Experience awe.
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed.”
— Albert Einstein.
THE LOWDOWN
Awe: The feeling of being in the presence of something vast and greater than the self, that exceeds current knowledge structures.
Whether you’re sitting on a rock overlooking the Grand Canyon, or find yourself observing the complex structure of a leaf, or feeling completely connected to a piece of music, or marvelling at a magician on a YouTube video, or rejoicing in the smell of coffee... awe can be found everywhere. Awe isn’t a rational emotion, it has a taste of spirituality, it’s a feeling of wonder, of amazement, a feeling that you belong to something larger that connects you to the wider world, to the past, to the present, to the future… It’s irrational, it’s transcendental, it can’t be explained and it makes you feel humble. This feeling of smallness and the desire to connect with others has been linked by evolutionary scientists to one of the reasons why humans got together into groups.
Since awe is one of the most elevated feelings you can get, this week we propose that you pay attention to moments of awe and that you actively find opportunities for wonder.
WHY IS IT GOOD?
Science about awe is very recent, Dacher Keltner is one of the lead researchers of awe, gives us a summary of positive findings when we experience this emotion:
It boosts life-satisfaction.
It increases intellectual curiosity.
It deepens our sense of humility and modesty.
It lowers cytokine levels, important in health and disease, specifically in host responses to infection, immune responses, inflammation, trauma, sepsis, cancer, and reproduction.
It encourages pro-social behaviours.
It helps you think more critically.
Also:
It gives you perspective: In great moments of awe, our problems seem very small and insignificant.
You are fully present in the moment.
SOME IDEAS
Go to nature. Look at the trees, listen to the birds (even the crows).
Marvel at the hidden beauty of a red cabbage and/or any other veggies.
Actively look for opportunities for awe: go to a museum, a concert, a show...
Watch a David Attenborough documentary.
EXTRA BROWNIE POINTS
Share your experiences of awe with others.
Wishing you an AWE-some week!
Vero and Enrique
Choose your rhythm.
Kensho Life
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