Altered states
Depression
idea
Depression is more than low mood – it’s a change of consciousness
Understanding depression as an altered state of consciousness, like a dream or drug trip, could help people awaken from it
by Cecily Whiteley & Jonathan Birch
Consciousness
idea
What happens to the brain during consciousness-ending meditation?
Psychologists are studying a form of meditation known as ‘nirodha-samāpatti’ that reportedly ceases all mental function
by Shayla Love
Rituals and celebrations
film
Rituals and memories animate a day in the serene life of an Italian grandmother
Directed by Maria Piva
Altered states
idea
A touch of absurdity can help to wrap your mind around reality
And now for something completely different: how a dose of the surreal or absurd helps to make sense of our place in the world
by David Robson
Transcendent experience
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
Change and self-development
film
His sight lost, the theologian John Hull found a new way to know the world
Directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney
Psychedelic-assisted therapy
idea
If you want psychedelic healing, your ego may need to die
What do we know about the role of ‘ego death’ and other transformative experiences in psychedelic therapies?
by Natasha Mason, Athena Demertzi & Johannes G Ramaekers
Altered states
idea
William James was right about our strange inner experiences
Rather than Freud’s cynicism or Jung’s enthusiasm, we need an inquisitive approach to unusual forms of consciousness
by David Yaden
Altered states
film
An odyssey into the Parisian night reflects the allure and anxieties of cities
Directed by Adrien Mérigeau