And research suggests it’s good to your health, too. Awe might help calm the nervous system, reduce inflammation and foster a way of community (even for those who experience the emotion alone). Individuals who took awe walks, one study foundfelt more upbeat and hopeful than walkers who didn’t.
These walks even have restorative advantages, said Dr. Keltner, who has seen the positive effects firsthand. When his daughter was younger, she had anxiety and have become preoccupied with dying, he said. So that they began to take nightly awe walks to an enormous cedar tree of their neighborhood. Together, they touched the tree’s bark and talked concerning the cycle of life. Because the months passed, this ritual connected them to nature and one another, Dr. Keltner said, as his daughter went from being “freaked out about dying” to getting “a way of ‘that is just a part of life.’”
“An awe walk is usually a healing ritual,” he said. “Twelve years later, I still walk to the touch that tree.”
Able to try it? Here’s how:
Choose a spot.
You possibly can pick somewhere you’ve never been, Dr. Keltner said, adding that you just’re more prone to feel awe in an environment where the sights and sounds are unfamiliar — a neighborhood park or trail you’ve never visited, a recent neighborhood in your city or town, a body of water for those who live near one. Or you’ll be able to travel to a well-recognized spot and picture that you just’re seeing it for the primary time, he said.
Irrespective of where you go, the fleeting great thing about a dawn sky or sunset has been shown to cultivate awe.
When you’ve arrived at your spot, give yourself a minimum of 20 minutes of uninterrupted time. In the event you can, turn off your phone. Then take a number of deep breaths “to shift out of our hyper task-focused mind,” Dr. Keltner said. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, breathe out for six. Do that for a number of minutes. Then start walking.
