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The word antipode can be used to mean either the point on the surface of the earth or another celestial body that is diametrically opposite to a given point (usually used as a plural in this sense), or the exact opposite or contrary of something. It is a back-formed singular from the word antipodes, which originally was not plural.

• For the geographical concept, see antipodes.
• For the critical geography journal, see Antipode (Journal)
• For the abstract mathematical concept that arose from the geographical usage, see antipodal point.
• For Hopf algebras, see Hopf algebra.
• Referred to in Aldous Huxley's Heaven and Hell--Used to describe the "regions of the mind" that one can reach by meditation, vitamin deficiencies, self-flagellation, fasting, or (most effectively, he says) with the aide of certain chemical substances like LSD or mescaline. Essentially, Huxley defines these "antipodes" of the mind as mental states that one may reach when one's brain is disabled (from a biological point of view) and can then be conscious of certain "regions of the mind" that one would otherwise never be able to pay attention to, due to the lack of biological/utilitarian usefulness. Huxley states that while these states of mind are biological useless, they are nonetheless spiritually significant, and furthermore, are the singular 'regions' of the mind from which all religions are derived. For example, he says that the Medieval Christians frequently experienced "visions" of Heaven and Hell during the winter, when their diets were severely hampered by lack of critical nutrients in their food supplies (vitamin B, vitamin C)--these people frequently contracted Scurvy and other deficiencies, causing them to hallucinate. He also said that Christians and other religions fast in order to make themselves delirious, thus inducing visions and views of these "antipodes of the mind". Today, Huxley says people can reach these states of mind without harm to their bodies with the AID of certain drugs. Essentially, Huxley says this state of mind allows a person to be conscious of things that would not normally concern him due to the fact that they have nothing to do with the typical concerns of the world. Look into Heaven and Hell for more details, he explains this idea in much more detail.
• In the popular Super Nintendo game Chrono Trigger, "antipode" refers to a type of magic spell that consists of an attack of ice, and then of fire, two elements diametrically opposed to each other in the game, a concept taken from classical elementalism.

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