‏Is spirituality a trend online? Let’s find out on TikTok.

Nowadays, social media can be considered as the new morning alarm: a single notification, eyes wide open and here we are scrolling our feed on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and the routine settles.

In this blog, the main focus will be on the relation between TikTok and spirituality. This platform is based on video-sharing tools since 2016 and registered 2 billion downloads with an exponential success in March 2020 (Roche et al., 2020). TikTok is widely known for being the ‘Ali Baba’s cave’ of spirituality. There is a range of options: from tarot reading, to astrology, meditation, Yoga, and crystal healing.

An analysis of TikTok trends demonstrate the correlation between youth and their interest in spirituality. According to research, 63.5% of the users are categorised under the age of 24 years old (Murphy et al., 2020).

Did you know?

Spirituality can also be practiced in the form of cooking.

Find out more about Pagan dishes and moon phases cocktails here.

Youth and TikTok

During the first lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be said that youngsters turned to TikTok to distract themselves from boredom of staying at home, others learned more about spirituality which automatically led to the creation of trends, for instance the famous #WitchTok and #ZodiacSigns. TikTok acts as a source of knowledge for those ambitious about learning on spirituality but also it can be referred to as a process of escapism, giving meaning to life in periods of crisis.

The platform has reinforced the views about contemporary mindset of Gen Z and aspects of cancel culture. Within this digital world, youngsters feel free to express themselves, they find support from individuals of their spiritual community and embrace their chosen spiritual pathways. Aware of identity politics, promoting alternatives to religion is essential part of today’s culture and it puts forward that the main ones such as Christianity have been forced upon indigenous communities by European colonisers (Friend, 2019).

Fav 'TikTokers' at the moment:

@meredyth_with_a_why

Meredyth is a middle-aged woman who creates video-based content based on spirituality notably reincarnation, past traumas, chakras and explanations about the signs of the universe!

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be said that spirituality has always existed. However, social media have put more emphasis on the dynamism of spirituality and individuals seem to enjoy their free will through it, you should too!

References

Friend, H. (2019). Alternative Spirituality. LS:N Global. https://www.lsnglobal.com/micro-trends/article/23406/alternative-spirituality

Makhijani, P. (2021). Bell, Cookbook & Candle: Cookbooks 2021. Publishers Weekly, 268(34). https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/bell-cookbook-amp-candle-cookbooks-2021/docview/2563226200/se-2?accountid=10382

Roche, L., Nic Dhonncha, E., & Murphy, M. (2020). TikTokTM and dermatology: promises and pearls. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 46(4), 737–739. https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.14529

Pictures from WIX media.