The New Science of the Near-Death Experience
A new study led by Belgian neuroscientist Charlotte Martial recorded the first EEG data from patients undergoing near‑death experiences (NDEs). Among 180 resuscitated patients, 12 reported NDEs and showed markedly higher brain‑complexity measures than those who did not. The research proposes a neurophysiological model linking oxygen deprivation, neurotransmitter surges, and activation of temporal‑parietal regions to the vivid consciousness reported during NDEs. Martial also suggests NDEs may be an evolved defense reflex, derived from animal thanatosis, with both adaptive and potentially harmful psychological outcomes.
6 Yoga Retreats That Center Wildlife and Conservation
A new wave of luxury yoga retreats is merging mindfulness with wildlife conservation across six global locations. Programs range from Kenya’s ultra‑low‑density safari camp to a Maldives yacht‑based manta‑ray research expedition, each offering immersive animal encounters alongside daily yoga. The...
As a Catholic, I’ve Struggled with the Church - but I Applaud the Pope’s Call for Peace | Margaret Sullivan
The article reflects on the author’s renewed Catholic affiliation, sparked by Pope Leo’s outspoken call for peace and his willingness to confront President Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric. Leo, the first American pope, leverages his social‑justice platform and massive social‑media reach...
How Buddhism Came to Éliane Radigue
Éliane Radigue, the French pioneer of musique concrète and analog electronic music, died at 94, leaving a legacy that intertwines sound art with Tibetan Buddhist practice. Her three‑hour *Trilogie de la Mort*—spanning eight years of composition for the first movement...
Openness Energy Awake
Michael Taft led an hour‑long guided nondual meditation titled “Openness Energy Awake,” blending movement, pranayama, mantra chanting and open‑awareness inquiry. He emphasized observing breath and thought without manipulation, inviting participants to notice the subtle energy behind both. The session included...
How Present-Moment Awareness Can Make Life More Meaningful
Present‑moment awareness, or mindfulness in motion, shifts attention from autopilot thinking to the here‑and‑now, whether in a grocery line or at work. Research shows the average person mind‑wanders 47% of the day, a pattern linked to lower happiness and productivity....
Psychedelics and the Search for Truth
Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman argued that psychedelic experiences can serve as a tool for the pursuit of truth, urging scholars in law, religion and the humanities to engage with the field. He highlighted the legal barriers posed by Schedule I...
Doorways to Awareness
The article explains Dzogchen’s concept of rigpa—an innate, primordial awareness that precedes ego and conditioning—and argues that awakening can occur instantly when this state is recognized. It contrasts this view with other Buddhist paths that treat enlightenment as a gradual...
An Israeli-Palestinian Peace Encounter
Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon’s new book, *The Future Is Peace*, chronicles their joint peace‑building tours across Israel and the Palestinian territories, weaving personal trauma from the Nakba, the Holocaust, and the Oct 7 attacks into a narrative of reciprocal storytelling....
“Mindfulness Did Not Make Me Slower. It Made Me Clearer”
Stanley Ng, founder of Mindful Circle and a management‑consulting executive, credits mindfulness for improving his decision‑making and leadership under pressure. He describes how brief breath‑focused practice creates a mental pause that lets him detect narrowing perspective, stay open, and respond...
A California Forest Synagogue Experiments with Nature-Based Spirituality
Makom Shalom, a nondenominational forest synagogue in West Sonoma County, has grown to 83 adult members since its launch last year. Led by Rabbi Zelig Golden, a former environmental lawyer, the congregation holds Shabbat and holiday services beneath redwoods and...
A New Book Explores Why the Wellness Industry Has Failed Spiritual Seekers
Liz Bucar’s forthcoming book "Beyond Wellness" argues that the booming wellness industry often strips yoga, mindfulness, and psychedelic retreats of their religious origins, leaving participants without ethical or communal anchors. Drawing on research and personal experience, she shows how practices...
