New Age Goes Online: Relocating Spirituality in Virtual Spaces. The Study of Damanhur

Is really the Internet a new "electronic temple" where both traditional and New Religious Movements (NRMs) can find and gather their communities? The cryptic rules of ICTs and their capacity of “de-massifyng” and relativizing time and space raises deeper reflections about the human condition as well as the possibility for individuals to reach new levels of transcendence. Several scholars have observed how the internet’s “mysterious” nature and functions have opened new possibilities of “re -enchantment of theworld” through generating new personal and spiritual empowerment. This research looks at the internet’s influence on the virtual activity of Damanhur Spiritual Community, a small esotericvillage in Northern Italy. The analysis of the structure of Damanhu r’s website demonstrates that internet is not merely a tool of communication, but embodies the spiritual philosophy of Community, becoming an empirical part of its values.