ABSTRACT
Studies on the therapeutic framework focus on the popularisation of the talking cure and the “textualisation of subjectivity.” Alongside practices that are based on verbalisation of the self, however, other technologies of the self, mainly originating from non-Western cultures, have penetrated the contemporary culture of psychological health and well-being. In the main, these techniques stem from cultures that are suspicious of language as a medium for self-knowledge. Yoga, meditation, healing, and alternative medicine are examples of practices that turn to the body in order to produce self-knowledge, self-mastery, and self-healing. In this chapter I track the process of popularisation and globalisation of body-based therapeutic practices. First, I illustrate how these practices moved from relatively religious spheres into secular spheres such as the hospital, the mental health clinic, or the gym. Second, I examine the cultural logics attached to these practices, with a focus on the notions such as ‘emotional intelligence’ and ‘somatic self,’ and how these cultural logics rely on justification and legitimation from a growing scientific community in psychiatry and neuroscience. Last, I demonstrate how the logic and techniques of embodied therapeutic culture penetrated a variety of spheres, including spiritual circles, self-help industry, dieting and training, integrative health, and psychological treatment. The chapter reviews the popularisation of different embodied techniques with a specific emphasis on mindfulness meditation as one of the most successful representatives of this phenomenon.
