Feeling Awe
Sometimes there’s beauty that makes me cry. Does that ever happen to you?
I got up this morning to watch the color play of pink and orange and blue and white and gray in the vast sky as the sun was rising to the east over Crystal Lake, Michigan, where I’m staying for a couple weeks. It was a beautiful sunrise for sure and so unique for me because of rising over a large body of water, which I don’t normally get to see. Not only were there the visual colors of the sky and the drama of the clouds, but I felt a light breeze on my skin, and heard the water with its small waves lapping against the dock and rhythmically crashing into the shore.
Sunrise over Crystal Lake, Michigan
I felt called to turn around in the opposite direction, towards the west, curious about what the sky might look like over there. What I saw made me gasp - there was a rainbow! It wasn’t raining, and it hadn’t rained, I don’t understand why it was there. The rainbow was right over our cottage, and it brought tears to my eyes. I was feeling so blessed to be a witness to this moment. I turned a little bit more in another direction, to the south, and again gasped at the bright half moon peeking out from the clouds, still illuminated in the early morning, shining against the blue sky. An incredible show was playing out in the sky above and around me.
Wonder and Awe
What I experienced this morning was the awesome wonder of nature, and as a human being, and part of nature, it touched me deeply. Wonder and awe were the feelings which brought me to tears. These emotions are considered primary to humans, but they have not been scientifically studied as much as other emotions. In recent years though, researcher and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Dacher Keltner, PhD., has become the leading investigator of these emotions. His latest book is Awe: The new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life, and it is worth reading if you ever wonder about your own feelings of wonder.
In an interview with MAPP Magazine, (https://www.mappmagazine.com/articles/keltner) Keltner says “Awe is an emotion you feel when you encounter vastness and mysteries that are beyond your understanding of the world.” He outlines eight “wonders of life”, one of which is the natural world - Nature.
Here I was, immersed in the beauty of this moment of sunrise, over a lake, with a rainbow and a shimmering half moon hanging in the sky. The awesomeness of it pulled me right into that present moment and I felt a small but integral part of the vast network of the cosmos, connected with all that is.
Experiencing Awe
Keltner lists other ways we encounter wonder- in collective movements with other people, through music, moral beauty, art, and transcendent spiritual experiences. His research suggests that feeling awe can make you happier, healthier, more humble, and more connected to the people around you. It can reduce stress and anxiety, boost creativity, and make you more generous and cooperative. It has this ability to draw us profoundly into the present moment. It also is shown to diminish the ego and quiet the sense of self, allowing you to feel part of something larger - something greater than yourself.
Try It!
When was the last time you sensed wonder and awe? What experiences of awe have brought tears?
Even in the midst of the challenges of our modern world, we can find these positive experiences and feelings.
Here’s a practice for you: This week, purposefully seek out Awe. It doesn’t have to be grand or difficult to arrange and can happen as you move through your day.
Get up early for a sunrise.
Hike to a hillside to view the sunset.
Catch a live music event and dance in joy with dozens of people to the same rhythm.
Wander through an art gallery or museum.
Read stories of brave or courageous people who are facing challenges.
Connect with a group of people who are working towards a common goal.
You could even try my favorite practice - sit quietly next to a big tree and breathe. Meditate on the wonder and awesomeness of just being alive. Let that feeling wash over you. Repeat as often as you can!
Rainbow over the house