Psychologists Map Out the Pathways Connecting Sacred Beliefs to Better Sex
A new study of 452 heterosexual couples finds that viewing sexual intimacy as sacred is linked to higher sexual satisfaction and passionate connection. The effect operates through relationship habits—especially sexual mindfulness, open communication, frequent intercourse, and consistent orgasms—rather than sheer...
A Meditation to Create Inner Balance in the Face of Change
Susan Bauer‑Wu, a registered nurse and mindfulness researcher, shares a guided meditation designed to cultivate equanimity during periods of change. The practice walks listeners through posture, breath awareness, intention setting, and compassionate outreach, encouraging presence without attachment. By framing happiness...
Scientists Map the Brain Network Behind Self-Transcendence
Harvard researchers used lesion network mapping on 88 brain‑tumor patients to pinpoint a neural circuit that underlies self‑transcendence, the experience of moving beyond the personal self. The circuit shows two poles: posterior midline regions that act as a brake on...
We Are Deeply Interconnected
The InsightLA essay "We are Deeply Interconnected" argues that quiet meditation uncovers hidden conditioning and that Dharma friendships—relationships rooted in shared mindfulness practice—amplify personal transformation. By framing human experience as a network of interdependent beings, the author likens our mental...
Become an Inner Nature Writing™ Facilitator
Inner Forest School launched the Inner Nature Writing™ Facilitator Certification, a three‑month, self‑paced program that blends mindfulness, guided imagery, and expressive writing. Participants complete 35 lessons, three live Zoom sessions, and 25‑30 hours of coursework to earn a digital certification....
The Tassajara Zendo Fire and Impermanence
The historic meditation hall at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California was destroyed by a recent fire, consuming cushions, monks’ robes, hand‑sewn rakusus, and a rare Gandharan Buddha statue. The blaze follows a pattern of past fires on the site,...
20 Mindfulness Lessons I Wish I Knew at 28
The article "20 Mindfulness Lessons I Wish I Knew at 28" compiles twenty practical meditation and self‑awareness techniques ranging from breath awareness and sleep meditations to using music frequencies for emotional balance. Each lesson is linked to a detailed guide...
‘Moon Joy’ and the Overview Effect—How Views From Space Change Us
Astronaut Christina Koch reported that the Moon seen from Artemis II looked dramatically different from the familiar Earth‑bound view. Social psychologist Michelle Shiota explained that this stark perspective, known as the overview effect, makes individuals feel small and puts everyday concerns...
How to Step Out of Your Stories and Into the Present
The article explains how repetitive mental narratives—"if only" stories—trap us in dissatisfaction and isolation. By recognizing these stories as fleeting mental events, we can shift attention to the present moment, where inner peace and abundance already exist. The author advocates...
Mediums and Mountain Ascetics
Hiroko Yoda’s new book, Eight Million Ways to Happiness, weaves memoir, history and cultural analysis to introduce readers to Japan’s contemporary spiritual landscape. Drawing on personal grief after her mother’s death, Yoda explores the fluid interplay of kami, Shinto, Buddhism...
I’m 37 and the Happiest I’ve Ever Been Arrived the Year I Stopped Trying to Be Happy – Not because...
The author spent thirteen years treating happiness as a project, chasing milestones like career moves, a business launch, and a move to Vietnam, only to feel a persistent gap. After realizing that the pursuit itself creates dissatisfaction, he stopped trying...
The Sunlight of Awareness
Thich Nhat Hanh’s essay "The Sunlight of Awareness" reframes mindfulness as a gentle illumination rather than a battle against thoughts. He advises practitioners to shine non‑judgmental awareness on restlessness, emotions, and habits, allowing them to merge with the observing mind....
Want to Drastically Improve Your Life? Start Telling the Truth.
