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Ideas

Spirituality and transcendence

Disorders and difficultiesTherapies and practical advicePerspectives and controversies
Self-knowledge and personal growthRelationships, work and leisureValues and ethical living
Creativity and the artsSpirituality and transcendence
Altered statesDrugs and psychedelicsMindfulness and meditationPrayer and contemplationRituals and celebrationsSacred placesSpirituality and religionSymbols and mythThe irrational and uncannyTranscendent experienceVisions and mysticismWonder and the sublime
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A painting of a woman sitting at a table with a glass of beer, a cigarette, and a contemplative expression in a café setting.

Love

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Why it can be sublime to love someone who doesn’t love you back

Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don’t fight it

by Alexandra Gustafson

Black and white photo of a thoughtful child in a classroom sitting with hand on chin, other children nearby.

Learning and education

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Why good teachers allow a child’s mind to wander and wonder

The experience of wonder is essential to the task of education – it opens up the world. That’s why teachers should foster it

by Anders Schinkel

Double exposure image of a person and a landscape, showing a silhouette overlaid with a scenic view of mountains and a river.

Depression

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Depression is more than low mood – it’s a change of consciousness

Understanding depression as an altered state of consciousness, like a dream or drug trip, could help people awaken from it

by Cecily Whiteley & Jonathan Birch

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

A man walking by a girl in Amish clothing on a hoverboard near a pink house with a “Dead End” sign in front.

Technology and media

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To be more tech-savvy, borrow these strategies from the Amish

With their focus on values and intentionality, the Amish offer a lesson in thinking critically about digital technology

by Alex Mayyasi

Photo of a person admiring art in a gallery framed by a large red sculpture, with a wooden floor and a dark wall background.

Altered states

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A touch of absurdity can help to wrap your mind around reality

And now for something completely different: how a dose of the surreal or absurd helps to make sense of our place in the world

by David Robson

Photo of a sunlit forest trail with a person walking on a rocky path surrounded by tall trees.

Memoir

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My three decades alone, basking in the company of a mountain

I live alone in a mountain cabin. Is my solitary life an indulgence, a form of madness or a route to spiritual fulfilment?

by Susanne Sener

Person kneeling on barren land under a cloudy sky, facing away with arms crossed. Sparse vegetation visible in the background.

Spirituality and religion

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Religion gives life meaning. Can anything else take its place?

Religious faith promotes a sense of meaning in life – and it might take more than ‘social glue’ to duplicate the effect

by Michael M Prinzing

Painting of hunters with dogs walking through a snowy village; people skate on a frozen lake in the background, and a small group warms by a fire.

Philosophy of art

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When art transports us, where do we actually go?

Artworks have the capacity to transport us into other worlds. But where exactly do we go when we are immersed in art?

by Harri Mäcklin

A stained-glass window depicts two figures: one with a bowed head and white face, and another with a halo, dressed in blue and holding a book.

Altered states

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William James was right about our strange inner experiences

Rather than Freud’s cynicism or Jung’s enthusiasm, we need an inquisitive approach to unusual forms of consciousness

by David Yaden

A dramatic seascape painting depicts a violent storm with waves crashing against the coast, a wrecked ship submerged, and dark clouds overhead.

Transcendent experience

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Your consciousness has been completely transformed. Now what?

Awakening experiences are spiritual states often believed to unlock life’s mysteries – but sacred knowledge comes at a cost

by Kevin Berryman