The Seventh Basic Emotion
Awe is What We Need For Greater Wellbeing
I’ve been circling around this idea of awe for years. My work with design concepts of feng shui and biophilic design, as well as my interest in nature experiences, has inspired me to learn more about our awe-inspiring experiences and how they can contribute to our health in body, mind, and spirit.
According to this New York Times article, awe may just be one of our basic human emotions, expanding the list developed back in 1972.
Awe has, just like all the other emotions of anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and joy, a specific physical response. Our bodies respond differently when experiencing wonder, than joy or sadness. We have different physical responses, including facial expression, and triggering of the vagus nerve, moderating heart rate, digestion, and the breath.
Experiences of awe provide positive effects on our feelings of well-being. Research shows that people, once having an awe experience, have a more expanded view, are more community-minded, and less self-interested. They are more open-minded, empathetic, and less self-critical and judgmental.
When was the last time that you experienced this emotion?
Perhaps it was on vacation. You saw the Grand Canyon for the first time (experienced something vast), or the Parthenon (something from antiquity). Maybe you saw a baby being born. Or watched a tornado rip across the plains (awe can include fearful experiences as well).
But one thing that all of these experiences have in common is that they are unusual and rare. They remind us how small we are in the vastness of time and space.
But awe is not reserved for these unusual experiences. According to Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, we can find awe in everyday life. In his new book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life,” Keltner suggests that there are “eight wonders of life” most likely to induce awe: moral beauty (e.g., courage in battle), collective effervescence (e.g., participating in a political rally), nature, music, visual art, spirituality, mortality, and epiphanies.
For all the benefits of this emotion, we should look for awe-inspiring experiences by being more aware and mindful in our everyday lives. “Everyday awe” can be easy to miss. We may not notice the majesty of the setting sun on our way home from work. We may miss the generosity of a person helping someone in the street. Or the beauty of the cathedral we pass on our way to the grocery store. They say that beauty is around every corner. Perhaps our ability to experience awe is, as well.
