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Inspiration

Inspiration

Being in the here and now

Many spiritual teachers have emphasised the notion of being fully present ‘in the now’. Proponents of meditative practices of various sorts tout meditation as a way of immersing oneself fully in the present moment, and not attending to the past or future. The spiritual teachers (including prominent authors) and proponents of meditation typically point to…

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Towers of Pain? Never!

Chile is one of the most picturesque countries in the world, and yet is not bursting at the seams with tourists.  So that means that you have the chance to explore in comparative solitude. So that you know, Chile is is a long, narrow country along the southern half of the west coast of South America,…

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A range of possible futures

I have a confession. As a physicist and psychiatrist, I find it difficult to engage with conversations about consciousness. My biggest gripe is that the philosophers and cognitive scientists who tend to pose the questions often assume that the mind is a thing, whose existence can be identified by the attributes it has or the…

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What UV is what you get

In South Korea, the solar panels in the middle of the highway have a bicycle path underneath..cyclists are protected from the sun, isolated from traffic, and the country can produce clean energy. It is being trialed along a specific section of highway between Sejong and Daejeon/Gongju, but could act as the template for the future…

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Genesis of the Docklands

A floating church has moored in East London. The work of locally-based architecture studio Denizen Works, this innovative project brings together architecture and boat building, religious, community spaces and practice, and contemporary design. The project was spearheaded by the Diocese of London for the St Columba East London community, and has been created in close…

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Consciousness is not a thing….

....but a process of inference. I have a confession. As a physicist and psychiatrist, I find it difficult to engage with conversations about consciousness. My biggest gripe is that the philosophers and cognitive scientists who tend to pose the questions often assume that the mind is a thing, whose existence can be identified by the…

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Your sustainability, conservation & reforestation holiday itinerary

No pressure! In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, few industries have fallen as hard and as fast as tourism. The numbers are staggering: in 2019, travel and tourism’s indirect and induced impact accounted for a $8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP, 10.3 per cent of global GDP and 330 million jobs…

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Have a nice trip

A psychedelic experience can be deeply rewarding, but also carries real risks. Here’s how to avoid a bad trip. Humans have consumed substances with consciousness-altering properties for millennia. Traditional societies used them in healing rituals, initiation ceremonies and to make contact with the gods and the dead, among other practices. Today they are…

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Hang out in Japanese neighbourhoods

Did you know that Japan’s shrines and temples welcome regular tourists to stay for a night or more? Experience authentic Zen meditation, the traditional, vegetarian cuisine called shojin ryori, and explore a fascinating world so different from anything you know. Staying at a shrine or temple is an experience that even a lot of Japanese people don’t get to have that easily, a…

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The Blonde Hedgehog

You’ll almost certainly be familiar with the Channel Island’s main settlements, Jersey and Guernsey, part of the UK. They’re famous for their handsome cattle and the unctuous, buttercup coloured milk they produce. But there are three others – Sark, Herm, and Alderney. While the first two are trickier for tourists, Alderney is a precious, hidden…

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Lake Como? Affordable?

Italy’s most famous lake has appealed to second-home owners for hundreds of years, reports Liz Rowlinson. But where can you bag a bargain? Its deep, mirror-like waters beneath dramatic mountains, the tropical gardens flourishing in the balmy microclimate, have beguiled artists, writers and royals for centuries and, in recent years, Arab princes, wealthy footballers, Hollywood…

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