Spirituality and religion

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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Marble statue of Hermaphroditus, depicting a naked human figure with male and female features, leaning forward slightly and holding a draped cloth in one hand, set against a plain background. The statue lacks a head.

Gender

idea

There is nothing new about gender fluidity and nonconformity

From Mesopotamia and ancient Greece to precolonial India and medieval London, gender has always been more than a binary

by Chris Wheatley

A man in a white robe walks down a staircase with an ornate iron railing in a stone building. Sunlight streams through the large windows.

Spirituality and religion

idea

A monk showed me that spirituality needs more space in medicine

As a doctor, I’ve seen how brain diseases can become entwined with spiritual pain. Who is responsible for addressing it?

by Michael P H Stanley

Silhouette of a person in front of a stained glass window featuring a geometric pattern with red, blue, teal, and white shapes.

Change and self-development

guide

How to thrive after leaving your religion

It can be distressing, but liberating too. Use these tips from clinical practice and personal experience to emerge stronger

by Micah Rees

Black and white photo of three children standing outdoors under a cloudy sky. The boy on the left wears a flat cap and checked shirt with trousers, while the two girls on the right wear patterned headscarves and dresses, smiling and looking into the distance.

Values and beliefs

film

For Hutterites, ‘love thy neighbour’ is both gospel and practical necessity

Directed by Colin Low

Black and white photo of a boy walking across a littered street, with signs saying ‘No Hang Out Here’ and ‘Keep Away!’. Behind him, a man lies on the ground under a fire escape.

Transcendent experience

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Our days are both rough and slippery. Hope brings traction

I want to defend and buoy hope – it’s a fragile, quirky thing, but it has the power to help us act in the face of finitude

by John Lysaker

A man in a white outfit stands in front of a building with the sign “UFO land.” He is wearing a large pendant and a wristwatch, looking upwards.

Spirituality and religion

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UFO belief is a modern outlet for ancient spiritual yearnings

Even when it’s not explicitly religious, belief in alien visitors resembles our oldest ways of making sense of the world

by Francesco Dimitri

A stylised figure drawn in glowing red lines stands on a cliff reaching towards a dark sky full of stars above a calm sea. The scene has a mystical atmosphere.

Symbols and myth

film

A Navajo creation story illustrates why humans must forge their own path

Directed by Dallin Penman

Ancient stone carving of a woman standing beside intricately decorated circular patterns and floral motifs, with ruins in the background.

Sacred places

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Why Indian Buddhism has gardens, not monasteries

Wishing trees, jewels, unfading flowers – what place do these sensual pleasures have in the ascetic life of Buddhist monks?

by Simran Agarwal

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

Mindfulness and meditation

idea

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

A group of people in traditional attire with gold embroidery, holding flowers and smiling while singing.

Music

film

Six minutes with a pan-African gospel choir is a shot of joy for the weary soul

Directed by Samuel Bradley