Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life

Dacher Keltner takes a physiological approach to the study of emotions, as he showed in his previous work, Born to be Good, which I also recommend. This research starts where that one left off, choosing a particular emotion to examine that leads to the heart of the human endeavor, the feeling of awe, which he defines as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.”

I read this book because I have pursued the experience of awe throughout my educational career, and Keltner is giving us a clear pathway for the study of awe and its benefits in a manner that bridges science and culture. He addresses spirituality from a sociological point of view (and a personal one), show more without making any metaphysical claims. He is, after all, a biologist at heart.

I admire the breadth of experience reflected in this writing, including interviews with artists, scientists, activists, and one famous film director. Throughout he makes clear that awe holds a fundamental value for people, whether they realize it or not. Keltner has a gift for weaving the scientific, the sacred, the profane, and the humorous together. show less

Wonder as a subject fascinates me and is, I think, something we could all use a little more of as both a connecting experience and as a gateway to meaning and transcendence above the mind-numbing distractions of everyday life. So I was excited to read about the research that has gone into understanding what wonder is and how it impacts our thinking. Dacher Keltner's book explores the history and science behind wonder while illustrating his points with anecdotes and observations.

Some have mentioned the differences between wonder, awe, and the sublime, and they complained that Keltner's focus seems to be on wonder alone, bypassing the fear inducing sensation of the sublime. This is true to some extent, although he touches upon the aspect show more of fear briefly in the beginning of his book. In my opinion, though, Keltner's book was an enjoyable read, and his research added to my understanding of the physical and psychological benefits of wonder and how to experience more of it in everyday life. show less

[3.50, rounded down for a reason that will follow] The first third of Kepner’s book is an impressive 5 stars. It is an eye-opening exploration of a sensation that many of us give little thought to — awe-inspiring moments that put the “Whoa!” into our lives. The early parts of this book were so enlightening that I was motivated to take few pages of notes to remind myself of important points, including the notion that we can find awe anywhere, and the fact that there is concrete evidence that feelings of awe can “transform our minds, our sense of self, and our way of being in the world.” Experts insist it can even improve our physical health. So why the mediocre 3.5 star rating? The remaining two-thirds of the book is show more overstuffed with anecdotes and examples of people experiencing awe. True, people love short stories – and I love them as much as anyone. But readers don’t need a half-dozen vignettes of each aspect of awe to fully understand and appreciate the phenomenon. This book would have been more effective and engaging if it was half its size, showcasing the most vivid anecdotes. In some scenarios, less is more. Having said that, some of the tenets in this book will stay with me. Kepner’s categorization of awe into “eight wonders of life” is a reminder that awe-inspiring experiences are everywhere. In many instances, it’s merely a matter of training our brains to “find the extraordinary in the ordinary.” show less

There are no shortages of books on achieving happiness and living the good life. But what if the key to both is something profound yet easily attainable? According to professor of psychology Dacher Keltner—and after twenty years of research on the topic—the answer to the happiness puzzle lies in a particular emotion that has received comparably little attention: awe.

Awe, according to Keltner, “is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.” In this profound state of wonder, we tend to lose our sense of ego and identify with something larger than ourselves, which, studies have shown, enhances our creativity, mood, tolerance, and tendency towards altruism.

In show more fact, there is a rich evolutionary history behind the emotion of awe, which has helped us to collectively explore the unknown and bond with each other socially, giving us the ultimate competitive edge relative to other animals. This key adaptation also turns out to be the primary key to happiness, according to Keltner.

To assess this claim in more objective terms, Keltner and his colleagues asked survey participants from 26 countries to describe an experience of awe using the definition provided above. What the researchers found was that people most frequently experience awe in relation to the “eight wonders of life,” as follows:

1. The strength, courage, and kindness of others (moral beauty)
2. Collective movement or effervescence (e.g., dance and sports)
3. Nature
4. Music
5. Art
6. Mystical encounters (religious experiences)
7. Encountering life and death
8. Big ideas or epiphanies

What’s surprising about this list—other than the absence of food or sex (I mean, come on)—is that the number one category of awe is moral beauty—or the strength, courage, and kindness of others. We seem to receive the majority of our inspiration from other people, and not, as you might have thought, from religion, nature, or mystical experiences. As social creatures, this probably makes sense. The remaining categories are not too surprising.

Before diving into each of the “eight wonders of life,” Keltner explores the science behind the emotion of awe, how awe physically manifests itself in our bodies, and how awe can make us happier, more social, and less egotistical and materialistic. Keltner then proceeds to explore each of the eight wonders of life, with a chapter dedicated to each, and the everyday awe they can inspire, largely through personal stories.

While the personal narratives are mostly informative, they can at times grow tiresome and melodramatic, and the author uses a lot of flowery language that I’m not the biggest fan of. Also, while the argument that the emotion of everyday awe is a key ingredient to living the good life, it feels like something is missing. A good life involves more than passively standing in awe of the moral strength and creativity of others or the forces of nature. It seems to also involve acts of creation, engaging in meaningful projects, and helping others—in other words, active engagement in the world.

In any case, some recommendations on how to add more awe into your life—which we could all use—clearly emerge throughout the course of the book. To experience more everyday awe, you can: (1) prioritize your senses—and direct engagement with the world—over language and categorization; (2) approach phenomena—especially natural phenomena—as if for the first time, without preconceived judgments (like a child); (3) contemplate the interconnectedness and interdependence of everything (in both space and time); and (4) embrace the mysteries of existence non-dogmatically.

This last point was an opportunity for Keltner to explain how religion, often a source of awe, can also become an enemy of awe, as it replaces mystery with unfounded certainty and leads to dogma, arrogance, and intolerance of others. But he largely avoids the issue possibly because he doesn’t want to alienate any of his readers.

The biggest takeaway Keltner wants you to consider is that the “systems-view” of life seems to be the most profound and reliable way of achieving everyday awe. As Keltner writes, “When we look at life through this systems lens, we perceive things in terms of relations rather than separate objects.” This creates a sense of gratitude that dissolves the ego and ultimately makes us more tolerant and charitable (Buddhists everywhere are nodding in agreement). And in this day and age, who’s going to argue that we can’t use more of that? show less

This book was very supportive to me in shifting my view and focus on what are the "wows" in my life. I now take time very frequently during the day to allow myself to experience wonder and deep appreciation for little and big things of beauty and specialness. What a wonderful shift to live in rather than the normal, negative and scary "news" about what is wrong all the time. I feel so much more relaxed and happy.

4 stars: Very good

From amazon: rom a foremost expert on the science of emotions, a groundbreaking and essential exploration into the history, science, and greater understanding of awe

Awe is mysterious. How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel when we see the Grand Canyon, or our utter amazement when we watch a child walk for the first time? Until recently, there was no science of awe, that feeling we experience when we encounter vast mysteries that transcend our understanding of the world. Revolution­ary thinking, though, has shown how humans have survived over the course of evolution thanks to our capacities to cooperate, form communities, and create culture—all of which are spurred by awe.

In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents show more a sweeping investigation and deeply personal inquiry into this elusive feeling. Revealing new re­search alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our ev­eryday lives leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. At turns radical and profound, brimming with enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide for how to place this emotion as a vital force within our lives.

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Keltner starts by defining awe as "the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world."

By talking to thousands of participants around the world, Keltner describes 8 subcategories of awe (8 wonders of life) :

1) Moral beauty (other people's courage, kindness, strength, or overcoming)
2. Collective effervescence
3) Nature
4) Music
5) Visual design
6) Spiritual/religious
7) Stories of life and death
8) Epiphanies: understanding essential truths in life. show less

Did not finish.