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Spirituality and religion

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Marble statue of Hermaphroditus, depicting a naked human figure with male and female features, leaning forward slightly and holding a draped cloth in one hand, set against a plain background. The statue lacks a head.

Gender

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There is nothing new about gender fluidity and nonconformity

From Mesopotamia and ancient Greece to precolonial India and medieval London, gender has always been more than a binary

by Chris Wheatley

A man in a white robe walks down a staircase with an ornate iron railing in a stone building. Sunlight streams through the large windows.

Spirituality and religion

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A monk showed me that spirituality needs more space in medicine

As a doctor, I’ve seen how brain diseases can become entwined with spiritual pain. Who is responsible for addressing it?

by Michael P H Stanley

Black and white photo of a boy walking across a littered street, with signs saying ‘No Hang Out Here’ and ‘Keep Away!’. Behind him, a man lies on the ground under a fire escape.

Transcendent experience

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Our days are both rough and slippery. Hope brings traction

I want to defend and buoy hope – it’s a fragile, quirky thing, but it has the power to help us act in the face of finitude

by John Lysaker

A man in a white outfit stands in front of a building with the sign “UFO land.” He is wearing a large pendant and a wristwatch, looking upwards.

Spirituality and religion

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UFO belief is a modern outlet for ancient spiritual yearnings

Even when it’s not explicitly religious, belief in alien visitors resembles our oldest ways of making sense of the world

by Francesco Dimitri

Ancient stone carving of a woman standing beside intricately decorated circular patterns and floral motifs, with ruins in the background.

Sacred places

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Why Indian Buddhism has gardens, not monasteries

Wishing trees, jewels, unfading flowers – what place do these sensual pleasures have in the ascetic life of Buddhist monks?

by Simran Agarwal

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 man stands next to a painting of Jesus carrying the cross, with reflections visible on a glass surface beside him.

Self-harm and suicide

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Why religious belief provides a real buffer against suicide risk

Under-recognised as a protective force against suicide, religious faith has multiple features that help to save lives

by David H Rosmarin

Aerial view of a mountain range with rugged terrain, valleys and ridges under a hazy sky.

Cultural diversity

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The Quechua idea ‘pacha’ urges us beyond narrow self-concern

The Quechua term ‘pacha’ embodies an Andean worldview that sees everything as related, transcending narrow self-interest

by Jorge Sanchez Perez

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

An angelic figure with wings and a sceptre, surrounded by a dramatic dark sky and people near an arched structure with smoke in the background.

Spirituality and religion

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The Devil you don’t know: the Satan of the 19th century

Satan wasn’t always a wicked, horned figure. The Romantics imagined the Devil as a resourceful and well-spoken gentleman

by Erik Butler

A reflection of religious statues and a minaret tower in a glass window, with a painting of Jesus Christ faintly visible in the foreground.

Spirituality and religion

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One good way to understand religion is to break it apart

To understand what religion means, don’t reach for the dictionary. Better that you take it apart, break it, even throw it away

by Joseph Blankholm

Silhouette of a person riding a horse up a rocky hill during sunset, with rolling hills in the distance.

Spirituality and religion

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Why religion without belief can still make perfect sense

Meet the practising agnostic and the religious fictionalist: people for whom religion can work well without sure belief

by Philip Goff