Poiesis
Creativity in all its manifold expressions, exploring the imaginative, artistic and transcendent facets of life
Painting and sculpture
idea
Works of urban graffiti are not vandalism, but public monuments
They might appear to have little in common with statues or obelisks, but graffiti images serve a vital public function
by Rafael Schacter
Stories and literature
idea
Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back
Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative
by Karen Simecek
Music
guide
How to get hooked on opera
Aspects of opera can seem strange. But give it a try and you’ll soon find yourself absorbed in a truly magical experience
by Alexandra Wilson
Painting and sculpture
film
A rural Namibian artist reflects on authenticity in work and in life
Directed by Niklas von Klitzing and Leo Stolz
The self
idea
Why bad doodles can reveal more about you than good drawings
For Marion Milner, ‘not being able’ is a valuable state – one that allows for new and unexpected forms of learning
by David Russell
Sleep and dreams
idea
The brain’s twilight zone: when you’re neither awake nor asleep
Neuroscientists are demystifying this in-between state, uncovering its role in memory processing and its creative potential
by Célia Lacaux
Spirituality and religion
guide
How to find new spiritual practices
Even if religion isn’t for you, there’s a world of rituals and tools to lift yourself up and connect to something greater
by Morgan Shipley
Altered states
film
A woman summons a stoic calm after accidentally trapping herself in a shower
A film by Tom Schroeder
Creativity
idea
A key part of creativity is picking up on what others overlook
We all constantly filter a flood of details coming in. This process helps explain what gives some brains a creative edge
by Madeleine Gross
Music
idea
Why did bloody knights write love songs about spring blossoms?
The masculinity of medieval knighthood was expansive enough for both graphic violence and the joys of a flower meadow
by Jennifer Saltzstein
Creativity
guide
How to use ‘possibility thinking’
Have you hit an impasse in your personal or professional life? Answer these questions to open your mind to what’s possible
by Constance de Saint Laurent & Vlad Glăveanu
Parenting and families
film
No kidding! Inside one childless comedian’s choice to get a vasectomy
A film by Jordan Temple