Drugs and psychedelics

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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Stained glass artwork depicting two figures in medieval attire, one seated and sleeping, the other standing, on a blue background.

Altered states

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William James was right about our strange inner experiences

Rather than Freud’s cynicism or Jung’s enthusiasm, we need an inquisitive approach to unusual forms of consciousness

by David Yaden

A painting of six men playing cards in a rustic room with a fireplace and ladder. One man wears a red hat.

Drugs and psychedelics

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What can Kant tell us about the perils and promise of booze?

Drinking like a philosopher: what does Immanuel Kant have to say about the role of intoxication in our overlooked lives?

by Matthew Perkins-McVey

Photo of people dining in a dimly lit restaurant, blurred flowers in foreground, focus on background diners at a table.

Addiction

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How to know if you’re addicted

Do you feel uneasy about your drinking or drug use? Recognising the signs of addiction can be the first step to recovery

by Rebecca E Williams

Desert with a blurred yellow road sign and distant hills under a blue sky.

Altered states

film

Ride along on a road trip suffused with LSD, petty theft and true love

Directed by Aric Allen

Photo of hands clasped on a wooden table with a blister pack of orange pills in front.

Depression

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Why the ketamine revolution is stalling – and how to save it

Used with psychotherapy, ketamine can provide safe and effective treatment for depression when other treatments have failed

by Bita Moghaddam

Silhouetted photo of a family on a wooden pier overlooking a serene lake at sunset.

Drugs and psychedelics

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To learn from a psychedelic trip, explore the dreams that follow

Psychedelic experiences, properly digested, offer opportunities for change – and the dreams that follow them can help

by Mackenzie Amara

Colourful photo with three people in sunglasses. Blurred effect, room number 101 visible, two seated in the background.

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

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

film

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

Directed by Brandon Kapelow

Medieval manuscript illustration of a mandrake plant with human features, surrounded by handwritten text.

Sex and sexuality

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A long history of aphrodisiacs, from health tonic to sexual aid

Long before Viagra, people around the world and throughout history used aphrodisiacs to boost health and improve fertility

by Alison M Downham Moore

Photo of a wolf standing in a sunlit paddock with mountains and trees in the background, creating a serene atmosphere.

Altered states

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Altered states can help us face death with serenity and levity

Near-death and out-of-body experiences can help us embrace our impermanence, letting us live and face death with serenity

by Sam Gandy, Samantha Treasure, Jade Shaw & Alexander Beiner