He shares some insights into the life and poetry of the great Sufi master, focusing especially on the unique relationship between Rumi and his spiritual lover and mentor, Shams of Tabriz. Through careful analysis, he explicates various lines of poetry that have seemed awkward or disconnected to critics. He illuminates the unique stages of ecstasy [...]

He discusses the impact of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. He explains the origin of the American liberal and conservative traditions in the war of pamphlets between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke. Over time, both liberal and conservative positions tend to reverse. Many examples are provided. He explains the influence of native American culture [...]

David explores how our responses to others’ suffering influence both physical and psychological pain. He describes how schadenfreude — taking pleasure in another person’s suffering — can bring temporary relief, while compassion toward oneself and others may have longer-term effects. Helping others and experiencing connection can support healing, suggesting that altruism may contribute to lasting [...]

Kevin Kelly is the founding executive editor of Wired Magazine. He posits that our increasingly complex and autonomous machines and systems are becoming indistinguishable from living things. The “neo-biological civilization” is one where the principles of biology—such as decentralized control, evolution, and error-honoring institutions—are necessary to design and manage our technological and social systems. This [...]

He explains how, as a meditation teacher, he came to see telekinesis (another term for psychokinesis) as a clearly visible way to demonstrate the psychic powers of the human mind. It took him many months to cultivate this ability himself, but it can often be imparted to others within a few hours. The deeper significance [...]

Most brain researchers believe we will eventually explain the mind in terms of neurological functioning. According to Dr. Julian Isaacs, PhD,  this materialist view is inconsistent with the evidence of parapsychology. New developments in areas such as theoretical physics, says Dr. Isaacs, may eventually lead to an understanding of the common ground connecting mind and [...]

Regardless of the physical reality of UFOs, says Jacques Vallée, PhD, the fact that people believe they have experienced contact with alien entities is an appropriate subject for scientific scrutiny. Vallée is a computer scientist, UFO researcher and author whose books include Challenge to Science, Anatomy of a Phenomenon, The Edge of Reality, The Invisible [...]