<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This article concentrates on the practice of wearing crystals in Estonia. The practice is currently a popular phenomenon in New Spirituality on a global scale, although it is not an entirely novel trend. Crystals are part of the materiality of New Spirituality and so the aim of the article is to emphasize the meaning-making process of this materiality and of vernacular interpretations in the practice. Following the methodology of material culture studies, I focus on mutual relationships and interaction between humans and crystals and the significances gained through practice. Based on the perspectives of vernacular religion, the practice is embedded in people’s everyday lives. People wear crystals to support their human qualities and daily activities, and in practice crystals as material objects evolve intimate and profound relationship with people.</p></abstract>

This article concentrates on the practice of wearing crystals in Estonia. The practice is currently a popular phenomenon in New Spirituality on a global scale, although it is not an entirely novel trend. Crystals are part of the materiality of New Spirituality and so the aim of the article is to emphasize the meaning-making process of this materiality and of vernacular interpretations in the practice. Following the methodology of material culture studies, I focus on mutual relationships and interaction between humans and crystals and the significances gained through practice. Based on the perspectives of vernacular religion, the practice is embedded in people’s everyday lives. People wear crystals to support their human qualities and daily activities, and in practice crystals as material objects evolve intimate and profound relationship with people.

The Practice of Wearing Crystals in Contemporary New Spirituality in Estonia: Supporting Oneself in Everyday Life

Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This article concentrates on the practice of wearing crystals in Estonia. The practice is currently a popular phenomenon in New Spirituality on a global scale,...

The Practice of Wearing Crystals in Contemporary New Spirituality in Estonia: Supporting Oneself in Everyday Life

Published Online: Jul 20, 2019

Page range: 131 - 154

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2019-0007

Keywords
New Spirituality, crystals, material religion, material culture, vernacular religion

© 2019 Tenno Teidearu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The Practice of Wearing Crystals in Contemporary New Spirituality in Estonia: Supporting Oneself in Everyday Life

Published Online: Jul 20, 2019

Page range: 131 - 154

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jef-2019-0007

KeywordsNew Spirituality, crystals, material religion, material culture, vernacular religion

© 2019 Tenno Teidearu, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
New Spirituality, crystals, material religion, material culture, vernacular religion