Mindfulness and meditation

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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An otter rolling on a moss-covered rock, eyes closed in a relaxed pose with a blurry background.

Animals

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You can think like an animal by silencing your chattering brain

The desire is partly whimsical, but a brief shapeshift across the taxonomic gulf could help us better empathise with animals

by Bryony Tolhurst

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

A solitary tree emerging from a lake with mountains and overcast skies in the background, reflecting on the calm water.

Mindfulness and meditation

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How to think like a phenomenologist

Doing Edmund Husserl’s phenomenological reduction will transform your view of the world and your own consciousness

by D J Hobbs

A knitted grey toy mouse holds a needle and repairs its own dress. Three balls of yarn lie nearby, alongside a small blue open book.

Pleasures and pastimes

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A whimsical ode to the reparative power of knitting, rendered in wool

Directed by Samantha Moore

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

Two people sit meditating on the street in front of a police van, with a crowd and traffic barriers behind them.

Mindfulness and meditation

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Here’s what to know about using meditation to be a better person

Meditating has long been thought to enhance morality. But the type of meditation – and the aspects of morality – matter

by Jakob Hohwy & Kevin Berryman

Illustration of a man relaxed on the grass, resting against a large tree with vibrant green leaves. A book and wooden compass are beside him.

Meaning and the good life

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How to be useless

Follow the Daoist way – reclaim your life and happiness by letting go of the need to produce, strive or serve a purpose

by Helen De Cruz & Pauline Lee

A Chinese woman with long hair wearing a white top and pink skirt with arms outstretched against a backdrop of mountains and sky.

Spirituality and religion

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China’s young people who trade parties for peace at a mountainside hermitage

Directed by Ellen Xu

A person walks a dog past a shop window displaying motorcycles with a “Zen Motorcycle” sign and glowing blue lights inside.

Mindfulness and meditation

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When mindfulness meets capitalism, it loses its way

The modern business of mindfulness strips the practice of both its spiritual meaning and much of its practical value

by Chris Wheatley

Hands clapping flour over a ball of dough on a floured surface with a wooden rolling pin nearby, in a dark background setting.

Food and drink

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If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead

When overwhelmed I schedule in a cooking day: playful, daring and full of memories. Beats any other stress-reliever for me

by Chloe Faure

A window with light streaming through sheer curtains, partially covered by a red curtain tied back with a rope tie.

Mindfulness and meditation

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How to find your mindfulness

With so many approaches to mindfulness, it can be difficult to know where to start. Explore these methods to find what suits you

by Gill Johnson & Willem Kuyken

Illustration of legs immersed in water, with the lower half submerged, showing blue hues and ripples on the surface.

Mindfulness and meditation

film

A leaf, a bird and a fisherman animate Heraclitus’ aphorism on flux

A film by Michelle Brand