Wonder and the sublime
Mind and brain
idea
Having epileptic seizures gave me newfound respect for the brain
Seizures are often described as both terrifying and enthralling. Mine gave me a wondrous new take on consciousness and agency
by Webb Wright
Wonder and the sublime
idea
The ‘panzoic effect’: the benefits of thinking about alien life
Reflecting on the potential for extraterrestrial life can inspire awe and have a profound effect on your worldview
by Graham Lau
Wonder and the sublime
guide
How to think about the sublime
An exquisite mix of fear and awe, pleasure and pain, the sublime stretches the imagination and reveals the limits of reason
by Nicole A Hall
Wonder and the sublime
film
The search for life beyond Earth is peculiar, from a parrot’s perspective
Directed by Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla
Wonder and the sublime
idea
The most profound wonder is stirred by what is most ordinary
Rare moments of wonder at the mere existence of things – rather than the dramatic or new – involve perceiving with the soul
by Maria Balaska
Transcendent experience
idea
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
Transcendent experience
guide
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
Poetry
film
Irish hills, folk music and David Whyte’s poetry form a fleeting, meditative moment
Directed by Andrew Hinton
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
Altered states
idea
The small pleasures in life can produce moments of rapture
Rapture is a delight that turns us both towards the object of attention and towards oneself, resulting in a sense of freedom
by Christopher Hamilton
Wonder and the sublime
guide
How to revive your sense of wonder
That childhood urge to ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ usually fades. But we can all learn to rediscover the joys of wide-eyed discovery
by Frank Keil
Wonder and the sublime
film
Journey into the deep history of the cosmos via the Mauna Loa volcano
Directed by Lance Page