The article argues that truth‑telling is a life‑enhancing practice that simplifies interactions and affirms human dignity. It contrasts the corrosive effects of pervasive lying in politics and big business with the moral clarity offered by ancient traditions such as yoga....
I’m 37, I Own a Home, I Show up, I Make Dinner – and some Nights I Sit in the...
A 37‑year‑old father reflects on how his well‑structured adult life—mortgage, steady job, parenting routine—has become a comfortable straightjacket. He describes a growing sense of disconnection, likening his daily actions to performing on autopilot without truly experiencing them. Drawing on Buddhist...
The Art of Integration After a Psychedelic Experience
The article emphasizes that the most critical work after a psychedelic session occurs during the integration phase, which can span months or years. Integration involves translating insights into small, realistic habit changes aligned with personal values and health goals. Successful...
What NASA’s Artemis II Tells Us About the ‘Overview Effect,’ Moon Joy and Awe
NASA’s Artemis II crew completed the first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades, splashing down in the Pacific on April 4, 2026. The mission delivered unprecedented live video of the Moon’s far side, a total solar eclipse from orbit, and the...
No Borders, No Boundaries
The article uses two NASA astronauts stranded in orbit as a metaphor for the mental constraints many people experience. It introduces the concept of "regime‑space," a self‑imposed framework that binds identity to the body, brain, and a fixed sense of...
Your Consciousness Persists After You Die, New Research Suggests—Meaning There Are Hidden Layers to Death
New research led by Arizona State University student Anna Fowler analyzed over 20 peer‑reviewed studies and found that measurable brain activity—and signs of consciousness—can persist for minutes to hours after cardiac arrest, challenging the notion of death as an instantaneous...
Writing as a Tool for Self-Understanding
Recent research reaffirms expressive writing as a low‑cost, evidence‑based tool for mental‑health and physical recovery. Studies from Pennebaker’s original experiments to recent trials with nursing students, cancer patients, and trauma survivors show lasting health benefits despite brief, irregular sessions. The...
Wisdom for Caregivers
The author recounts becoming the primary caregiver for her husband after multiple foot surgeries, drawing on her own experience caring for her mother decades earlier. She applies Shin Buddhist teachings—such as the poisoned‑arrow parable, the harp analogy, and the Four...
New Study Reveals Six Stages of Spiritual Growth Experienced During a Pilgrimage
A new grounded‑theory study of 15 pilgrims who walked the Mazu route in Taiwan, the Shikoku circuit in Japan, and the Camino de Santiago in Spain uncovered six interrelated factors that shape spiritual growth. The researchers interviewed participants who had...
The Not-Yet: Dreams, Reveries, and Hope in an Unfinished World
Designboom frames Ernst Bloch’s philosophical concept of the Not‑Yet as a practical design tool, arguing that dreams function as actionable blueprints rather than escapist fantasies. The magazine’s "Room for Dreams" immersive installation at Milan Design Week 2026 converts a hotel...
Research Suggests that People Who Pursue Happiness Directly Almost Never Find It – but People Who Pursue Meaning, Connection, and...
Recent research shows that directly pursuing happiness often backfires, while focusing on meaning, connection, and acceptance yields lasting contentment. Studies by Iris Mauss at UC Berkeley found that people who value happiness most report lower satisfaction when good things happen....
A 12-Minute Meditation to Approach the World With a “Don’t-Know Mind”
Mindful.org published a 12‑minute guided meditation designed to cultivate a \"don’t‑know mind\", a state of curiosity that balances familiar comfort with openness to the unknown. The practice walks listeners through grounding, breath work, and visualizations of familiar anchors before inviting...
What About Knowledge That No Longer Knows What It Is For?
The essay argues that today’s policy‑driven, metric‑obsessed management of science and higher education has turned these institutions into a fragile chimera, unable to sustain genuine knowledge creation. It contrasts this with the 19th‑century Humboldtian model, which granted autonomy, stable funding,...
