Practice Awe And Change Your Life!

If you have ever experienced the summit of a mountain, the vastness of the ocean, or the wonder of the northern lights, you’ve experienced the incredible sensation of awe, of the sublime.

These experiences are a powerful force to help us put our lives into perspective and recognize the immensity of the world within which we live. Feeling awe reminds us that we are just a small part of an immense, interconnected world. The realization of our connection to that immensity is both empowering and humbling.

When I stand amidst a landscape that inspires awe I feel a physical, emotional, and spiritual sense that I am both naturally powerful because of my inherent connection to this incredible universe, and extraordinarily small in the scheme of all that has happened, is happening and will happen in this world. This paradoxical experience includes a stirring of many sensations – thoughts, emotions, physically sensing the air, the heat, the smell and sound of a place. 

Awe is definitely not just intellectual 

When we experience the sublime we involuntarily draw a deep breath (have you seen a truly “breath-taking” view?) The explanation I like to give for that natural deep breath is that our soul is instinctively trying to draw in the immensity of the universe – to take in the life-giving air and fill ourselves with the energy of the connection that is presenting itself.

As we breathe and silently connect, our minds quiet, our nervous system settles and our bodies feel. Have you ever reached a beautiful location and spontaneously lifted your arms to the sky? Our bodies seem to know intuitively to celebrate and embrace the transcendence.  Experiencing the sublime is surely one reason spending time in nature is so powerful and life-giving.  

The good news is, we do not need to climb mountains to experience awe (although I highly recommend it!)

We can choose to seek and find awe in our everyday lives

Even if we live in a city “far from nature.” The sublime exists not only in the grandiose and immense, but it also exists in the tiniest detail, or the swiftest sensation, we simply must be present enough in the moment to notice. 

Where to begin your search? For me, the easiest starting place is nature in whatever form you can find it. Can you watch the sunset from your building roof? Take a walk in the woods or in a park and pay attention to the smallest detail of how a flower blooms or the wind rustles the trees.

Awe and wonder can also be found in letting go to beautiful music – many people feel transformed by music and can be swept into a sense of the sublime and who knows, maybe you’ll erupt into a free, full-body dance when the music moves you! Creating or experiencing art can also provide entre into a sense of the expanse of the human experience and the history of the world. 

Most simply, we can cultivate a sense of awe and wonder by being mindful, deeply mindful, of the experiences of each day.

Imagine the human ingenuity and complex systems that brought about the hot shower you soak under. Feel the cold winter air whip against your skin and instead of cursing the cold, consider that the air has traveled the world from the arctic to your doorstep. Breathe it in. Look closely at the eyes of your pet or the leaves of your house plant – the creativity and complexity of colors and patterns and textures in such a “regular” thing. 

When did you last experience awe?

Give yourself the gift of seeking the sublime – if that is a trip to an exotic land, a concert hall, or a walk in the park matters not. You will feel powerful and small, connected, alive and present and your body, heart, and soul will be better for it.