The Wonders of Awe

“The evidence suggests that a psychologically full life must include some sense of meaning or purpose. If as a result of experiencing awe you feel like you are part of the great whole, then awe might very well facilitate that sense of meaning and purpose. Einstein famously said, “He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.” While I wouldn’t go that far, for most people, continuing to learn, grow, and be awed by a world that shows them something that they didn’t imagine previously can be very rewarding. Most adults would likely benefit from having more awe experiences.

One thing you could do to prolong the feeling of awe is trying to look at the stimulus in a different way. For example, the next time you look at the night sky, learn something about the stars (their distance from Earth, their age). Now, when you come back to that same experience of the night sky, your new knowledge can help you look at it through a different lens and kick-start awe again. The stimulus is the same, but your mind has changed and you are interpreting what you’re seeing in a new way.

Key Points

• Awe experiences have been shown to have a variety of well-being benefits.
• Not every experience of relishing the beauty of nature has to do with awe.

• Awe differs from other positive emotions in a number of ways.

• Awe plays an important role in leading a psychologically rich life.”

Read the whole article at Psychology Today

#Awe #Wonder #Benefits

💬 Have you ever experienced the feeling of awe? Describe your experience.