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| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awe Dacher Keltner, 2023-01-03 A National Bestseller! Read this book to connect with your highest self.” —Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet “We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the definitive book on where to find it.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again “Awe is awesome in both senses: a superb analysis of an emotion that is strongly felt but poorly understood, with a showcase of examples that remind us of what is worthy of our awe.” —Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and Rationality From a foremost expert on the science of emotions and consultant to Pixar’s Inside Out, a groundbreaking and essential exploration into the history, science, and greater understanding of awe Awe is mysterious. How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel when we see the Grand Canyon, or the utter amazement when we watch a child walk for the first time? How do you put into words the collective effervescence of standing in a crowd and singing in unison, or the wonder you feel while gazing at centuries-old works of art? Up until fifteen years ago, there was no science of awe, the feeling we experience when we encounter vast mysteries that transcend our understanding of the world. Scientists were studying emotions like fear and disgust, emotions that seemed essential to human survival. Revolutionary thinking, though, has brought into focus how, through the span of evolution, we’ve met our most basic needs socially. We’ve survived thanks to our capacities to cooperate, form communities, and create culture that strengthens our sense of shared identity—actions that are sparked and spurred by awe. In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents a radical investigation and deeply personal inquiry into this elusive emotion. Revealing new research into how awe transforms our brains and bodies, alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life during a period of grief, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday life leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. And during a moment in which our world feels more divided than ever before, and more imperiled by crises of different kinds, we are greatly in need of awe. If we open our minds, it is awe that sharpens our reasoning and orients us toward big ideas and new insights, that cools our immune system’s inflammation response and strengthens our bodies. It is awe that activates our inclination to share and create strong networks, to take actions that are good for the natural and social world around us. It is awe that transforms who we are, that inspires the creation of art, music, and religion. At turns radical and profound, brimming with enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide, from not only one of the leading voices on the subject but a fellow seeker of awe in his own right, for how to place awe as a vital force within our lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life Dacher Keltner, 2009-10-05 “A landmark book in the science of emotions and its implications for ethics and human universals.”—Library Journal, starred review In this startling study of human emotion, Dacher Keltner investigates an unanswered question of human evolution: If humans are hardwired to lead lives that are “nasty, brutish, and short,” why have we evolved with positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe, and compassion that promote ethical action and cooperative societies? Illustrated with more than fifty photographs of human emotions, Born to Be Good takes us on a journey through scientific discovery, personal narrative, and Eastern philosophy. Positive emotions, Keltner finds, lie at the core of human nature and shape our everyday behavior—and they just may be the key to understanding how we can live our lives better. Some images in this ebook are not displayed owing to permissions issues. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awe Dacher Keltner, 2024-01-04 From a foremost expert on the science of emotions, a ground-breaking exploration into the history, psychology and meaning of awe Social psychologist Dacher Keltner has spent his career speaking to different groups of people, from schoolchildren to prisoners to healthcare workers, about the good life. These conversations and his pioneering research into the science of emotion have convinced him that happiness comes down to one thing: finding awe. Awe allows us to collaborate with others, open our minds to wonder, and see the deep patterns of life. In his new book, Keltner presents a radical investigation into this elusive emotion. Drawing on his own scientific research into how awe transforms our brains and bodies, alongside an examination of awe across history, culture and within his own life during a period of immense grief, Keltner shows us how cultivating wonder leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. The book includes intensely moving, deeply personal stories of awe from people all over the world - doctors and veterans, environmentalists and filmmakers, indigenous scholars and hospice workers, ministers and midwives, poets and prisoners. At turns radical and profound, Awe is our field guide for how to uncover everyday wonder as a vital force within our lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: In Awe John O'Leary, 2020-05-05 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The #1 bestselling author of On Fire shows us how to recapture and harness our childlike sense of wonder in order to become more engaged, successful, and fulfilled. “Engaging . . . O’Leary encourages us to see the world through a child’s eyes.”—Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie There once was a time when we joyfully raised our hands to answer questions, connected easily with others, believed that anything was possible, and fearlessly jumped into new experiences. A time when we viewed each day not as something to endure, but as a marvelous gift to explore and savor—when we danced through our lives in awe of the ordinary moments and eager for the promise of tomorrow. Unfortunately, that’s far from our experience today. Instead, we feel disconnected and jaded. Social media reminds us that we don’t measure up, and the mainstream media barrages us with constant negativity. Many of us find ourselves caught in a life of dogged responsibility and mind-numbing repetition. The daily struggle to earn a living has caused us to lose the sense of wonder with which we once greeted every day. In his new book, bestselling author John O’Leary invites us to consider that it is possible to once again navigate the world as a child does. Identifying five senses children innately possess and that we’ve lost touch with as we age, O’Leary shares emotional, humorous, and inspirational stories intertwined with fascinating new research showing how each of us can reclaim our childlike joy, and why doing so will change how we interact with the world. In Awe reveals how we can regain that ability to see fresh insights, reach for new solutions, and live our best lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Book of Awe Natasha Tessier, 2012-12-05 Are you awed by the smell of flowers or the busy buzz of the bees?Are you awed by the all of the snow or the rustle of the trees?In The Book of Awe, readers are reminded to take a minute and see the beauty in the everyday things around them. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Understanding Emotions Dacher Keltner, Keith Oatley, Jennifer M. Jenkins, 2018-12-28 Emotions are an inescapable part of the human experience. They motivate actions and reactions, guide our interpersonal and business relationships, inspire political and societal trends, and influence our sense of self and well-being. Emphasizing the broad practical reach of this field of study, Understanding Emotions draws from neuroscience, psychiatry, biology, genetics, the humanities, economics, and more to provide a strong foundation in core concepts. An easy-to-follow narrative arc encompasses the entire life span, while representative studies provide immediate insight into the real-world implications of important findings. This new Fourth Edition continues to provide clear and concise guidance toward the factors that drive emotion, with new, revised, and expanded discussions that reflect the current state of the field. Detailed coverage of social and anti-social motivations, moral judgment, empathy, psychological disorders, the physiological components of emotion, and many more equip students with the conceptual tools to probe deeper into the material and apply methods and techniques to their own personal lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Understanding Emotions Keith Oatley, Jennifer M. Jenkins, 1996-02-13 This new textbook is the first book to fully span the fast growing field to research on emotions. It ranges across a broad range of disciplines, covering the entire lifespan from infancy to adulthood. Its main theme is that emotions have functions: they set priorities among our concerns and they provide the underlying structure of human friendships, to the excitements of sexuality. Understanding Emotionsd is designed as a textbook for second- and third-year university courses, and the text itself is fully supported by introductions and summaries, suggestions for further reading, plus a comprehensive bibliography and a glossary. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness Dacher Keltner, Jason Marsh, Jeremy Adam Smith, 2010-01-04 Leading scientists and science writers reflect on the life-changing, perspective-changing, new science of human goodness. Where once science painted humans as self-seeking and warlike, today scientists of many disciplines are uncovering the deep roots of human goodness. At the forefront of this revolution in scientific understanding is the Greater Good Science Center, based at the University of California, Berkeley. The center fuses its cutting-edge research with inspiring stories of compassion in action in Greater Good magazine. The best of these writings are collected here, and contributions from Steven Pinker, Robert Sapolsky, Paul Ekman, Michael Pollan, and the Dalai Lama, among others, will make you think not only about what it means to be happy and fulfilled but also what it means to lead an ethical and compassionate life. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awestruck Jonah Paquette, 2020-06-09 How the moments that make us go Wow! can make lasting and positive improvements to our health, relationships, and everyday lives. What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? Often it's a profound sense of awe, the overwhelming feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our understanding. Awe-inspiring moments are all around us, ranging from the grand to the commonplace, and can hold a key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. Awestruck serves as a guide to help you tap into the powerful, life-changing benefits of awe. Beginning with a comprehensive explanation of the emotion, Jonah Paquette introduces us to the power of awe and how it can help alleviate struggles in our modern life, including stress, social isolation, and time pressure. Continuing with over 60 practices, this book provides an accessible and tangible path to bring more wonder into your everyday life. Awestruck shows us how to reclaim space for moments of reverence and ultimately find more joy and fulfillment in our lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Power Paradox Dacher Keltner, 2016-05-17 A revolutionary and timely reconsideration of everything we know about power. Celebrated UC Berkeley psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner argues that compassion and selflessness enable us to have the most influence over others and the result is power as a force for good in the world. Power is ubiquitous—but totally misunderstood. Turning conventional wisdom on its head, Dr. Dacher Keltner presents the very idea of power in a whole new light, demonstrating not just how it is a force for good in the world, but how—via compassion and selflessness—it is attainable for each and every one of us. It is taken for granted that power corrupts. This is reinforced culturally by everything from Machiavelli to contemporary politics. But how do we get power? And how does it change our behavior? So often, in spite of our best intentions, we lose our hard-won power. Enduring power comes from empathy and giving. Above all, power is given to us by other people. This is what we all too often forget, and it is the crux of the power paradox: by misunderstanding the behaviors that helped us to gain power in the first place we set ourselves up to fall from power. We abuse and lose our power, at work, in our family life, with our friends, because we've never understood it correctly—until now. Power isn't the capacity to act in cruel and uncaring ways; it is the ability to do good for others, expressed in daily life, and in and of itself a good thing. Dr. Keltner lays out exactly—in twenty original Power Principles—how to retain power; why power can be a demonstrably good thing; when we are likely to abuse power; and the terrible consequences of letting those around us languish in powerlessness. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: AWE Paul Pearsall, 2007-10-15 The first book to explore the enigmatic emotion of AWE, based on the only-known study of its connection to the meaning of life 'Feeling suddenly elevated to the limits of indescribable delight, yet teetering on the edge of fear, we experience our rarest, most powerful, and least understood emotion: awe. It's an overwhelming and life-altering blend of fright and fascination that leaves us in a state of puzzled apprehension and appreciative perplexed wonder. If we go beyond a kind of ignorant distant voyeurism through which we gawk at life rather than fully engage with it and put in the effort to try to understand a little more about life's meaning, awe becomes less a feeling of being high and more a feeling of deep immersion in any and all of life's processes, including health, illness, love, and even death. It may not cause us to come to believe in something, but it can cause us to believe that there is something more beyond the grasp of our limited human consciousness. It can turn our stress into motivation for growth, solidify our commitment to our families as systems that can experience collective awe together, and help us find meaning, comprehensibility, and manageability at times of our most profound losses and even our own death.' —from Awe: The Delights and Dangers of Our Eleventh Emotion Lyrical, eye-opening, and highly perceptive with unexpected twists and turns as grand as awe itself, Awe is an invitation to leave our states of languishing and to flourish; however, the choice is ultimately yours as to what to do with your eleventh emotion, its delights and dangers, and what you choose to make of it. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Social Psychology Gilovich, Tom, Keltner, Dacher, Chen, Serena, Nisbett, Richard E., 2018-09-01 An award-winning author team challenges students to think critically about the concepts, controversies, and applications of social psychology using abundant tools, both in text and online. (NEW) infographics examine important topics like social class, social media effects, and research methodology. InQuizitive online assessment reinforces fundamental concepts, and PowerPoints, test questions, and (NEW) Concept Videos, will help you create the best course materials in the shortest amount of time. