The other night while closing the blinds I was struck by the beauty of the moon. It sat low in the sky and was a large, fiery orb. I later learned it was a Harvest Moon. All I knew for sure was that I felt a sense of awe, and I kept the blinds open so I could experience the moment a little longer.
Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at the University of California at Berkeley, describes awe as follows:
“Awe is embedded in our DNA. We are literally hardwired for it. You often feel it when you look up: at the Milky Way, or a forest canopy, or a rainbow. Nature is a wellspring of so much of our awe, and human beings have been aspiring to bring this feeling into their built environment since the earliest drawings decorated the walls of our caves.”
According to Keltner, awe can “heighten your curiosity and creativity.”
When I think of awe in my life, I am reminded of visiting the Grand Canyon, the falls of Niagara, traveling the Shenandoah Parkway in Virginia for the first time, and viewing Renoir’s Two Sisters at the Kimbell Art Museum.
Perhaps the most awestruck moment of all had to be at the birth of my daughter as I held her in my arms for the first time. I must admit, I'm still pretty awestruck by her.
Neuroscientist Beau Lotto found that people who experience awe in their lives “…actually seek risk, and they are better able at taking it.” They can tolerate uncertainty better than most.
The authors of Your Brain on Art, Magsamen and Ross state, “The awe found in the arts and aesthetic experiences can become part of your practice for expanding flourishing.”
When have you been awestruck?
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