Have you ever found yourself suddenly overcome with strong emotions, maybe even tearing up with experiences like these?
- Stargazing
- Listening to music
- Standing in a forest grove
- Watching a space rocket launch
- Seeing beautiful natural landscapes
- Catching the sunrise or sunset on a hike
- Watching ocean waves crash on a shore
- Watching a space documentary or movie
- Looking at paintings, sculptures, and art installations
- Looking up at tall mountains or down at expansive valleys
- Watching a performance like dance, singing, or gymnastics
- Seeing a cityscape filled with skyscrapers and historical landmarks
All of these situations might elicit the feeling of awe, which can be defined as an emotional state that people experience when they are in the presence of something that expands their current perspective.
“Mind blowing” is another way of thinking about it, because the things that make us feel awe usually feel like they can’t be contained within our minds and make us reassess how we originally thought of something, whether it be nature, art, music, or human interactions.
Awe is a complex and powerful emotion that artists, composers, performers, and architects have sought to evoke in others throughout history. It can be associated with fear or joy, sometimes both at the same time. Awe tends to make us feel small and humbled in the presence of something that feels much larger than we are or seems impossible to understand.
Researchers have found that when we are in this emotional and mental state, we tend to feel less stressed, more connected to a larger whole, experience a more positive mood, greater satisfaction with life, and become more generous and cooperative with others.
We can intentionally incorporate awe into our everyday lives to help us appreciate the world around us and see our surroundings with a renewed, present-minded awareness. Try out weekly 15-minute “awe walks” and see if you observe any changes in stress and mood.
How to Practice an Awe Walk
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Take a deep breath in
- After you breathe in, try to breathe out for a beat longer than the inhale.
- Feel the air moving through your nose and pay attention to the sound of your breath.
- Come back to this breath throughout your walk.
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Engage your senses
- Notice how the ground feels beneath your feet.
- Feel the air on your skin.
- Listen to the sounds around you.
- Observe new and different smells as you move through the environment.
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Shift your awareness
- Open yourself up to what is around you.
- Notice what feels vast, impressively complex, unexpected, or unexplainable.
- Observe what surprises and delights you.
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Take another deep breath
- After you breathe in, try to breathe out for a beat longer than the inhale.
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Let your attention be open in exploration
- Notice what inspires awe, wonderment, or amazement.
- Pay attention to what is new, unknown, or unexplored about your surroundings.
- Let your attention move from the vast to the small.
- Even details like patterns of light and shadow, the colors of things around you,
furniture, buildings, or shapes of trees and plants can inspire awe.
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As you continue your walk, cycle your attention between your breath and the wider world around you
- Really notice the many sights, sounds, smells, and other sensations that are happening.
Some examples of settings that you can pair with an “awe walk”
Outdoor Settings
- Local park or garden
- Shady neighborhood sidewalks
- Trail with tall trees
- A place where you can see the sunset or sunrise
- Hilltop with a view
- Lakeshore, beach, or large ponds
Downtown or Urban Settings
- Downtown sidewalks
- Historic monuments or local landmarks
- A part of town you haven’t been to before
- Botanical gardens
- Or just let your feet guide you wherever they want to go!
Indoor Settings
- An art gallery
- A planetarium or aquarium
- A historic mansion or cathedral
- A museum
