Feeling Low? Try a Little Awe

In the chilly gloom of the post holiday season, a little awe can do wonders. In fact, according to Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley and the author of “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life,” a little awe is very similar to a little wonder. The New York Times reports on Keltner’s thoughts, which include the assertion that awe is critical to our well-being, and that it brings health benefits that include calming down our nervous system and triggering the release of oxytocin, the “love” hormone that promotes trust and bonding. So what exactly is awe and more importantly, how can we get some? Keltner describes awe as being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world. Helpfully, he offers a few tips on how to increase our chances of experiencing it. They include paying attention–really close attention–to things around us, focusing on the “moral beauty” of others, practicing mindfulness, and taking an unfamiliar path, all of which sounds fairly opaque, but is clearly explained in the book, and also in the New York Times.