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Wonder and the sublime

Photo of green leaves on branches against a bright blue sky with wispy clouds behind.

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The most profound wonder is stirred by what is most ordinary

Rare moments of wonder at the mere existence of things – rather than the dramatic or new – involve perceiving with the soul

by Maria Balaska

Black-and-white photo of a child standing in front of a large aquarium, watching big fish swim by.

Transcendent experience

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To thrive, children need to experience awe – and you can help

Alongside love, sleep and play, awe is precious for children. There are small, everyday ways to make it a part of their lives

by Artemisia O’bi & Fan Yang

A person walking on a fallen tree trunk in a dense, lush forest with tall trees and abundant greenery.

Transcendent experience

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Do you find the 21st century overstimulating? Try ‘longstorming’

As the treadmill of life speeds up, sublime outdoor spaces help us tap into timescales that are longer, slower, planetary

by Vincent Ialenti

A woman seen from behind and bathed in dawn light is looking out through a window to a forest

Altered states

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The small pleasures in life can produce moments of rapture

Rapture is a delight that turns us both towards the object of attention and towards oneself, resulting in a sense of freedom

by Christopher Hamilton

Ancient artefact with gold sun, moon, and stars on a dark blue-green background, likely depicting an early astronomical observation.

Wonder and the sublime

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Bronze Age people looked to the skyscape to navigate their lives

Long before stargazing helped humans navigate the Earth, the skyscape gave Bronze Age people mystery and wonder

by Kata Karáth

Hiker with a large backpack walking along a ridge with misty mountains in the background.

Wonder and the sublime

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To benefit from wonder, make sure you’ve got the genuine kind

Why the life-long disposition towards wonder – not the momentary experience of awe – is the way to knowledge and discovery

by Lisa Sideris

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

A painting depicting a human figure, mythical creatures, a large turtle, dragon, snake, and swirling waters.

Poetry

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The meaning of cowardly dogs and other puzzles of Arabic poetry

In classical Arabic poetry, beauty and wonder lie in the logical unravelling of a metaphor, rather than plot or character

by Lara Harb

A dark ocean under a stormy sky, with three lightning bolts striking the water, illuminating the scene with a purple hue.

Wonder and the sublime

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Is the sublime a hopelessly old-fashioned Euro-Romantic ideal?

The sublime is not only for the Romantics, nor just about gender or overcoming nature. It’s in the thrills-and-chills of emotion

by Robert Clewis

A person arranging colourful abstract paintings on a table. The image is a photograph taken from above.

Stories and literature

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Access to the arts is a human right, for prisoners as for students

Beyond pleasure or instruction, literature opens us up to catharsis and wonder. Access to art in prison is a human right

by Emma Gilby

Vintage photo of a young girl seated, resting her chin on her hand, with other children blurred in the foreground.

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