Discovering Awe in the Ordinary

“THE WORLD IS FULL OF MAGIC THINGS, PATIENTLY WAITING FOR OUR SENSES TO GROW SHARPER.”

~ W. B. Yeats

We all need strategies to help us be resilient amid life's joys, sorrows, and ups and downs. The practice of mindfulness can help us through life as we cultivate the Four Heart Qualities, loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. Awe can arise from this practice as well.

One definition of awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like marveling at the Grand Canyon or the birth of a child. While awe can undoubtedly arise in this way, Dacher Keltner, who studies awe, has found that you don't need to be in a spacious, grand environment. He has found that "just time and time again, the most common source of awe is other people doing extraordinary things" and from noticing the everyday wonders of life. His research shows us ways to experience awe. Listen to Kristia Tippett's interview with Dacher Keltner for OnBeing and his new book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.

The key to experiencing awe is being in the right frame of mind. If you have fresh, loving nonjudgmental eyes, you are more likely to find wonder in your life. So, walking in your ordinary neighborhood or some grand, expansive space (if you are in Houston, try Memorial Park's new Land Bridge and Prairie).

I also invite you to join me for the Lunchtime Mindfulness Group via Zoom.

This LIVE, online meditation group with Micki Fine M.Ed., is open to anyone with the intention of being more open-heartedly present, compassionate, and connected. This allows us to meet life's challenges more gracefully.

Our Thursday morning group meets every other week from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. CST/CDT, for 8 sessions, online via Zoom. Our next group begins on April 27th, 2023. These 1.5 hr. sessions include some combination of mindfulness meditation, mindful yoga, and discussion/instruction to deepen awareness and understanding.