The Healing Power of "Awe"

Reconnecting with What Moves Us

In the field of positive psychology, awe is recognized as a powerful, healing emotion — yet it’s one we often overlook in our fast-paced lives. Awe is that profound sense of wonder we feel when we encounter something vast, beautiful, or deeply meaningful. It’s the feeling that swells in our chest when we stand beneath a starry sky, hear a child’s laugh, or witness an act of quiet courage.

Recently, I experienced a gentle but undeniable reconnection with awe.

The lilacs bloomed outside my window. It was sudden and slow, all at once — their scent carried in the breeze, their color a soft burst of life against grey spring skies. Something stirred in me that I hadn’t realized had gone quiet. A pause. A breath. A quiet sense of reverence.

What Is Awe — and Why Does It Matter?

Psychologists define awe as an emotional response to something so vast or unexpected, it challenges the way we see the world. It humbles us, shifts perspective, and brings us into the present. Unlike joy or gratitude — which are more self-referential — awe expands our awareness beyond ourselves. It connects us to the bigger picture.

Research has shown that awe can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety

• Increase feelings of connection and compassion

• Promote humility and curiosity

• Shift our focus away from rumination or self-criticism

Why Do We Become Disconnected From Awe?

Life has a way of narrowing our gaze. When we’re overwhelmed, overworked, or healing from pain, we tend to go into auto-pilot survival mode. We focus on what’s urgent. We move quickly. We miss the subtleties.

Awe requires us to pause and notice.

But when we’re trying to stay safe — physically or emotionally — slowing down can feel risky.

That’s why reconnecting with awe isn’t about chasing grand moments or forcing wonder.

It’s about gently re-opening to the world in small, manageable ways.

How to Begin Reconnecting With Awe

Here are a few simple, grounding practices that can invite awe back into your daily life:

🌿 Look for beauty in the ordinary: Notice the pattern of light on your wall. The steam rising from your coffee. The resilience of a weed growing through a crack in the sidewalk.

🌀 Shift your perspective: Lie on the ground and look up at the sky. Listen to a piece of music with your full attention. Watch a child play — or a dog greet their favorite human.

📖 Read or watch something that expands you: Awe can come from learning — about space, history, art, or even the intricacies of the human nervous system. Let yourself be moved by knowledge.

🤲 Practice mindful noticing: Instead of rushing past what’s “ordinary,” try to stay with it for just a few seconds longer. The moment you would usually scroll past — pause.

🌸 Let nature teach you: Whether it’s watching the wind move through trees or smelling lilacs in bloom — nature is one of the most accessible sources of awe.