Awe
Awe is an feeling unique in its complexity, evoking states across the emotional spectrum as it connects us to both the beauty and fragility of existence. So what is the role of this emotion that can be at once both awful and awesome, and how can its properties support healing?
From an evolutionary perspective, awe is believed to initiate collaboration or cooperation amongst our species. Awe invites transcendence of Self; the experience of being provoked into wonder, reverence or incomprehensible fear pulls us beyond the singular and into relationship with the world, expanding our frame of reference outside that which is well known to us, both towards a sense of vastness and into the need to accommodate this new perspective. It is this experience of opening ourselves to something beyond our internalised patterns of familiarity and self-focused interest that supports our expression of pro-social behaviours, attuning and attending to the needs of others.
Peril and power: The many dimensions of awe
Awe can be categorised into the social, physical or cognitive – being inspired, humbled or astounded respectively by others, entities such as art and the natural world, or by concepts which are processed mentally. The sense of oneness experienced as the entire landscape transforms under the kaleidoscopic luminosity of a spectacular sunset, or a series of musical notes resonate with the sinews of our very core connects us to a collective whole. Awe may evoke respect and humility; when the object of our admiration is a charismatic leader, these qualities support the effective functioning of groups from families to societies. Of course, awe can also be leveraged to instil fear and overwhelm entire populations into submission and compliance. Awe can also be quiet, subtle, stimulating the soothing effects of our parasympathetic nervous system – and often it’s this quality, a gentle softening into wonder, that is most psychologically supportive in times of suffering.
Awe’s effervescence, however, can seem beyond our reach when trauma, loss, unattended grief, overwhelm or a chronic absence of feeling seen and heard causes us to sink inwards and disconnect from the world to protect ourselves from further pain. Conversely, we may compulsively seek awe-inspiring, transcendental experiences to escape or suppress difficult emotions, thereby engaging in spiritual bypassing – a process which does little to honour the breadth and complexity of existence and, usually entirely contrary to the seeker’s intention, narrows both perception and capacity for resilience. However, there is a middle ground, a way of delicately initiating the felt qualities of awe within the most vulnerable of nervous systems whilst not dismissing suffering.
Glimmers: Rediscovering our capacity for awe
The practice of capturing glimmers, slowing down to notice “micro-moments” of joy, connection, hope or comfort and anchoring them in the body was first introduced by clinical social worker and polyvagal theory expert Deb Dana. Glimmers are fleeting sensory moments and exist within the present so support our movement away from rumination of the past or anxious projection into the future. The sense of nostalgia at hearing your favourite song, a pattern on the pavement from light reflected through leaves, the taste of sweetly ripened strawberries – glimmers are different for each of us. The daily practice of bringing our attention to a glimmer and the sensations, images, feelings and thoughts it provokes builds over time, nourishing mind and body and gradually shifting our nervous system’s automatic patterns away from tension, fear or reactivity into reflection, release and a sense of safety from within.
Nature and horses
Yes, glimmers, like triggers, differ for everyone. Yet nature has a universality in its ability to inspire awe. We humans, no matter how far our modern society has driven us to disconnection, are of the Earth. In equine facilitated and nature-based wellbeing sessions, we frequently experiment with discovering what soothes your own unique nervous system, be that in the minutiae of a flower’s centre, the patterns and fractals of a tree, or the wide-view as you gaze across the landscape. And of course, the horses themselves are innate elicitors of awe. Sometimes this is found in the quiet depths of appreciation as they stand alongside you, head lowered, present and with you as you feel into your pain, or perhaps in the enlivening of your whole being as you watch them gallop across the fields, heart soaring with the thunder of hooves.
Therein lies awe’s profound depth; it encompasses both shadow and light. Awe opens us to wonder, even transcendence, and touches our vulnerability and pain. With the help of horses, I have had the privilege of learning this for myself, and the continued, awe-inspiring honour of bearing witness to clients experiencing the oneness of connection with the herd.
References
Luo, Mao, Chen, Gao, & Yuan. (2020). Psychological research of awe: Definition, functions, and application in psychotheraphy. Stress and Brain, 1(1). 59–75. https://doi.org/10.26599/SAB.2020.9060003
Deb Dana. Rhythm of Regulation. What is a glimmer? https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/glimmers
Schaffer, V., Huckstepp, T., & Kannis-Dymond, L. (2024). Awe: A Systematic Review within a Cognitive Behavioural Framework and Proposed Cognitive Behavioural Model. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9. 101–136.
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s41042-023-00116-3.pdf