Thinkers and theories
![Silhouetted soldiers walking along a ridge with their reflections in the water below during the First World War.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/256bec0f-b703-4c57-b7f2-a4ae093d564c/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
History and philosophy of mental health
idea
One woman’s six-word mantra that has helped to calm millions
Ahead of her time, yet largely ignored by psychiatry, Claire Weekes taught millions of readers how to overcome anxiety
by Judith Hoare
![A painting of a man with long hair wearing a black outfit and hat, holding a lit cigarette, and sitting in a café with a glass of green liquid.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ef969e66-73c0-4e75-92e0-efd6533aec39/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinkers and theories
idea
Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing
For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning
by Costica Bradatan
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/9d4fe135-e665-461e-9d5f-b36fe19c28ce/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Death and dying
guide
How to not fear your death
You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude
by Sam Dresser
![Ancient marble relief sculpture of a young girl holding a bird close to her face, with intricate detailing of her hair and clothing.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/56014c52-a201-41c6-a677-8ef35ba42190/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Habits and routines
idea
Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines
Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing
by Joel Owen
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/7b8ff7b0-4618-4f17-a544-bd8c1233e10b/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Freedom and choice
idea
In a pandemic we learn again what Sartre meant by being free
What the Nazi occupation was for Sartre, the COVID-19 pandemic is for us: an opportunity to relearn what it means to be free
by Julian Baggini
![Painting of a man sitting on a rock thinking, by a dirt path in the countryside with a horse carriage in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/cddeb98c-49fd-4225-92f7-2723b4501efe/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Meaning and the good life
guide
How to cope with an existential crisis
Has the world gone grey? Are you wondering what life is for? Kierkegaard’s philosophy could help you rediscover your zing
by Skye C Cleary
![A man sits on a vine-covered balcony surrounded by potted plants, absorbed in thought, against a backdrop of lush green foliage.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ac1fa17f-0d60-4188-8435-61492f54060a/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Thinkers and theories
idea
For Nietzsche, nihilism goes deeper than ‘life is pointless’
For Friedrich Nietzsche, nihilism is a terrible psychological problem – a coping mechanism with deadly consequences
by Kaitlyn Creasy
![Illustrated manuscript page with a circular cosmological diagram, human figure with intricate details, and several narrative scenes.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/432065b8-a29a-4f86-ac67-1722a597dbad/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
History of ideas
idea
Ancient Indian texts reveal the liberating power of metaphysics
Indian metaphysics presented a philosophical route to a higher level of existence beyond limits of space and time
by Jessica Frazier
![Illustration of a man relaxed on the grass, resting against a large tree with vibrant green leaves. A book and wooden compass are beside him.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/e5c0f474-e852-4451-927f-6d52aff018c9/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Meaning and the good life
guide
How to be useless
Follow the Daoist way – reclaim your life and happiness by letting go of the need to produce, strive or serve a purpose
by Helen De Cruz & Pauline Lee