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Mindfulness and meditation

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Close-up of a cracked oil painting depicting a man’s face in profile, showing the texture and age of the artwork.

Consciousness

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What happens to the brain during consciousness-ending meditation?

Psychologists are studying a form of meditation known as ‘nirodha-samāpatti’ that reportedly ceases all mental function

by Shayla Love

Close-up photo of a person with closed eyes and hands pressed together in front of their face against a blurred background.

Spirituality and religion

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Spirituality is a brain state we can all reach, religious or not

Neuroscience shows that spiritual experiences are correlated with brain states that we can all aim for, religious or not

by Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan

Traditional Chinese painting of two figures crossing a bridge in a serene landscape with trees and mountains, signed with two red seals.

Transcendent experience

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To experience Zen-like awakening, try going the headless way

Try to point to your true self as you’d point to a brick wall, and other experiments in Zen-like awakening

by Brentyn J Ramm

Photo of school assembly with pupils in uniform, many faces blurred. One student is in focus in the centre of the image.

Mindfulness and meditation

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It’s time to hear what adolescents think of mindfulness in schools

Mindfulness for adolescents backfires when it imposes moral ideals, stirs up trauma, or fails to treat young people as agents

by Elena Hailwood, William Wannyn & Suparna Choudhury

Close-up of two hands nervously picking at the skin around the nails, indicating anxiety or stress.

Worry and rumination

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Here’s how to take back your life from long-term worrying

Long after they’ve gone, stressors can cause harm to your health. These psychological techniques offer a powerful defence

by Dane McCarrick & Daryl O’Connor

A small Buddha statue seated on a green leaf with a blurred background, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Mindfulness and meditation

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Modern mindfulness meditation has lost its beating communal heart

Ancestral blessings in meditation are not premodern residue. Attachment theory suggests they’re vital for compassion

by Paul Condon & John Makransky

Hands clapping flour over a ball of dough on a floured surface with a wooden rolling pin nearby, in a dark background setting.

Food and drink

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If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead

When overwhelmed I schedule in a cooking day: playful, daring and full of memories. Beats any other stress-reliever for me

by Chloe Faure

Climber with gear walking through a snowy landscape into heavy fog with mountains barely visible in the background.

Mindfulness and meditation

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Meditation is like mountaineering: approach it with care

We speak of meditation as exercise, something that’s good for everyone. But, like scaling a mountain, you must use caution

by Nicholas Van Dam

Two people sit meditating on the street in front of a police van, with a crowd and traffic barriers behind them.

Mindfulness and meditation

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Here’s what to know about using meditation to be a better person

Meditating has long been thought to enhance morality. But the type of meditation – and the aspects of morality – matter

by Jakob Hohwy & Kevin Berryman

A person walks a dog past a shop window displaying motorcycles with a “Zen Motorcycle” sign and glowing blue lights inside.

Mindfulness and meditation

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When mindfulness meets capitalism, it loses its way

The modern business of mindfulness strips the practice of both its spiritual meaning and much of its practical value

by Chris Wheatley

A vintage photo of a group of women and girls in period clothing lying on the ground, posing casually and looking at the camera.

Memory and nostalgia

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In a journey through time I’ve seen the past imprinted on the present

Memory allows us to break free from chronological time, to extend ourselves beyond a single life to embrace earlier generations

by Vicky Grut

Classroom of middle-school students sitting at desks with eyes closed, appearing to be meditating or focusing quietly.

Prayer and contemplation

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What if we learned contemplation like we do arts or sports?

As with football or violin practice, young people could gain versatile life skills through routine contemplative training

by Michael R Sheehy