Spirituality and transcendence

Creativity and the arts Spirituality and transcendence

Altered states Drugs and psychedelics Mindfulness and meditation Prayer and contemplation Rituals and celebrations Sacred places Spirituality and religion Symbols and myth The irrational and uncanny Transcendent experience Visions and mysticism Wonder and the sublime

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A yellow bird singing on a branch with a soft-focus green background.

Animals

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Learn to tune into birdsong – respite and fascination await

Listening deeply to the sounds of birds is a powerful form of meditation and a first step towards a rewarding new hobby

by David M Logue

Illustration of a closed café with a person sitting alone, chairs stacked, abstract art on walls, dimly lit interior.

Emotion regulation

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Solitude can be profoundly restorative. Here’s how to savour it

Time alone offers unique psychological benefits, once you learn to embrace these quiet moments rather than escape them

by Thuy-vy Nguyen

Black-and-white photograph of a person in a jacket standing outdoors in a foggy environment, looking up with eyes closed.

Spirituality and religion

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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

Sketch of a bathroom with a vanity unit and mirror. An illustrated nude woman stands in the centre, reflected in the mirror.

Altered states

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A woman summons a stoic calm after accidentally trapping herself in a shower

A film by Tom Schroeder

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

Wonder and the sublime

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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

Bas-relief sculpture depicting the three most important figures of the Eleusianian Mysteries: the goddess of agriculture and abundance Demeter, her daughter Persephone, queen of the Underworld, and the Eleusinian hero Triptolemus, in what appears to be a rite. Triptolemus stands in the centre, the two goddesses stand either side.

Rituals and celebrations

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For Plato, rationalists and mystics can walk the same path

Why did such a keen proponent of reason turn to the Eleusinian Mysteries to explain his ideas about knowledge?

by Sam Woodward

Sepia-toned, blurred image of a woman in a dark dress with a white blouse, sitting outdoors on a cloudy day, hands clasped on her lap.

Grief

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How to express your grief

The initial shock might be over. But you need time and space to ‘ride the wave’ of grief if you are to find a sense of peace

by Sue Morris

Two people in a park performing a balancing act on white chairs and a wooden plank, surrounded by pine trees.

Theatre and performance

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Two gravity-defying performances play with the physics of life on Earth

A film by Bastien Dausse

Classroom of middle-school students sitting at desks with eyes closed, appearing to be meditating or focusing quietly.

Prayer and contemplation

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What if we learned contemplation like we do arts or sports?

As with football or violin practice, young people could gain versatile life skills through routine contemplative training

by Michael R Sheehy

Wide, empty urban road flanked by modern apartment buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

Creativity

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Your 10-step plan for achieving a creative breakthrough

We often think of Aha! moments occurring by fluke, but there are evidence-based ways to make it more likely they will occur

by Nick Kabrél

A young woman in her bedroom sits at her desk holding flowers and a letter and looks back at us over her shoulder and smiles

Poetry

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How to write a love poem

Flirtatious texts are soon forgotten. Learn to express your feelings in a beautiful way that will make a lasting impression

by Dan Simpson

A man wearing an eye mask lies on a bed while another person observes; a monitor and lamp are on the nearby table.

Emerging therapies

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What does ketamine-assisted therapy look like? Inside one firefighter’s journey

Directed by Brandon Kapelow