Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism

Some people might have heard about Kabbalah through celebrities becoming fans of it – Madonna in particular. However, the way in which Kabbalah is presented in the media does not reveal its deeper and more mystical aspects. The word Kabbalah in Hebrew and means “to receive” and like other mystical traditions found in Buddhism, Christianity,…

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If Drugs Were Legalised, How Should They Be Regulated?

There are many arguments in favour of the legalisation of drugs, including, but not limited to: eradicating drug-related violence, preventing the adulteration of drugs, preserving our personal freedom, saving government expenses used to fight a ‘war on drugs’, freeing up police time and prison space, and generating revenue through the taxation of drugs. But, while…

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How Ketamine Can Be Used to Treat Mental Illness

Ketamine is a dissociative drug, meaning that it produces feelings of dissociation – dissociation from one’s environment and even dissociation from one’s own body. The drug is used in human and veterinary medicine, both as an anaesthetic (to knock the patient out) and as an analgesic (to numb any feelings of pain). Ketamine is also…

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The Evolutionary Origins of Music

Music is universal. It is found in all cultures and societies, and it is something which humans seem compelled to create. Even indigenous tribes who are completely cut off from the civilised world will feel the urge to create music, whether it is through drumming, chanting, the use of full-fledged instruments, or a combination of…

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The Illusion of the Self

No one really doubts that there is a self. In our day-to-day lives, it always appears that there is an ‘I’ who is thinking, perceiving, and interacting with the world. Even the language we use assumes that there is a self – a distinct, separate entity – which exists. When we talk to each other…

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