17-Minute Postive Affirmation Yoga Practice for a Quick Confidence Boost
Audriana Monteiro, a trauma‑informed yoga teacher and physiotherapist, offers a 17‑minute yoga sequence that pairs each pose with a positive affirmation. The routine targets the hips, legs, and low back, encouraging both physical stretch and mental reinforcement. Each posture is...
What Does It Mean to Be Immortal?
The essay examines immortality through myths, literature, film, and recent sci‑fi, highlighting recurring themes of longing, loneliness, and the human desire for lasting impact. It contrasts physical eternity with psychological, digital, and spiritual continuations, noting how each portrayal shapes our...
Living without My Self
The author describes a personal sense of lacking a stable, narrative self and finds validation in Robert Musil’s unfinished novel *The Man Without Qualities*. By connecting Musil’s fiction to Buddhist anattā, Hume’s bundle theory, Ernst Mach’s functionalism and recent neuroscience, the...
Nurturing Wise Attention
In today’s always‑on environment, relentless notifications and algorithm‑driven feeds hijack our attention, flooding dopamine pathways much like slot machines. Stanford researchers show these reward loops can mirror the impact of alcohol or stronger substances, while minor algorithm tweaks can shift...
My Good Luck African Braiding Sangha
The essay frames African braiding salons as a spiritual ritual, comparing the prolonged, painful process to Buddhist tonsure and Yoruba ori practices. It explores how the act of braiding mirrors meditation, endurance, and self‑renunciation, while also serving as a communal...
As a Celebrant, I Prefer Funerals to Weddings. This Is Why | Jackie Bailey
Jackie Bailey, a seasoned celebrant and author, announced she will stop officiating weddings to focus solely on funerals. Her decision stems from the personal healing she experiences when guiding families through end‑of‑life rituals, a practice she began after her sister’s...
Want to Change? Maybe Stop Trying So Hard.
In a guest essay, Benoit Denizet‑Lewis argues that the booming self‑improvement industry overstates personal willpower, suggesting that lasting change depends more on interpersonal dynamics and mystery than relentless self‑optimization. Drawing on decades of therapy, addiction treatment, and observations of wellness...
What Easter Demands Of Us In A World That Chooses Violence
The article reflects on Easter’s message that true victory comes through love, not overwhelming violence, contrasting Christ’s self‑sacrificial crucifixion with contemporary calls for force, such as the U.S. Defense Secretary’s prayer for “overwhelming violence” against Iran. It highlights biblical imprecatory...
How to Survive an Existential Vacuum
The article explains that an existential vacuum—an inner emptiness caused by loss of meaning—is not a clinical diagnosis but a signal that life’s purpose has eroded. Drawing on Viktor Frankl’s insights, it describes how the vacuum often masquerades as burnout,...
The Flow of Life
In a newly translated dialogue, journalist Irmgard Kirchner interviews longtime friend Santacitta Bhikkhuni, a former avant‑garde dancer turned Theravada monastic. The conversation frames Buddhism as a healing path that dissolves delusion and attachment, using the four vipallasa to illustrate how...
The Nature-Inspired Philosophy That Helped Me Get Through Postpartum
The author, a longtime advocate of cyclical and seasonal living, describes how she applied a nature‑inspired philosophy to navigate a challenging postpartum period. By recognizing an "internal winter," she deliberately paused non‑essential obligations, set firm boundaries, and leaned on therapy...
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What Is Step 11 of AA?
Step 11 of Alcoholics Anonymous’s 12‑step program urges members to develop conscious contact with a higher power through prayer and meditation, providing a spiritual anchor for lasting sobriety. Research shows that a strong spiritual component predicts better outcomes and lower relapse...
APA Member Interview, Chloe W. Chang
Chloe W. Chang, a former business and fashion manager, has transitioned to a philosophy PhD candidate at San Jose State University. Her research explores existential questions in the digital age, especially how AI and social media reshape human temporality and...