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Power and Impact (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series) Harvard Business Review, Dan Cable, Peter Bregman, Harrison Monarth, Dacher Keltner, 2019-11-12 Wield your power for greater influence and impact. With formal authority comes power. But few people realize that informal power--the kind that doesn't come with a title--can have just as much impact. How do you use your power for greater influence? This book explains how power affects our emotions, our behavior, and how we work with others. You'll learn how to use self-awareness to keep your power in check, connect with the right people to create more value, respond to abuses of power, and leave a lasting impression. This volume includes the work of: Dan Cable Peter Bregman Harrison Monarth Dacher Keltner HOW TO BE HUMAN AT WORK. HBR's Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review. Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Moments in the Life of a Scientist Bruno Rossi, 1990-08-23 During recent decades, our vision of the world of physics - from the subatomic world to the cosmos - has undergone a profound evolution. In this book, one of the scientists who contributed to this development narrates the story of his life and his work. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Explode Every Day Sean Foley, Mary Ruefle, Lawrence Weschler, 2016 Harnessing the idea of wonder as a thematic metaphor, the exhibition features both existing and new works by twenty-three international artist, each touching on certain facets of wonder, including: the perceptual/visionary, the technological/scientific, the philosophical/meditative, time/cosmos, and illusion/fear.--MoCA website. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Wonder Frank C. Keil, 2022-03-01 How we can all be lifelong wonderers: restoring the sense of joy in discovery we felt as children. From an early age, children pepper adults with questions that ask why and how: Why do balloons float? How do plants grow from seeds? Why do birds have feathers? Young children have a powerful drive to learn about their world, wanting to know not just what something is but also how it got to be that way and how it works. Most adults, on the other hand, have little curiosity about whys and hows; we might unlock a door, for example, or boil an egg, with no idea of what happens to make such a thing possible. How can grown-ups recapture a child’s sense of wonder at the world? In this book, Frank Keil describes the cognitive dispositions that set children on their paths of discovery and explains how we can all become lifelong wonderers. Keil describes recent research on children’s minds that reveals an extraordinary set of emerging abilities that underpin their joy of discovery—their need to learn not just the facts but the underlying causal patterns at the very heart of science. This glorious sense of wonder, however, is stifled, beginning in elementary school. Later, with little interest in causal mechanisms, and motivated by intellectual blind spots, as adults we become vulnerable to misinformation and manipulation—ready to believe things that aren’t true. Of course, the polymaths among us have retained their sense of wonder, and Keil explains the habits of mind and ways of wondering that allow them—and can enable us—to experience the joy of asking why and how. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: World of Wonders Aimee Nezhukumatathil, 2020-09-08 “A poet celebrates the wonders of nature in a collection of essays that could almost serve as a coming-of-age memoir.” —Kirkus Reviews As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplanted—no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape—she was able to turn to our world’s fierce and funny creatures for guidance. “What the peacock can do,” she tells us, “is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life.” The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world’s gifts. Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy. Praise for World of Wonders Barnes & Noble 2020 Book of the Year An NPR Best Book of 2020 An Esquire Best Book of 2020 A Publishers Weekly “Big Indie Book of Fall 2020” A BuzzFeed Best Book of Fall 2020 “Hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year.” —NPR “A timely story about love, identity and belonging.” —New York Times Book Review “A truly wonderous essay collection.” —Roxane Gay, The Audacity |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Tracking Wonder Jeffrey Davis, 2021-11-16 Discover how the lost art of wonder can help you cultivate greater creativity, resilience, meaning, and joy as you bring your greatest contributions to life. Beyond grit, focus, and 10,000 hours lies a surprising advantage that all creatives have—wonder. Far from child’s play, wonder is the one radical quality that has led exemplary people from all walks of life to move toward the fruition of their deepest dreams and wildest endeavors—and it can do so for you, too. “Wonder is a quiet disruptor of unseen biases,” writes Jeffrey Davis. “It