On a desolate night in April 2020, I received a tragic phone call informing me of the unfortunate death of a close relative. This sudden bad news stunned me. I walked outside unconsciously, trying to breathe some fresh air, but what followed was unstoppable tears. I looked up at the starry sky, attempting to construct an image in my mind: thousands of light years away, how would an observer in the night sky perceive this solemn scene—a small figure, struggling in the unresolved maze of life. Unexpectedly, this imagination didn’t deepen my sorrow; on the contrary, it showed me a path to escape from the pain.
In the following moments, I did something I hadn’t anticipated, even though I have never been a devout religious believer: I knelt down and bowed my head. As tears slid down my face, I expressed my helplessness and surrender to the vast universe. I admitted my inability to interpret its rules and stopped struggling to understand them. It was then that a line from T.S. Eliot came to mind: “The rest is not our business.” Only afterwards did I realize what I had just gone through—it was “awe,” a special emotional experience which, according to psychologist Dacher Keltner of UC Berkeley, and author of “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonders and How They Can Transform Your Life”, is “an experience of transcending the self and encountering the vastness of the unknown.”
The truth is, the “overview effect” — the experience of seeing oneself and the world from a distant perspective — has been found to be one of the most effective ways to trigger feelings of awe. During those past chaotic and tumultuous years, I was not the only one who sought comfort in awe. In fact, the sensation of awe is becoming an increasingly popular focus of attention. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, society might have emphasized the importance of “courage” and “growth mindset” more, but now, many seem more inclined to pursue spiritual tranquility and relaxation. Based on the latest research and forthcoming books, experiencing awe and wonder does indeed greatly benefit us.
Despite predictions that the end of the pandemic would bring an indulgence and noise resembling the “Roaring Twenties”, reality has proven to be much more complex and grave. As we face numerous losses and setbacks, Keltner presented us with an ultimate guide to awe in his writing. He elaborates on the scientific findings about awe from his and his students’ research over the past 20 years, combined with personal reflections on his deceased brother Rolf—a narrative not only filled with private emotions but sometimes with painful vulnerability.
Keltner explains that awe is different from fear or admiration for beauty, although these two emotions may occur when feeling awe. It is similar to the awe experienced by scientists in the Manhattan Project during the “Trinity” nuclear test and the late YouTube celebrity Paul “Bear” Vasquez when he saw a double rainbow over the California cliffs. To capture the essence of awe, he suggests looking for the “eight wonders” in life, the most common of which include the beauty of nature, the power of music, the harmony of visual design, and the moral beauty of witnessing acts of kindness.
Feeling of awe is not only present in our perception of magnificent natural landscapes or the vastness of the universe. The rarer and more profound moments of awe can be reflected in collective passion (such as the cheers of fans in a football stadium), spiritual experiences, and those sudden enlightenments—moments when we discover significant facts that are unexpected and may change our worldview. Moreover, the cycle of life, such as the moments of birth and death, are also filled with a sense of awe.
Feeling awe has a positive and profound impact on us. It can make us more peaceful, charitable, creative, and increase our honesty. Awe can effectively curb our tendency towards self-inflation, while enhancing our connection with nature and the universe. Indeed, the goosebumps we get when feeling awe may be an evolutionary signal promoting social cohesion and cooperation.
In researcher Keltner’s studies, one experiment showed that tourists overlooking natural landscapes at Yosemite National Park tend to depict themselves smaller in drawings, suggesting they have greater awareness of their own insignificance. Another experiment found that volunteers asked to look up at huge eucalyptus trees generally had lower financial reward expectations than those looking at a lecture building, and the former were more willing to engage in social behaviors, like helping others pick up dropped items.
The benefits of awe are not just seen in scientific experiments; Keltner’s own experiences also provide strong evidence. He shares how he used the feeling of awe to dissolve his grief—from the extreme sadness he experienced witnessing the passing of his friend Rolf to several months later, when gazing at the steady and time-tested Alps, he felt comfort as if his brother were still with him. “The world is still full of wonders and mysteries,” Keltner writes, “and he is a part of it.”
As for how to experience awe, people can find inspiration from Keltner’s book. Additionally, in works such as The Paradox of Wonder: Embracing the Strangeness of Existence and the Poetry of Life, author Jennifer Michael Hecht selects a series of poems praising the moments of awe in life, such as weddings and childbirth. In The Power of Wonder: The Extraordinary Emotion That Will Change How You Live, Learn, and Lead, life and career coach Monica Parker recommends “Wonder Walks,” drawing on naturalist writer Rachel Carson’s ideas, encouraging people to broaden their horizons, discover “unnoticed beauty,” and ask themselves: “What if I had never seen these before? What if I knew I would never see them again?”
In the book The Power of Awe: Less than a Minute a Day to Overcome Weariness and Anxiety, Alleviate Chronic Pain, and Clear Your Mind and Goals, authors Jake Eagle and Dr. Michael Amster draw on Keltner’s research to introduce a way to experience awe through “micro-dosing.”
The pace of modern life is excessively fast, leading us to often crave a way to quickly find solace and inspiration for our souls. With the help of technology, scientists from Google and the University of California, Berkeley have collaborated to develop a unique solution—the Art Emotions Map website. On this platform, the public can appreciate a selection of famous artworks that can provoke deep emotional responses. Just like the painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner, Vesuvius in Eruption, which can evoke a profound sense of awe from within.
Alan Cowen, a former Berkeley researcher, presented the public with selected GIFs on his Mapping Emotion website, scientifically proven to induce emotions similar to awe, such as the sight of a group of skydivers in mid-air freefall.
Most people may rarely experience awe, but actually, we have the capacity to feel this emotion more frequently. As scholars emphasize, we can revitalize our perspectives, break through the monotony of life, and discover the significant beauty hidden within everyday trivialities. As the playwright Christopher Marlowe described, we can find “infinite riches in a small room.”
From this perspective, people can not only maintain a sense of awe towards the stars in the vast night sky but can also regard the stardust that makes up everything in the universe, even the most ordinary daily objects, with a sense of wonder. Science writer Carl Sagan once humorously said: “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the entire universe.” Undoubtedly, this is a fascinating concept.
