Life Examined
Awestruck: Why a daily dose of wonder might benefit your mental and physical health
On this week’s Life Examined, psychologist and co-author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” and “The Compassionate Instinct” Dacher Keltner talks about the science of awe and why we need a daily dose.
By Jonathan Bastian • • 52m ListenOur daily lives are filled with distractions: work, routines, the gym, children, or simply scrolling through our phones. But do we need to make time in our day to feel awe and wonderment? Awe has a long history in religion and philosophy as an emotion or feeling of reverence for something that is beyond our understanding of the world. Is there an evolutionary reason we feel awe, and does it serve a purpose?
On this week’s Life Examined, psychologist and co-author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” and “The Compassionate Instinct” Dacher Keltner talks about the science of awe and why we need a daily dose. We also talk with cultural psychologist Dr. Yuria Celidwen about how the practices of Indigenous communities enhance prosocial behavior, and how the appreciation of awe also helps forge community bonds.
In this episode
2 storiesThe science of wonder — and why it’s good for us
Awe or wonderment is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world. Historically, awe was a mystical feeling towards God and divine beings.
Read the story34 minHow awe cultivates community in Indigenous cultures
For Indigenous cultures around the globe, the sense of belonging to something vast and beyond comprehension is deeply woven into their heritage. Dr.
Read the story18 min
