https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=mindfulness%2C%20meditation%2C%20buddhism&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Etc%2FGMT%2B4




Then mindfulness on its own for proper scale:
https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=mindfulness

There are other fun ones to try. "Zen" is cooling off. "Vipassana" is steady.

For some reason Vermont Googles meditation related stuff relatively frequently. Anyone know why? Also, why are people Googling Buddhism so much in October and so infrequently in summer? School?

And if anyone can think of other searches feel free to post them

https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=mindfulness%2C%20meditation%2C%20buddhism%2C%20%2Fm%2F0524b41%2C%20%2Fm%2F0c3xpwy&geo=US&cmpt=q&tz=Et

mindfulness trend vs. Vipassana trend vs pragmatic dharma trend


https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%2Fm%2F04csl7%2C%20%2Fm%2F01gn4c%2C%20Pragmatic%20Dharma&cmpt=q&tz=Et

[quote=
]
For some reason Vermont Googles meditation related stuff relatively frequently. Anyone know why? 


My guess is that it's because Vermont is one of the most liberal states in the country--perhaps even the most liberal state in the country, depending on who you ask. And for an itty bitty rural state, it has quite a few meditation centers. In the 60s and 70s, a lot of left-leaning, nature-loving professionals left the big cities of New England and settled there.

When you look at zen + yoga worldwide, it's interesting that in between 2004-07,
zen has it's maximum in december while yoga then has it's minimum,
and one month later, in january, yoga has it's max. Funny, isn't it? ;-)
Link: https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=zen%2C%20yoga

While 'zen' is declining over the following years,
'yoga' is growing and still has its very significant regular peaks in January (also for the US).

I think, that is because of the winter time in the northern hemisphere,
when the people are looking for some relief through bodily workout.

In some countries (i.e. USA), health-fitness fad stuff peaks in January due to "New Year's Resolution" effect -- people resolve to do this or that self-improvement program to start-off the new year.

Wanting to take off weight gained by holiday season eating is a contributing factor. Advertising for diet-programs probably peaks around January too, as with gym, yoga, etc. fitness programs.

And, as Mirco mentions, people in northern hemisphere are mostly stuck indoors by winter cold, lacking exercise, losing tone, getting flabby..

The new-years-resolution-sparked programs usually last less than a month or so.

Heres the graph for diet/yoga/gym:

https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%2Fm%2F02zkwn%2C%20%2Fm%2F087zy%2C%20%2Fm%2F016yx7&cmpt=q&tz=Et

Here's one that came out a bit unexpectedly:

https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%2Fm%2F092bf5%2C%20%2Fm%2F01lp8%2C%20%2Fm%2F03_gx%2C%20%2Fm%2F0flw86&cmpt=q&tz=Et

Christianity & Islam -- helter-skelter (of course)

Buddhism & Judaism -- lockstep and regular -- why the peaks in Oct-Nov & Apr-May? (The latter ~ Vesak)

Check this one, Buddhism, Christianity, Facebook


https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=%2Fm%2F092bf5%2C%20%2Fm%2F01lp8%2C%20%2Fm%2F02y1vz&cmpt=q&tz=Et

Party is over...  lol

DhO and Dhamma Wheel head to head for the last 6 years. So the mindfulness hype haven't reinforced these communities. Or is it that forums are freezing, or worse going through a long decline (much like what happened with mailing lists) because of the unavoidable battles and wordy posts? 


https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=Dhamma%20Wheel%2C%20dharma%20overground&cmpt=q&tz=Et

Thanks for the link. This is interesting. In general there seems to be a decrease in interest in the subject of "truth and reality" in general (including zen etc.) and an increase in the interest in things like sex for example. Very revealing... I had always thought that the trend is the other way around but apparently not.