Hidden depths

Breathe dispels the myth that the comfort zone is always a breeding ground for indifference

Natural healing

How the industrious apothecaries of the past and their physic nurseries have contributed to the medicines of today

GROW YOUR OWN REMEDIES

If you’ve ever treated indigestion with a mint tea, a cold with ginger, tucked a sprig of lavender beneath your pillow for sleep or rubbed aloe vera on a burn, you’ll have used treatments devised millennia ago by people who sought healing through plants. Whether you have a garden, an allotment or just enough space to park a pot or window box, you can still create your own living, breathing pharmacy. Here are a few of the essentials

Please your knees

Used in most regular activities, this vital joint undergoes a lot of strain every single day of the year – luckily, there are some easy-to-follow exercises to help strengthen it, as well as the surrounding structures

YOGA FOR THE KNEE

Here’s a short sequence to try at home. Move slowly and gently through the postures, maintaining a rhythm of long, slow and deep breathing throughout. It may initially be helpful to practise this sequence in front of a mirror to gain familiarity and awareness of the body’s position

Time to checkout?

It’s open 24/7, promises easy delivery and collection, and is happy to keep your secrets – small wonder more people are becoming addicted to online shopping

Are you afraid of white coats?

If your blood pressure rises at the mere thought of visiting the GP, you’re not alone. Read on to discover the origins of one of the most common phobias and how you can try to combat it

In your element

Could discovering your dosha – the body’s predominant Ayurvedic energy – teach you more about yourself?

HOW TO HOLIDAY AT HOME

Nothing restores the spirit and puts a spring in your step like a change of scene, but we can’t always get away as often as we’d like. Whether you’re in the mood for an active adventure, far-flung beach escape or a pampering spa retreat, these ideas for recreating that holiday feeling at home are guaranteed to whisk you to your happy place

Wall of hope

The home-grown green project set to span the width of Africa and bring new life and opportunities for the continent’s young

STRONG FOUNDATIONS

The hope that sprang from heartache

Carpe diem

In some countries and spaces the workplace has recently experienced a seismic shift, with both employees and employers exploring new options. Could this see a four-day week become the norm?

Flip the script

Different moods bring about different physical manifestations and perspectives, but is it possible to exercise more control over them?

Easy does it

How to freeze-frame a situation and find a new way to have a good time

Out of the past

Identifying and understanding the origins of emotional triggers can provide an opportunity to foster effective bonds with others in the future

Talking about evolution

The ongoing shifts in the human species

Like it or not

The need for approval is often great, but being comfortable in who you are and what you do – regardless of what others think – can be wonderfully liberating

Identity parade

The face – or mask – we present to the world often varies depending on the situation. But whichever one we select at any given time, the important thing is to be yourself

Straight from the heart

How tuning into your internal rhythms can help with stress management and bring a more balanced life

Sunlight and shadows

Exploring the blue allure of the forgotten art of cyanotype

Global capture

Notable submissions from this year’s Sony World Photography Awards range from the weird and wonderful to highlighting grave environmental struggles faced on Earth. Here are a few of our favourites

Paint yourself happy

How to enjoy the benefits of art even if you’re not a dab hand with a brush

Express yourself

Why creative self-expression makes sense from a scientifi c perspective

Dip into past times

Whether you’re stepping back into Ancient Greece or mid-1970s UK, writing or reading historical fiction can offer a welcome break from the present

Time’s precious

Beat the existential stress of trying to fit too much into overfilled days by cutting out non-essential goals. Life’s too short to…

Urban legends

The city dwellers encouraging everyone to turn over a new leaf, plant trees and reap the benefits of green streets

Off the grid

Concise, cryptic, compelling – the ongoing appeal of crosswords