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 a stormy sea with a shipwreck, dramatic waves and a dark sky, conveying intense motion and chaos.

idea

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

Painting of hunters and dogs in snowy landscape with a village and ice skaters in the background, trees and hills visible.

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

Colourful photo with three people in sunglasses. Blurred effect, room number 101 visible, two seated in the background.

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

film

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

Directed by Maceo Frost

Ancient painting of two figures under a pine tree with mountains in the background, in traditional East Asian style.

Transcendent experience

idea

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

Photo of a person riding a donkey on a rocky hill at sunset with a wide, expansive sky and distant rolling hills.

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

Photo of two swimmers in orange caps at sunset in open water, 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

Abstract photo of a vivid orange-red sunset blurred by branches, creating a painterly effect.

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

Photo of a person walking on a log bridge in a dense forest with tall trees and lush green foliage.

Transcendent experience

idea

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 watching an event at night, faces lit, some taking photos, children in colourful hats by a barrier.

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