Humans have always sought ecstatic experiences – moments where they go beyond their ordinary self and feel connected to something greater than them. Such moments are fundamental to human flourishing, but they can also be dangerous.

Beginning around the Enlightenment, western intellectual culture has written off ecstasy as ignorance or delusion. But philosopher Jules Evans argues that this diminishes our reality and denies us the healing, connection and meaning that ecstasy can bring.

How do we find ego-transcendence in a post-religious culture? How can we find it in healthy ways while avoiding the risks? We'll look at some of the varieties of modern ecstasy, from rock & roll to psychedelics, from contemplation to war and extremist politics. 

Jules' new book, The Art of Losing Control, will be on sale at the event. You can win a free copy by sharing this article on Facebook or Twitter (we'll pick a winner randomly from those who share it) : http://www.philosophyforlife.org/why-getting-out-of-our-head-is-good-for-us/

The talk will start at 7pm, and be the usual format - two 25-minute halves with a group discussion in the middle, followed by Q&A. See you there!