Most of us have had a ‘wow’ moment of awe, when experiencing intense wonder at the astonishing mystery and intoxicating beauty of a landscape or place, be it a mountain range, a sunset, or a waterfall. Often we can recall our walk with wonder with unusual clarity. We may feel deeply moved, or even altered by these moments, and for some they may have spiritual or religious meaning. Frequently they occur when we are out in nature and frequently they are tinged with fear or incredulity.
Poets and philosophers have spoken about the sublime for years, but now scientists are investigating it. The psychologist, Michelle Shiota, describes awe as a state of effortlessly ignited mindfulness (unlike meditation), which is thrillingly unexpected, making us feel humbler and smaller, but with the power to change us in some way. It makes us seem shocked, with widened eyes, raised eyebrows and a dropped jaw. Participants in her experiments who were exposed to a scene of awe, later performed with stronger analytical skills and more rigorous thought processes when asked to critique a written text. Other researchers also found that exposure to awe was linked to better cognitive processing. Professor Melanie Rudd found that awe expands our sense of time, enabling us to focus our attention better, making us feel less time-pressured and less impatient.
Researcher Dacher Keltner found that exposure to awe caused greater feelings of humility, curiosity, happiness and altruism. Later experiments found that awe provoked feelings of belonging and more connectedness to others, making it easier to deal with uncertainty.
Dr Jennifer Stellar found that saliva samples of awe-exposed participants with the strongest experience of wonder had the lowest levels of IL6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine and a signalling molecule associated with many chronic inflammatory diseases and with depression. In other words, awe improves physical well-being.
As a result, the USA has pioneered ‘awe walks’ or short, partially guided strolls where a participant’s attention is directed to significant trees, cloud formations or lakes in the country. While in cities it is directed to spectacular buildings or sightlines. After eight weeks participants felt more positive than non guided walkers. What is more, the effect is cumulative, in that the more you search for awe while walking, the greater your well-being.
Here are some tips for awe walking: turn off our phone and use your senses to engage with your surroundings. If your thoughts return to your everyday worries and to-do list, scan the horizon, smell the air and listen. Novelty is an important aspect of awe, so try walking somewhere new, at a different time of day or in a different way. Using binoculars or a magnifying glass can reveal new wonders of awe. Try nurturing your curiosity, as curious people are more likely to experience wonder.
Let’s all go for a walk and experience wonder!
Source: 52 Ways to Walk: Annabel Streets – Bloomsbury Publishing