awestruck

Dacher Keltner’s work has stayed close since I heard him interviewed on On Being a while back. he is a researcher at UC Berkeley who studies emotion and most recently published a book on awe. he defines awe as “the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world…”1

not surprisingly awe also changes our perception of ourselves. by shifting our focus outward, it diminishes the at times relentless and grating voice in our heads.2 it snaps us out of it.

awe is a breath-door: “awe activates the vagal nerves, clusters of neurons in the spinal cord that regulate various bodily functions, and slows our heart rate, relieves digestion‌ and deepens breathing.”3

i’m struck that our lungs match our perception in this way. Narrow, constricted awareness goes with shallow breathing. A wider view (of ourselves or the ocean or horizon or night sky or another person’s generosity or courage4) goes with deeper breathing.

and so, let the stunned-wonderstruck gasp to satisfied-relieved sigh pipeline open and/or who knows what i’ll notice when i pause to take a breath on purpose.

what takes our breath away also gives it back.