Meditation, Magic and Spiritual Regeneration: Spas and the Mass Production of Serenity

This chapter investigates the tension between mass production and individual well-being, and how the actors who have positioned themselves in this market attract customers and meet their needs. In order to approach these questions, it is grounded in empirical material gathered from two specific spas and the cultural context in which they operate: Varberg Kurort Hotel & Spa and Hasseludden Conference &Yasuragi. The chapter begins by presenting the contours of Marcel Mauss's theory of magic. It uses 'magical rites', 'magical representations' and the concept of 'the magician' as the three primary metaphors. The chapter focuses on magical rites, magical representations and the magicians behind it all can actually helps to understand the dynamics of spas and the cultural economy we live in today. Magic is essentially the art of doing things, and magicians have always taken advantage of their know-how, their dexterity, their manual skill.