NEUROSOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON NEW AGE PRACTICES: MEDITATION AND MINDFULLNESS

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1, 18 - 28

Burcu Doğan Koçak

https://doi.org/10.38004/sobad.1603074

Öz

This study aims to examine New Age practices from a neurosociological perspective, a point where sociology and neuroscience intersect. New Age is characterized as an eclectic and syncretic umbrella term encompassing spiritual, mystical, esoteric, and occult elements, as well as scientific knowledge, ancient traditions, and religious discourses. These techniques merge old and new teachings, resulting in a dynamic and open-ended framework. On the other hand, in recent decades, neuroscience has made significant progress in uncovering the mysteries of the human brain, supported by technological advancements. Numerous studies in the field of neuroscience have demonstrated that various practices and teachings classified under the New Age umbrella led to measurable neuronal changes in specific brain regions, reducing stress and anxiety. Due to the large spectrum of the New Age term, this study focuses only in meditation and mindfulness practices which can be seen as the pillars of many different teachings and techniques. In this study, a combination of literature review and in-depth interviews was used. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten individuals regularly engaging in these practices. The findings from these interviews align with the existing literature. This neurosociological evaluation highlights the interdisciplinary nature of New Age practices, bridging the fields of sociology and neuroscience by providing insights into how such beliefs and practices impact both individual neural functioning and broader social behaviors.

Anahtar Kelimeler

sociology, neurology, neurosociology, new age, meditation, mindfulness

Etik Beyan

Beykent Üniversitesi, 2 Ağustos 2022 tarihl E-45778635-050.99-64524 numaralı etik onay belgesine dayanılarak çalışma yürütülmüştür

NEUROSOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON NEW AGE PRACTICES: MEDITATION AND MINDFULLNESS

Öz

Bu çalışma, sosyoloji ve nörobilimin kesişim noktası olan nörososyolojik bir bakış açısıyla Yeni Çağ pratiklerini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yeni Çağ, spiritüel, mistik, ezoterik ve okült unsurların yanı sıra bilimsel bilgi, kadim gelenekler ve dini söylemleri içeren eklektik ve senkretik bir şemsiye terim olarak tanımlanır. Bu teknikler, eski ve yeni öğretileri birleştirerek dinamik ve açık uçlu bir çerçeve oluşturur. Diğer yandan, son yıllarda nörobilim, teknolojik gelişmelerin desteğiyle insan beyninin gizemlerini çözme konusunda önemli ilerlemeler kaydetmiştir. Nörobilim alanındaki birçok çalışma, meditasyon, farkındalık ve bioenerji gibi Yeni Çağ kapsamındaki çeşitli pratiklerin belirli beyin bölgelerinde ölçülebilir nöronal değişikliklere yol açtığını ve stres ile kaygıyı azalttığını göstermiştir. Bu çalışmada, alanın genişliği göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, tüm öğretilerin temelini oluşturduğu kabul edilen meditasyon ve özfarkındalık üzerinde durulacaktır. Bu çalışmada, literatür taraması ve derinlemesine mülakatlar bir arada kullanılmıştır. Bu pratikleri düzenli olarak uygulayan on kişiyle yüz yüze görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Bu görüşmelerden elde edilen bulgular, mevcut literatürle uyumludur. Bu nörososyolojik değerlendirme, Yeni Çağ pratiklerinin bireysel nöral işlevler ve daha geniş sosyal davranışlar üzerindeki etkilerini inceleyerek sosyoloji ve nörobilim arasındaki disiplinler arası doğayı vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

sosyoloji, nöroloji, nörososyoloji, new age, yeni çağ, meditasyon, mindfulness

Kaynakça

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