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Awe is the feeling that you get when you see a beautiful sunset, hold a newborn child for the first time, or when you experience spirituality in a way that profoundly moves you. You may not fully understand awe but think of it as something that can bring you to tears or joy, according to mindbodygreen.
Experiencing awe is good for your soul and for your emotional wellbeing. That’s because it focuses on transcending the ordinary occurrences of daily life. Experiencing a sense of wonderment can also be a great stress reducer, according to Science Daily. That’s something everyone could use.
Scientific research from the University of California: Berkley, found that experiencing awe could be good for your physical health too. That’s because awe has been linked to lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that are associated with several chronic health conditions. Since awe is connected to your wellbeing, here are five inspiring ways to help you experience it on a frequent basis.
Spending Time in Nature
Spending time outdoors – or even watching something about nature – can help you experience awe according to a blog on Banner Health. Letting yourself experience awe-inspiring nature is so good for your physical and mental health, that doctors in Scotland are writing prescriptions to get people outdoors rambling and bird watching. So, take time to go for a walk in a park, climb a mountain, try forest bathing, or stay up to watch a meteor shower.
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Listen to inspirational Music
Music can trigger awe. That’s because music activates the part of the brain that regulates emotions and memory. A 2017 study about music and the brain suggested that since music was present in early cultures even before language developed, it became the language for emotion and that is why it can evoke memories and help you soar to new heights.
But besides encouraging inspiration and awe, music is good for your health and wellbeing too. Soothing music can be a natural pain reliever, may help with heart health, and its memory boosting power can aid Alzheimer patients.
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Spend Time with a Young Child
Experience a sense of wonder by spending time with a young child. That’s because they are learning everything for the first time. Giving kids the chance to slow down to experience the world will help them develop both curiosity and a sense of awe, suggests the Get the Kids Outside website. By fostering awe in children, you will open yourself to experiencing it too.
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Practice Mindful Meditation
People have used meditation to experience a deeper inspiration for thousands of years. That’s because there is a link between finding awe in seeing something breathtaking like the Grand Canyon or by experiencing it through mindful meditation. The way to produce awe through meditation is to concentrate on the memory of a powerful experience, according to a blog on Psychology Today. Concentrate on all of your senses to re-experience that moment and the awe you felt.
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Visit Places That Inspire Awe
You can help yourself experience awe by going to the places where it lives; museums, concert halls, theaters, or houses of worship. This will allow you to personally connect to something larger than yourself.
A study about the nature of awe from the Museum of Paleontology on the UC Berkeley campus had one group of participants concentrate for one minute on a full-sized replica of a tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, while the other group concentrated on an empty hallway. The group that stared at the dinosaur felt more likely to transcend themselves and feel a part of something larger. They experienced a sense of awe.
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