Paper short abstract:

This paper draws on current ethnographic research on alternative forms of spirituality in Lisbon, Portugal. It attempts to explore how people in Lisbon cope daily with their country's present-day socio-economic restlessness through the practice of 'new spirituality'.

Paper long abstract:

Present-day Portugal, along with the rest of its southern European counterparts, appears to be facing restlessness when it comes to its current social and economic affairs. Such restlessness does not leave the Portuguese people unaffected, but is expressed multi-dimensionally in the course of their everyday lives. When it comes to individuals who live in the Portuguese capital, in particular, one effective way of coping with disquiet is the practice of new forms of spirituality during their daily routine. From tarot reading to alternative forms of healing, and from practising yoga to attending meditation retreats, people in Lisbon, especially the younger generation, seem to pursue a wide range of spiritual itineraries in order to alleviate their anxiety and social distress.

Although 'new spirituality' has long claimed its presence within Portuguese everyday life, its practice has grown in recent years, challenging the predominance of Christianity even more and claiming a significant position within contemporary Portuguese religiosity more persistently. My paper is based on current anthropological fieldwork in Lisbon and its periphery region. It aims to investigate the ongoing rise of 'new spirituality' in Portugal, while attempting to shed some analytical light on whether/how this rise is connected to emerging identity disquietedness within a presently uncertain European environment.