Waking Up in Dharamsala : An Inquiry into the Stories of Young Westerners Who Have Sought Buddhist Wisdom in Northern India

Abstract: This is a brief inquiry into the stories of young Westerners who have chosen to travel to Dharamsala India and participate in activities related to self-inquiry and spirituality, as presented through a Buddhist context. The main question to be researched in this thesis is WHY would a diverse group of international young and middle-aged adults choose to spend time, money and comfort traveling to a Buddhist retreat center in northern India? There are several motivations for taking such a "spiritual vacation", and all are interdependently related to living in today's complex Post Modern, Global environment. Presented is a brief discussion of these motivating factors and other elements related to the topic at large. Next is a description of the actual setting of my research as a "selfreflexive anthropologist" in the retreat centers and eclectic international crossroads known as Dharamsala India. In order to empirically research an "insiders view" of the Buddhist retreat experience and those encountered there, I participated in several activities related to Buddhist philosophy and inquiry. The diversity of those encountered and their own interpretations of their experience illustrate an increasing global occurrence related to many: increasing spiritual exploration through exotic means.