We say “awesome” all the time—but real awe?
It made people skip work and pop the question after the 2017 eclipse.
It helps PTSD patients heal faster than therapy.
And like psychedelics, it rewires your brain for happiness.
Thanks to Tim Ferriss for sending me down the rabbit hole of awe. He shared the Johns Hopkins video below — that made me check out the others.
Enjoy!
1) Awe’s Link to Happiness (Jonah Paquette on the link of a)
Happiness expert Jonah Paquette (10 years studding happiness including working with patients) is interviewed by his pal Max Joseph in Marin County.
Highlights:
- The 2017 solar eclipse led to a record number of sick days and marriage proposals, demonstrating awe’s collective impact.
- A unique PTSD study replaced traditional therapy with an immersive awe experience (whitewater rafting, sleeping under the stars), leading to reduced stress and PTSD symptoms.
- Awe triggers oxytocin, the hormone linked to bonding, making people feel more connected, generous, and curious about the world.
- Awe reduces self-judgment by shutting down the brain’s default mode network, similar to the effects of psychedelics.
- Recalling moments of awe can have almost the same effect as experiencing them, with 70% of the same brain reactions.
- Gratitude, awe, and community experiences are linked to happiness by activating the brain’s reward system.
2) Dacher Keltner: Why Awe is Such an Important Emotion
Dacher Keltner, a professor at UC Berkeley and head of the Greater Good Science Center, explains the science of awe—what it is, how we feel it, and why it’s good for us. This talk was filmed at the GGSC’s June 2016 event, The Art & Science of Awe.
Highlights:
- “Philosophers like Protagoras (490–420 BCE), Edmund Burke (1729–1797), and Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) played a major role in shaping how we understand awe today.”
- “Scientists are studying whether certain genes, such as variations in the dopamine receptor gene DRD4, make people more likely to experience awe.”
- “Studies show that when people feel awe, they actually draw themselves smaller in pictures—a sign that awe makes us feel like part of something bigger.”
- “The Himba people of Namibia experience awe primarily through social connections.” (Mentioned, but not with the specific numbers.)
- “Goosebumps, a common reaction to awe, have been observed in chimpanzees when they witness dominant group members or dramatic natural events.” (Goosebumps were mentioned, but not in relation to chimpanzees.)
3) The Power of Awe (Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research )
Albert Garcia-Romeau and David B. Yaden of Johns Hopkins give their take on awe.
Highlights:
- “Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research use the Awe Experience Scale, a structured questionnaire measuring awe intensity in various settings.”
- “Psychedelics like psilocybin can induce awe, similar to the effect of seeing vast natural landscapes.”
- “Simple activities like walking around a lake can also inspire awe and improve well-being.”
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc