Awe, Perspective, and the Smallness That Heals

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
- W.B. Yeats

There are moments in nature that make you go quiet.

Standing at the edge of a canyon. Watching a storm roll in over the ocean. Looking up at a sky thick with stars.

That feeling has a name...awe.

Psychologists Dacher Keltner and Jonathan Haidt describe awe as the emotional response to something vast that challenges our usual frame of reference. It interrupts our internal narrative.

And that interruption matters.

A 2015 study published in Psychological Science found that experiences of awe reduce focus on the self and increase feelings of connection and generosity. Other research has shown that awe can reduce inflammatory markers in the body.

Depression often magnifies the self (not in arrogance), but in contraction. Thoughts loop inward. Problems feel large. The mind narrows.

Awe expands it.

Even brief experiences of vastness can reduce rumination by shifting perspective. The brain’s default mode network, associated with relaying information to oneself, appears to quiet during these moments.

In simple terms... when the world feels bigger, our suffering can feel less absolute.

Journal Prompts

If you are so inclined ... writing about your emotions and needs has been proven to be beneficial in helping to gain peace and alleviate stress. There’s no right way to answer.

When was the last time I felt awe, even briefly?

What environments make me feel expanded rather than contracted?

Videos & Books

If quiet moments might help you reset, or if you are unable to get to a natural setting, here are some YouTube channels focused on nature, including my own, The Nature Break. Also included are some books on the benefits and beauty of nature.

YouTube Nature Channels:

• Arthur Horman: Short (3minute) to 1-hour videos on nature and wildlife. Beautifully filmed, up close and distance fotage.

• The Nature Break: Nature walks set to quiet music, short duration 2- 4 minutes

Books:

• The Wild Apples by Henry David Thoreau

• The Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder

Featured Video: Please enjoy this video from the Nature Break…

Comments

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