Türkiye’de Dinî Rekabet ve Spritüel Özün Seküler Form Üzerinden Mücadelesi: Sahaja Yoga Örneği

After the structural transformations that has been lived in the world recently, the number and types of religious groups and spiritual movements has increased, and compared to the past the relationship form between them has been differed significantly. In this context, globalization, post modernity, and the new religious movements has come to the fore as macro factors shaping relationship between religious movements and groups. These three factors mean that the world has differed significantly in terms of the situation, the meaning universe and the agency. The transformation has also affected the religious field in Turkey, and structural differences have been experienced due to the internal dynamics besides the three macro factors. It is observed that also by the effect of these changes the competition among religious and spiritual groups came to the fore, and a power struggle is concerned. Groups who are struggling are in competition sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly. Opening religion to the competition also means individual’s freedom of choice and the obligation of religious groups to effort in the face of this freedom. Thus, religious and spiritual movements and groups are acting in the context of persuading individual as well as competing against alternatives. This movement is carried out via a rational and bureaucratic organization in accordance with the logic of the modern era. Furthermore, some groups construct the modern organization through a different option by offering the spiritual essence via a secular form. Of these, Sahaja Yoga Movement is noteworthy by being prominent and active in many institutions mainly in universities. In this paper, Sahaja Yoga is discussed in the context of its struggle in Turkey during 1998-2008.