Transcendent experience

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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Black-and-white photo of a child standing in front of a large aquarium, watching big fish swim by.

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To thrive, children need to experience awe – and you can help

Alongside love, sleep and play, awe is precious for children. There are small, everyday ways to make it a part of their lives

by Artemisia O’bi & Fan Yang

A person walking on a fallen tree trunk in a dense, lush forest with tall trees and abundant greenery.

Transcendent experience

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Do you find the 21st century overstimulating? Try ‘longstorming’

As the treadmill of life speeds up, sublime outdoor spaces help us tap into timescales that are longer, slower, planetary

by Vincent Ialenti

A woman swimming at dawn wearing an orange swim cap and goggles with a cloudy sky in the background.

The body and physical health

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How to breathe

Whether your aim is improved health, mental calm or achieving transcendence, breathing techniques can help you get there

by Martin Petrus

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

Music

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

Directed by Samuel Bradley

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 hand holds a small, black-and-white school photograph of a smiling young girl with pigtails wearing a polka-dot dress.

Change and self-development

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What can we learn from those who have a moral change of heart?

Stories of sharp adjustments in moral perspective show the potential of unusual experiences to open people’s minds

by Joshua May

Photo of a crowd at night gazing upwards, including children in winter clothing and a woman with a camera, in a city setting.

Wonder and the sublime

guide

How to experience more wow

Awe might seem an unobtainable luxury to many but, with the right approach, you can enjoy it daily – no mountain required

by Summer Allen

A woman sits at a table with traditional Chinese teacups and teapots. She takes in the aroma of a cup of tea. Behind her are shelves of cylindrical bricks of Pu Erh tea.

Food and drink

film

For a Chinese tea master, each sip is a rich expression of memory

Directed by Anna-Claria Ostasenko Bogdanoff

A dramatic seascape painting depicts a violent storm with waves crashing against the coast, a wrecked ship submerged, and dark clouds overhead.

Transcendent experience

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Your consciousness has been completely transformed. Now what?

Awakening experiences are spiritual states often believed to unlock life’s mysteries – but sacred knowledge comes at a cost

by Kevin Berryman

Silhouette of a person riding a horse up a rocky hill during sunset, with rolling hills in the distance.

Spirituality and religion

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Why religion without belief can still make perfect sense

Meet the practising agnostic and the religious fictionalist: people for whom religion can work well without sure belief

by Philip Goff

A couple with reflective glasses in a blurry, overexposed setting with curtains and chairs, an orange-yellow tint.

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 lone swimmer in choppy waters near a lighthouse on a rocky outcrop, under an overcast sky.

Transcendent experience

film

A record-breaking distance swimmer finds sublime peace in cold water

Directed by Thomas Beug