A Bit of Awe Can Improve Your Health

In his book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Dr. Dacher Keltner “found that awe activates the vagal nerves, clusters of neurons in the spinal cord that regulate various bodily functions, and slows our heart rate, relieves digestion and deepens breathing. It also has psychological benefits.”

So writes Hope Reese in her New York Times article about Keltner’s work. (New York Times, February 8, 2023) She describes awe as an essential human emotion and a salve for a turbulent mind, explaining that,

“One of the most reliable ways to experience awe, Dr. Keltner found, was in the simple act of witnessing the goodness of others. When we see others doing small gestures, like walking an older person across the street, we start feeling better and are also more likely to perform good deeds.”

And in the Exchange Reflections, “Cultivating Joy,” Mary Pipher writes about awe’s companion, joy:

“It is never too late to become a happy person. We can set our mind to it and work to acquire the necessary skills. They are gratitude, slowing down, being awake to the wonder all around us, being outside and enjoying the primal activities we humans have enjoyed since the beginning of time. These skills can become healthy habits, just like brushing our teeth or exercising.”

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