Poiesis

Creativity in all its manifold expressions, exploring the imaginative, artistic and transcendent facets of life

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Blurry photo of a supermarket interior with people shopping, bright lighting and shelves filled with products.

Mind and brain

idea

Having epileptic seizures gave me newfound respect for the brain

Seizures are often described as both terrifying and enthralling. Mine gave me a wondrous new take on consciousness and agency

by Webb Wright

Photo of a person silhouetted against the Milky Way galaxy in a starry night sky, with a faint horizon glow.

Wonder and the sublime

idea

The ‘panzoic effect’: the benefits of thinking about alien life

Reflecting on the potential for extraterrestrial life can inspire awe and have a profound effect on your worldview

by Graham Lau

A waterfall under a stormy sky with mist and a building on the left cliff surrounded by trees in the background.

Wonder and the sublime

guide

How to think about the sublime

An exquisite mix of fear and awe, pleasure and pain, the sublime stretches the imagination and reveals the limits of reason

by Nicole A Hall

Shadow of a person on crumpled paper in dark setting photo.

Trauma and PTSD

film

Sent to boarding school, a boy conjures up a friend to soothe his distress

A film by Tony Gammidge

Painting of two weasels playing among trees in a vibrantly coloured landscape.

Communication and language

idea

For this unsung philosopher, metaphors make life an adventure

Susanne K Langer understood the indispensable power of metaphors, which allow us to say new things with old words

by Sue Curry Jansen & Jeff Pooley

Painting of an elderly couple in 16th century attire, man in fur-lined coat and woman in white headdress on green background.

Love

idea

There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief

Loving is an unreasonable decision (we are all extremely unpleasant little beasts) and that’s what allows it to survive

by John Kaag

Ancient mosaic depicting a lounging skeleton with Greek text, an amphora, a loaf of bread and a platter on a dark background.

Death and dying

guide

Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how

For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started

by Joanna Ebenstein

Woman in a white dress standing in front of a geometric quilt in a garden setting with trees in the background.

Traditional arts

film

Beauty is woven into everyday life for the quilters of the American West

A film by Carly Jakins and Jared Jakins

Ancient mosaic of a reclining skeleton with Greek text, holding a drink, next to an amphora and bread on a dark background.

Death and dying

idea

Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how

For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started

by Joanna Ebenstein

Green spiky thistle plants with purple flowers against a blurred grey background.

Evaluating therapies

idea

In therapy or meditation, is it normal to feel worse at first?

A ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality might make sense when striving for change – but don’t confuse discomfort and distress

by Nicholas Van Dam

A person watering plants in an urban garden with buildings in the background on a cloudy day.

Meaning and the good life

guide

How to make your life feel more meaningful

Existential psychology offers specific ways to find meaning, giving you a buffer against despair in these anxious times

by Steven Heine

An elderly woman in a patterned beanie holding a red card with holes punched into it in front of her face.

Artists and art history

film

Circles possess a defiant beauty in the abstract works of Howardena Pindell

Directed by César Martínez Barba