One of my custom birdhouse designed to be feminine and with a theme of birds in a garden.
Last week, when I opened the kiln and saw my new birdhouses for the first time, I felt a bit of awe. The feeling told me I had had a growth spurt, which in turn made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. And that's pretty much all it took to get me thinking about awe, the emotion. There is nothing more inspiring than the experience of awe. Awe is a revelation on steroids; its inspiration, wonder, and mystery rolled into one spectacular flash. Here are five reasons why finding more time to experience awe is awesome.
Awe:
Expands Time. When you're experiencing it, it's as though time stands still, allowing the moment to open up. Anchoring us in the present and allowing us to breathe more deeply and with more awareness. When it's over, you feel refreshed and unhurried.
In the video below Melanie Rudd explains how awe expands
your perception of time and gives power to the present moment.
Inspirers Creativity. That vastness you feel also creates an expansiveness in thinking. When you're in the aha moment: you're out of yourself, seeing the bigger picture, and thinking outside the box.
In this 2018 episode of Shots of Awe, Jason Silva explains aesthetic arrest;
that's what happens when we see something of great beauty.
Fosters Hope. In these moments of wonder, you'll feel a sense that the world is good and beautiful, making you feel blessed, fortunate, or graced. You might even sense that divisiveness and separation disappear, offering you hope.
Amanda Gorman talks about her dreams and impediments waiting for a "big break" in this
2017 Moth episode by the same name. She's not talking about hope but is a shining example of it.
Unites You With Nature. Our first awe-inspiring moments probably come in nature. On a trip with our families, stopping at a roadside lookout to take in a beautiful vista, or just walking in the woods and seeing a young animal. Young children, puppies, and fawns are always in a state of wonder and curiosity; everything is new. This time of year, I take that love and apply it to my budding garden. Each morning I slowly walk to the car, searching for what's breaking through the soil, blooming, or have a growth spurt.
In this ad for BBC Earth, you'll be awed by the majestic scenery, your spirits will be
lifted by the animal images, and you will feel happier at the end.
Transforms You. Because awe is vast, it naturally makes us feel small and humble in its presence. This smaller self helps us see how interrelated we are to the larger world. Awe lifts us from focusing on daily activities and inspires us to become part of the broader world by volunteering or becoming less materialistic. Here are two videos that explain how.
Here's a three-minute explanation of how awe
transforms us from D News.
If you have more time this 35 minute video explains the science. As a dancer herself, Lani Shiota
addresses how art is tailor-made to elicit awe in the last ten minutes.