Because we spend our lives driven by thought, it can be terribly difficult for even the tiniest snippet of Truth to edge its way into our consciousness. Without such Truths, the inner journey lacks legs. I've always suspected this is in part what Thoreau meant by 'the mass of men leading lives of quiet desperation.' [...]

A meta-analysis of studies on psilocybin show that high doses of the substance can alleviate symptoms of depression in people at levels comparable to the SSRI drug escitalopram, which is used to treat major depressive episodes. Researchers found that patients fared better with psilocybin - the active ingredient in 'magic mushrooms' - than with placebos. [...]

In the campy 1980 comedy, Caddyshack, disheveled groundskeeper Carl Spackler (played by a brilliant Bill Murray) relates a story about caddying for the Dalai Lama. As Spackler tells it, the game ends and no traditional cash gratuity is forthcoming. "Hey Lama," Spackler recalls saying to the holy man. "How about a little something, you know, [...]

It's not often that a scientist becomes a subject for his own research; even less common when said scientist describes his brain as 'breaking' during the experiment. But that's precisely how Dr. Nico Dosenbach, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, recounted his experience under the influence of [...]

Sensory deprivation via natural or manmade caves has now become, if not routine, certainly more commonplace. In recent months Outside and National Geographic have run stories on the practice, which usually involves a stay lasting days or even weeks in the pitch-black confines of a cave retreat. The goal is to eliminate the sensory stimuli [...]

Using fMRI technology, scientists for the first time have revealed significant - albeit temporary - changes in the brain function of individuals using psilocybin, a hallucinogen known more casually as 'magic mushrooms.' "I've never seen an effect this strong," said Shan Siddiqi, a neuroscientist at the Harvard School of Medicine. He said some of the [...]

Read enough stories on the topic of spiritual awakening and you'll discover a common vein running through all of them: the eradication of the one doing the seeking. Spiritual awakening, writes David Carse, is letting go of "this constant propping up of the belief in yourself as a separate individual self, and in so doing [...]

The material world is not what we perceive it to be. This is the age-old message of the mystics, sages, and seers. But it's also become a central discovery of modern science. Assuming we're open-minded and humble enough to accept this bizarre idea, our lives can be improved for the better. Albert Einstein, who spent [...]

For as long as self-aware humans have occupied this planet, they've been busy attempting to understand and improve themselves. In this post, we'll look at vision quests, which actually lends itself to other aspects of personal development, including meditation, mindfulness, silence, and self-inquiry. Although there is evidence vision quests have been practiced for thousands of [...]

The French polymath, Blaise Pascal, said all of humankind's problems were tied to one behavioral deficit: our inability to sit quietly in a room doing nothing . What about you? How often on a given day or week do you sit in silence? If you're like most, your answer is rarely if ever. And that, [...]