We experience awe when we encounter things that are greater than us in some way – vast in size, or that transcend our current understanding of the world.
Even brief experiences of awe have been shown to reduce stress and make us kinder – more altruistic, less entitled, and more humble. When we feel awe, we get a better sense of how we fit into a larger whole, a collective, a community of living things. We feel more curious and more connected. Awe is a strength.
One of the best ways to cultivate awe is to go on an awe walk:
- You begin with a deep breath in – count to six as you inhale and six as you exhale. Feel the air move through your nose and mouth, listen to the sound of your breath. You will come back to this experience throughout the walk.
- Next, Tune in - Feel your feet on the ground, listen to all the sounds around you. Notice it all. Take a moment to breathe deeply again, breathe in deeply for 6, and exhale for 6.
- Next, open your attention to take in what inspires awe in you. You might notice vast spaces, how they look and sound. You may notice the play of light on a hill. Or your attention might focus on some small, exquisite detail, something you might not have noticed before. The veins in a leaf. The pattern of stones in the soil.
- Return to your breath again, count to 6 as you inhale, and count to 6 as you exhale.
- Describe to yourself what it is you are experiencing, the details of the experience, what you see, hear, and feel, and what emotions it inspires in you.
- The remarkable thing about awe is that, when you start to practice it in your life, noticing the world around, you begin to see how pervasive it is. There is so much in the world to inspire wonder, that give us that tingle, those goosebumps of delight.
- Go out and find those moments of awe, listen to them, spend time with them. You’ll find that they not only stir joy, but humility and wonder that we are part of this great, big universe of possibility, and that we have a place in it to pursue our own special purpose.
