Awe Walks

In Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life, Dacher Keltner discusses a study he conducted with UC San Francisco neuroscientist Virginia Sturm which had elderly participants engage in daily “awe walks” vs a control walk. Their study found that the groups that engaged in awe walks reported more experience of awe in their everyday life, “an awareness of being part of something larger” (Keltner p. 106), and s decrease in anxiety and depression.

So what is an awe walk? The instructions for the awe walk were as follows:

“1. Tap into your childlike sense of wonder. Young children are in an almsot constant state of awe since everything is so new to them. During your walk, try to approach what you see with fresh eyes, imagining that you’re seeing it for the first time. Take a moment in each walk to take in the vastness of things, for example looking at a panoramic view or up close at the detail of a leaf or flower.

2. Go somewhere new. Each week, try to choose a new location. You’re more likely to feel awe in a novel environment where hte sights and sounds are unexpected and unfamiliar to you. That said, some places never seem to get old, so there’s nothing wrong with revisiting your favorite spots if you find they consistently fill you with awe. The key is to recognize new features of the same old place.” (Keltner, p. 104-105).

I am especially struck by the instructions of this, because they seem to align so well with a technique called “Orienting” in the modality of Somatic Experiencing. During orienting, someone is invited to look around their environment (engaging any senses, but usually sight) and to find something that they are drawn to. This is a way of attuning to the environment and noticing safety, which can help to regulate the nervous system.

With this, I want to invite you to either challenge yourself to participate in awe walks, or at the very least to look around and notice the vastness of your environment with fresh eyes during your next walk. I also definitely encourage you to check out Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life!

As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.

Keltner, D. (2023). Awe: The new science of everyday wonder and how it can transform your life. Penguin Press.