16 Nov The Wonders of Awe
You’re probably familial with the word “awesome”.
In fact, you’ve probably used / spoken the word at some point in time.
But what you might not know is that “awe” is a positive emotions, one valued by Positive Psychologists, and one that’s very much a part of happiness and living a good life …
via Psychology Today by Marianna Pogosyan
KEY POINTS
- Awe experiences have been shown to have a variety of well-being benefits.
- Not every experience of relishing the beauty of nature has to do with awe.
- Awe differs from other positive emotions in a number of ways.
- Awe plays an important role in leading a psychologically rich life.
Source: CC0/Pete Linforth/Pixabay
“When it’s over,” writes Mary Oliver in When Death Comes, “I want to say all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.”
A life spent in matrimony with wonder is likely one brimming with color and delight. According to research on awe, it might also bear an assortment of wellbeing-boosting gifts – some unsurprising (physical and psychological health, feelings of interconnectedness), others unexpected (the perception of having more time, more pro-sociality, less materialism, less aggression).
Considering our appetite for awe and its endless benefits, should we not become as diligent with penciling it into our daily routines as we are with our other life-enhancing habits? All may not be so straightforward, says psychologist Lani Shiota, who has been investigating awe for two decades. Despite scientific advances in the study of this complex emotion that dwells “in the upper reaches of pleasure and on the boundary of fear,” much mystery remains about the extraordinary ways awe binds humans to their environments and to each other.
Here are 11 questions on awe with Dr. Shiota.
What is among your biggest insights you’ve gained from your research on emotions?
One insight is that emotions are not inherently “good” or “bad,” in the sense that they are always desirable or always maladaptive. Another one is that our emotions serve us. They are functional. They are a fundamental part of how we engage successfully with the world around us.
What is behind our recent fascination with awe?
Nowadays, awe is the trending emotion, the shiny new toy. People want it to solve many of their problems. This happens every time researchers dig into a potentially beneficial aspect of the human experience. There is also a tendency to assume that all effects of awe are beneficial and that awe is a constructive response in all circumstances. But I would be wary of the assumption that everything about awe is good…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE