Habits and routines
idea
Is it better to live in ‘clock time’ or ‘event time’?
Do you stick to a set schedule, or have a looser relationship to the clock? It can affect more than how you plan your day
by Shayla Love
Music
idea
I learned to hear the music of Earth’s underwater musicians
If we consider the sounds of whales and other organisms with an open mind, we find a strange beauty – and can even join in
by David Rothenberg
Meaning and the good life
guide
How to appreciate what you have
To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible
by Avram Alpert
Thinking and intelligence
idea
Philosophical reflection often begins with a disruptive mood
For many of our greatest philosophers, it was their moods, from wonder to estrangement to anxiety, that first inspired them
by Steven Segal
Sleep problems
idea
What to do when racing thoughts keep you up at night
Any attempts to escape your mind or make yourself sleep are likely to backfire. Try these expert tips instead
by Matt Huston
Personality disorders
idea
To understand borderline personality, imagine having no history
For people with an unfairly stigmatised mental health condition, and the rest of us, it’s vital to connect past with present
by Alexander Kriss
Dance
idea
How dance taught me to embrace my deformity
In the raw style of Tanztheater, I found a way to take my poetry into the physical world and express myself authentically
by Billy Gigurtsis
Emotion regulation
idea
Are emotionally resilient people also skilled at soothing others?
Research on the social side of emotion management is showing what’s distinctive about it – and its benefits for all involved
by Christian Jarrett
Stories and literature
idea
Fiction has a special power to give us insight into our flaws
Losing yourself in a book, film or show provides a useful mirror for character – one that is hard to access in real life
by Martina Orlandi
Spirituality and religion
idea
A monk showed me that spirituality needs more space in medicine
As a doctor, I’ve seen how brain diseases can become entwined with spiritual pain. Who is responsible for addressing it?
by Michael P H Stanley
Pleasures and pastimes
film
A whimsical ode to the reparative power of knitting, rendered in wool
Directed by Samantha Moore
Compassion and empathy
idea
Many of us have the wrong idea about poverty and toughness
The ‘thick skin bias’ obscures the reality of hardship. We should check our assumptions about those who are struggling
by Nathan Cheek
Ageing
idea
Rather than fearing getting old, here’s how to embrace it
Whether you are 20 or 90, each moment of life presents an opportunity to focus on what really matters to you
by Berit Lewis
Music
idea
Ancient Greek ideas of attunement can breathe new life into music
In Athenian philosophy, attunement is important not only in music, but also for moods, attitudes and states of mind
by John Bagby
Communication and language
idea
Censoring offensive language threatens our freedom to think
The modern obsession with textual purity stems from a misapplication of the philosophies of Wittgenstein and Derrida
by Paul Ham
Life stages
film
An ecologist finds an apt metaphor for healing in the rainforests she studies
Directed by Andrew Nadkarni
Place
idea
The divided self: does where I live make me who I am?
At home in Delhi, I am a more social, interactive person. A quiet balcony in Frankfurt gave me space to be by myself
by Anandi Mishra