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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Painting of hunters with dogs walking through a snowy village; people skate on a frozen lake in the background, and a small group warms by a fire.

Philosophy of art

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When art transports us, where do we actually go?

Artworks have the capacity to transport us into other worlds. But where exactly do we go when we are immersed in art?

by Harri Mäcklin

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

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 young person dancing with arms extended and hair flying, seen from below, with sky background. Two other excited people watch.

Dance

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A street dance born amid poverty and violence offers a radical form of self-care

Directed by Maceo Frost

Traditional Chinese painting of two figures crossing a bridge in a serene landscape with trees and mountains, signed with two red seals.

Transcendent experience

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To experience Zen-like awakening, try going the headless way

Try to point to your true self as you’d point to a brick wall, and other experiments in Zen-like awakening

by Brentyn J Ramm

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

The body and physical health

guide

How to breathe

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

by Martin Petrus

View of Earth, half visible, rising over the lunar surface against the blackness of space.

Transcendent experience

film

From the astronauts to humanity itself, ‘Earthrise’ has left an indelible mark

Directed by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee

Blurry photo of a large orange and red circle, with dark silhouettes of trees against a sunset or sunrise sky.

Drugs and psychedelics

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Psychedelics show religion isn’t the only route to spirituality

Secular people can have profound psychedelic experiences. What does that say about spirituality and the naturalistic worldview?

by Chris Letheby

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

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