Ekstase

This "You" edition is about transcendence, a state that humanity has likely sought since its inception: ecstasy. This emotional state, which Aldous Huxley once referred to as "a vacation from oneself." In this boundless space, the future and the past no longer matter; one might even leave their body and connect with something greater.

Humans have various ways to step outside themselves. They may journey into their unconscious or to God, connect with something larger, or find themselves in a formless void. This can be frightening, but also healing. Some contributions discuss how a state of egolessness can alleviate depression and vague fears, the influence of psychedelic substances on philosophy and counterculture, or how ecstasy has been used as a motif in painting.

The contributions in this edition explore the techniques that humans have discovered to enter such a state, and the effects it has had on art, society, and individual mindsets. It also examines the role ecstasy has played and continues to play in religions.

We wish you an enlightening journey into the world beyond the world.