I was listening to Dacher Keltner talk about “awe” on the Happiness app. Dacher is an “awe” researcher being interviewed by Dan Harris. He recently wrote a book called “Awe, the pursuit of everyday wonder and how it can change our life”.
He brought up some thought provoking points about awe. Here are a few of those points in addition to my own insights as I contemplated what Awe meant in my life.
He defined awe as an emotion that gives us a feeling we experience when we encounter vast mysteries, like in nature, or someone who does something extraordinary. It defies logic, and opens our mind to an awareness greater than how we normally perceive our reality. We glimpse the experience and embody that sense of knowing a deeper reality then how we normally concretize our worlds.
“The feeling of awe connects us to the collective”. We are part of something larger and with this comes a sense of belonging. He discussed a morality piece to awe, that enables us to “feel” the good, take it into our body, and rest in this space. When there’s awe we treat ourselves better, and work more cooperatively and less competitively. People become kinder and less hostile towards each other.
Experiencing “awe” effects our physiology. The Vegas nerve is stimulated and increases the relaxation response when we look at something vast and mysterious. It’s stress reducing. When we’re in nature, witnessing the beauty around us, or sitting with a close friend and feeling listened to, observing the sun as it sets in the evening. It can bring tears to our eyes as we deeply feel into this emotional state.
Awe, can serve as an inner guidance system if we listen for what inspires us. It can lead us to what we know is true for ourselves and what allows us to feel our intrinsic “goodness”. At its foundations is a certain morality.
As a practice, observe what “awes” you. Is it walking in the mountains, swimming in the ocean, listening to music, talking to a close friend, an activity, watching sports, contemplation, Yoga, to name a few. Notice what happens in your body, where does the tension go? How do your thoughts change. Take note, journal, notice if there is change. Allow it to become a practice as you continue to practice it. Make it real.
If we follow our experience of awe, then it leads us down the path of meaning and purpose and becomes the inner wisdom that guides us throughout our lives. It is our moral compass and one of the essential qualities to being happy. As Dacher says in his book “Happiness comes down to finding awe”
Think about a time when you had a big experience of awe. An aha moment! What did it teach you? What are some of your earlier experiences of awe?
Examples of awe inspiring people include Heller Keller, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, the Dalia Lama to name a few. Their courage, morality and strength inspire us and are shining examples of how we can lead a meaningful life.
The physical experience of awe in the body connects us to the pathway that allows us to listen deeply and in this gentle space we can hear what brings us to a place of awe.
Contemplate what fills you with awe. Is it listening to music, watching a good movie, being with your pet, family, or alone watching the sunrise, or the sunset. We can be awed by an insight, a realization, a comment. Thinking about how temporal and impermanent life is, can leave us in awe. It takes many forms.
Awe helps us discover who we are, what we connect with, and to be open to life, bringing in a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Awe helps us to deepen into the steps we take towards a happier self and something greater, beyond our humanness. Awe is an awareness of consciousness.
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