variety of sources be approached and utilized in some other way? The second question posed by the data concerns the content of each source category. The information can be located on the continuum "highly subjective — stereotyped". Subjective information, including reflections on personal experiences may not be the best source e.g. for constructing the flow of historical events, but it is of uttermost importance if we want to show how individuals respond to social constraints and actively assemble social worlds
Berserker und Erzbischof: Bedeutung und Entwicklung des altnordischen Berserkerbegriffes
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An alternative approach to adjustment of the level of incorporation of boundary lubricants to accommodate changes in granule or blend characteristics
Get PDFA method is proposed whereby the determination of the level of incorporation of a boundary lubricant is based on the surface area of the blend or granulation and the shape of the lubricant particles. This is a more logical approach to the lubrication of blends and granulations for the manufacture of solid oral dosage forms than the percentage by weight approach that has traditionally been used. Equations are provided to allow the adjustment of the level of incorporation of the boundary lubricant based on the variation in the surface area of the granulation or blend. This method has potential application in the manufacture of solid oral dosage forms by both batch and continuous processing. The concept of lubricant coverage is relevant to the development of solid oral dosage forms using Quality by Design principles, since certain changes in the granulation or blend characteristics on scale-up would be compensated for, and the use of grade bracketing strategies would be facilitated
In vitro / in vivo evaluation of procera gum-ethylcellulose microspheres for colonic delivery of budesonide
Get PDFThe objective of the present research was to develop colonic delivery system for budesonide based on polymer blends of natural polysaccharides from Albizia procera and GI insoluble polymer ethylcellulose. Emulsion solvent evaporation method was followed for preparation of the microspheres. In vitro drug release was studied on a medium simulating gastrointestinal fluid and mechanism of drug release was determined by Korsemeyer-Peppas equation. In vivo performance of the microsphere was evaluated on acetic acid induced colitis in rats. Drug release studies showed microspheres from procera gum-ethylcellulose coating was able to resist premature drug release in the upper GI tract and susceptible to enzyme effects in the colon. Treatment of rats with budesonide test formulation for five days also significantly attenuated the extent and severity of the cell damage and is a promising system for treatment of ulcerative colitis