How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
The self
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
A wool puppet’s stirring journey from safety into the great unknown
A film by Kobi Vogman
What removing large chunks of brain taught me about selfhood
I’ve cut brains in half, excised tumours – even removed entire lobes. The illusion of the self and free will survives it all
by Theodore H Schwartz
What makes some of us crave self-insight more than others?
Some people have a powerful desire to understand themselves, but their path to self-knowledge is rarely straightforward
by Christoph Heine
Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back
Our stories help us make sense of a chaotic world, but they can be harmful and restrictive. There’s a liberating alternative
by Karen Simecek
‘Place authenticity’ is an important, overlooked part of life
From indie bookshops to artisan cafes, spending time in unique, characterful places can enrich your own sense of self
by Ashley Krause
Six ways to use clothes to boost your confidence at work
Regardless of your budget or fashion sense, dressing with more intention can benefit your mindset and performance
by Dahlia Stroud
Why bad doodles can reveal more about you than good drawings
For Marion Milner, ‘not being able’ is a valuable state – one that allows for new and unexpected forms of learning
by David Russell
Three ways to get in touch with your Shadow self
Jung believed we all have a Shadow self. Facing up to it could help you live more fully and be more forgiving of others
by Ruth Williams
What I learned from sharing my private self with an AI journal
‘Quantified self’ apps analyse our physical and behavioural data. Now, AI journals want to access our emotional lives too
by Angela Chen
You have multiple ‘social identities’ – here’s how to manage them
As social beings, our identities are bound up with different groups – here’s how to juggle all the various hats you wear
by Anna K Zinn
How to use cooking as a form of therapy
No matter your culinary skills, spend some reflective time in the kitchen to nourish and renew your sense of self
by Charlotte Hastings
What my mother’s sticky notes show about the nature of the self
Dementia accelerates a process we all experience, as our memories become increasingly externalised into the world around us
by Crispin Sartwell
Rubber hand illusions shed new light on our bodily sense of self
Testing the illusions on those who have entered altered states offers clues about the experience of being in control
by Shayla Love
Boost your self-understanding with a navigational approach
Physical and mental navigation involve overlapping brain processes, casting new light on the notion of an ‘inner journey’
by Nick Kabrél