The psychology of awe—or the humility, wonder, and sense of adventure toward living—is a hot topic today. One of the challenges with this topic, however, is that it is so often framed as a “high” or short-term lift. That is why I distinguish between the short-term jolt of awe, or what I call “quick-boil” awe, and the lifelong “slow-simmer” form of awe.
The quick-boil form of awe tends to link with activities such as visiting the Grand Canyon, taking a mind-altering drug, and attending a breathtaking concert. The slow simmer awe, on the other hand, transforms the exhilarating energy of quick-boil awe into something long-lasting—such as staying open to the radiant scenery of everyday life, making a lifestyle of wonder and discovery, delving deeply into a project, and consistently engaging with life’s many-sidedness, whether unveiled in one’s work or love life, in child-rearing, friendships, or the larger community of which one is a part.
In short, as a researcher of the psychology of awe, I am thrilled that the topic is now being highlighted in so many sectors of our culture. But I also want to caution that there is a danger in confining awe to a particular moment or thing—as these can reduce the life-altering qualities of awe and also potentially convert it into idolatry or a commercial product. Some of our fixations on building new things and “breaking” old things, as in the Silicon Valley expression “move fast and break things” or the use of the phrase “shock and awe” to describe surprise attacks in war or governance, are examples of the perils of quick-boil awe.
Slow-simmer awe, on the other hand, is an attitude that can accompany us for a lifetime; it can not only expand the possibilities for individual vitality, but it can also enrich the evolution of our society, from child-rearing to education, and from the work setting to governance. Here are a few examples of slow-simmer awe that some people have found life-altering:
- Recognizing and savoring the preciousness of the moment
- Nurturing an openness to wonder and surprise
- Appreciating one’s connection with the cosmic beyond
- Appreciating the subtleties and details of life, like the layers of memories that link us across vast realms of time, space, and history
- Fostering an ability to be deeply moved by people, places, and things
- Cultivating the poignancy of solitude