Glocal Zen in Italy: A Preliminary Exploration of the Underlying Dynamics

This article focuses on three Zen meditation groups operating in Italy from the perspective of glocalization. Based ethnographic fieldwork and practitioners’ narratives, it explores dynamics underlying making glocal with reference to internal structure individual religious worlds its reshaping through creative incorporation zazen or zazen-like meditation. My analysis also indicates that there are at least main factors constraining these processes glocalization: Availability, way which meditational techniques become accessible (or not) practitioners global exchanges; consciousness, relates changes collective consciousness encourage individuals see themselves as actors their practice globally relevant; resonance, speaks is selected by for practices based both perceived congruence preexisting usefulness solution specific problems.