Poiesis

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

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Traditional Chinese painting of a woman resting on a chair in a pavilion by a pond with ducks and lotus flowers.

Creativity

idea

To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

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

idea

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

Abstract line drawing with intersecting lines and shapes in various colours on a light beige background.

Creativity

guide

How to be lucky

Most of us think that luck just happens (or doesn’t) but everyone can learn to look for the unexpected and find serendipity

by Christian Busch

Dance

film

How the acrobat and choreographer Yoann Bourgeois plays with gravity and time

Directed by Raphael Wertheimer

Photo of three men smiling and holding a large inflatable globe in a room with various boxes and jars.

Creativity

idea

A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived

Like the fertile soil of a well-kept garden, a life of splendid, utter uselessness yields abundance beyond our immediate aims

by Joseph M Keegin

A man wearing glasses and a brown jacket who is Charlie Watts playing drums in a TV studio.

Music

idea

True musical virtuosos are minimalists who put roll before rock

Musicians like Muddy Waters and Charlie Watts played fewer notes than showoffs like Jeff Beck, but they were the right ones

by Mike Edison

Illustration of an Oriental woman on a bench, gazing at a city skyline with a red sun above, framed by blooming branches and leaves.

Thinking and intelligence

guide

How to foster ‘shoshin’

It’s easy for the mind to become closed to new ideas. Cultivating a beginner’s mind helps us rediscover the joy of learning

by Christian Jarrett

Close-up of an older man in a flat cap and scarf, looking out over a misty rural landscape with blurred farmland in the background.

Poetry

film

Irish hills, folk music and David Whyte’s poetry form a fleeting, meditative moment

Directed by Andrew Hinton

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

Learning and education

idea

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 photo of a person silhouetted against the sea with clouds overlapping their figure.

Depression

idea

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

A couple with reflective glasses in a blurry, overexposed setting with curtains and chairs, an orange-yellow tint.

Drugs and psychedelics

guide

How to have a safe psychedelic trip

A psychedelic experience can be deeply rewarding, but also carries real risks. Here’s how to avoid a bad trip

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of a woman submerged to the neck in a natural hot spring, with mountains and mist in the background, creating a serene atmospheric scene.

Photography

film

One photo per day for more than a year, exploring how rituals affect memory

Directed by Scott Thrift