Psychics, mediums and mystics are often portrayed as fraudulent in the eyes of the western media, and depicted as demonic in most mainstream religions. However, they are integral parts of many pre-existing cultures and faiths around the world, and remain integral in countless communities today. Spiritual medium Stephen Williamson is
Across the USA right now, there has been a dramatic increase in calls for the banning of countless books, ranging from children's books to dystopian novels, and even autobiographies. TRIGGER WARNING Mentions of sexual abuse, racism, abortion and sexism. One survey by PEN America discovered that upwards of
The Philippines are a nation which consists of over 7,000 islands, each of which has a unique and substantial history, and each of which has bookshelves of stories to tell. The mystical island of Siquijor, home to the Old Enchanted Balete Tree, is no exception. In fact, it is
While travelling across South East Asia earlier this year, I kept seeing small, ornate shrines in various unexpected places. On streets corners, outside various buildings and inside homes and businesses, people across Indochina keep shrines known as spirit houses. Indochina? The nations of Thailand, Myanmar (previously called Burma), Cambodia, Vietnam,
On the 7th of June 2024, I checked in to the International Buddhist Center at Doi Suthep Temple, just outside the city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. After hearing about vipassana meditation retreats online and from fellow travellers on my trip, I felt inspired, and wanted to spend some
James Arthur Baldwin was an established African-American writer, born in 1924 in Harlem, New York. Best known for his essays, which usually contained social commentary with a focus on race relation and queer rights, the writer also wrote many notable novels and other works; all of which are held in
Nestled amongst 7,640 other islands in the Philippines, Siquijor is known for a plethora of reasons. Its beautiful waterfalls, beaches and luxurious resorts, as well as the various tourist activities available there, make it a popular vacation destination for holiday-goers around the globe. However, it’s its spiritual heritage
When I visited a faith healer on the island of Siquijor by the name of Annie Ponce, I was welcomed into what seemed like her family home. Annie Ponce took us into her healing practice room, where Catholicism were prevalent, and depictions of Jesus Christ adorned the walls. I sat
El Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James, is the name of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in north-western Spain. With medieval roots dating back over 1000 years, it remains a popular route today - taken by countless people from across the world each year. The History
The origin of the coffee bean, one of the world's first countries and even regarded by some as the biblical Garden of Eden, Ethiopia is a unique and interesting country for a multitude of reasons. Located in Eastern Africa, Ethiopia is the only country in its continent to
Zoroastrianism is regarded as one of the first monotheistic faiths - meaning it centered around the worship of one omnipotent, all-powerful God - and can be traced back to around 600BC in ancient Persia, now known as Iran. A highly influential religion, it is thought that Zoroastrianism helped form some
For many creatives, a newly uncovered sense of threat and uncertainty surrounds the subject of AI art. This year, the real power of modern artificial intelligence has been revealed, with Chat GPT composing detailed responses to questions within seconds, and new generative AI art software churning out images at a
NATURE
Across the world, many communities tap into the natural world around them, using plants and their properties not only for sustenance and fuel for the body, but also for spiritual guidance and growth. Meet Silene Capensis, one of the natural world's many wonders. Also known as African Dream
PROFILES
Born in Brazil's capital, Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Coelho is an internationally renowned author. After being admitted into a psychiatric hospital for questioning and not complying with the expectations of his Roman-Catholic society, Coelho travelled far from home, through Europe and Northern Africa. His work pertains to spiritual
PHILOSOPHY
Dreams are one of life's most mysterious dimensions. Each night, the mind seems to take us out of the jurisdiction of space and time as we understand it. Hours of experiences can be masked as minutes, and vice versa. Our thoughts and ideas animate themselves, and we often
CULTURE
The evil eye amulet can be seen across mainstream culture today, whether it's on social media or adorned onto necklaces, bracelets and other jewellery. But what does it symbolise, and where and when do its underlying superstitions originate? Do these superstitions hold any logical value? Let's
PHILOSOPHY
With conversations around mindfulness and its benefits being seen more frequently in society and on social media platforms today, questions around meditation are becoming more common. In the past, mainstream western culture conveyed meditation as rather alien, often associating it with hippies and nonconformists in the media and totally disregarding
HISTORY
It's no secret that indigenous peoples around the globe have been dehumanised and discriminated against by their governments throughout modern history. From the First Nation people of Canada and the Americas to Aboriginal Australians and Torres-Strait Islanders, parallels exist in the systemic nature of the oppression of these
wherever in time this reaches you, welcome to idea archives, where philosophy, anthropology, history and culture are written about by yours truly. what is this? call it an exploration of ideas, from across the seven seas and throughout the ages. things i find interesting. the multitude of ways we understand