Spirituality and religion
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
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
Spirituality and religion
guide
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
Values and beliefs
film
For Hutterites, ‘love thy neighbour’ is both gospel and practical necessity
Directed by Colin Low
Transcendent experience
idea
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
Spirituality and religion
idea
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
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
Symbols and myth
film
A Navajo creation story illustrates why humans must forge their own path
Directed by Dallin Penman
Sacred places
idea
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
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
Music
film
Six minutes with a pan-African gospel choir is a shot of joy for the weary soul
Directed by Samuel Bradley