Finding Awe Amid Everyday Splendor

How does awe transform us? By quieting the nagging, self-critical, overbearing, status-conscious voice of our self, or ego, and empowering us to collaborate, to open our minds to wonders, and to see the deep patterns of life.

Awe is one of the most profound feelings humans can experience.

When you are amazed by a vibrant sunset, or watching a baby take its first steps — you’re reminded of how insignificant you (and your problems) are.

You feel connected to something much greater and more meaningful.

Think about the last time you were truly awe-struck. Remember how those mo

‘awe produces a vanishing self. The voice in your head, self-interest, self-consciousness, disappears. Here’s an emotion that knocks out a really important part of our identity . . . I think the central idea of awe is to quiet self-interest for a moment and to fold us into the social collective.’

What is an experience of awe that you have had, when you encountered a vast mystery that transcends your understanding of the world?

One indicator of inspiration is awe. We tend to take so much for granted. How can we move past disconnection and desensitization to the incredible wonders of nature and human engineering all around us?