dissolves our habitual ways of seeing and thinking so that we may glimpse anew the beauty of what is real, true, and possible.” Rich with wisdom, inspiring stories, and practical tools, Tracking Wonder invites us to explore how the lost art of wonder can inspire a life of greater joy, possibility, and purpose. You’ll discover: The six facets of wonder—key qualities to help you cultivate the art of wonder in your work, relationships, and lifeHow wonder can help us fertilize creativity, sustain the motivation to pursue big ideas, navigate uncertainty and crises, deepen our relationships, and moreThe biases against wonder—moving beyond societal and internalized resistance to our inherent giftsWhy experiencing wonder isn’t really about achieving goals—though that happens—but about how we live each dayInspiring stories of people whose experiences of wonder helped them move through the unthinkable to create extraordinary livesPractical exercises, tools, and reflections to help you begin your own practice of tracking wonder A refreshing counter-voice to the exhausting narrative hyper-productivity, Tracking Wonder is a welcome guide for experiencing more meaning and joy in the present moment as you bring your greatest contributions to life. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awe Paul David Tripp, 2015-10-14 Humans are hardwired for awe. Our hearts are always captured by something—that’s how God made us. But sin threatens to distract us from the glory of our Creator. All too often, we stand in awe of everything but God. Uncovering the lies we believe about all the earthly things that promise us peace, life, and contentment, Paul Tripp redirects our gaze to God’s awe-inducing glory—showing how such a vision has the potential to impact our every thought, word, and deed. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Gratitude Project Jeremy Adam Smith, Kira M. Newman, Jason Marsh, Dacher Keltner, 2020-09-01 In our fractured, “me-first” world, the science and practice of thankfulness could be just the antidote we need. Gratitude is powerful: not only does it feel good, it’s also been proven to increase our well-being in myriad ways. The result of a multiyear collaboration between the Greater Good Science Center and Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis, The Gratitude Project explores gratitude’s deep roots in human psychology—how it evolved and how it affects our brain—as well as the transformative impact it has on creating a meaningful life and a better world. With essays based on new findings from this original research and written by renowned positive psychologists and public figures, this important book delves deeply into the neuroscience and psychology of gratitude, and explores how thankfulness can be developed and applied, both personally and in communities large and small, for the benefit of all. With contributions from luminaries such as Sonja Lyubomirsky, W. Kamau Bell, Arianna Huffington, and many more, this edited volume offers more than just platitudes—it offers a blueprint for a new and better world. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Savoring Fred B. Bryant, Joseph Veroff, 2007 This book is about savoring life—the capacity to attend to the joys, pleasures, and other positive feelings that we experience in our lives. The authors enhance our understanding of what savoring is and the conditions under which it occurs. Savoring provides a new theoretical model for conceptualizing and understanding the psychology of enjoyment and the processes through which people manage positive emotions. The authors review their quantitative research on savoring, as well as the research of others, and provide measurement instruments with scoring instructions for assessing and studying savoring. Authors Bryant and Veroff outline the necessary preconditions that must exist for savoring to occur and distinguish savoring from related concepts such as coping, pleasure, positive affect, emotional intelligence, flow, and meditation. The book’s lifespan perspective includes a conceptual analysis of the role of time in savoring. Savoring is also considered in relation to human concerns, such as love, friendship, physical and mental health, creativity, and spirituality. Strategies and hands-on exercises that people can use to enhance savoring in their lives are provided, along with a review of factors that enhance savoring. Savoring is intended for researchers, students, and practitioners interested in positive psychology from the fields of social, clinical, health, and personality psychology and related disciplines. The book may serve as a supplemental text in courses on positive psychology, emotion and motivation, and other related topics. The chapters on enhancing savoring will be especially attractive to clinicians and counselors interested in intervention strategies for positive psychological adjustment. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Awe Factor Allen Klein, 2020 Bestselling author and Mr. Jollytologist Allen Klein's latest book will helps readers escape the everyday ruts of our lives and help them open their eyes and find the awe around them. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: An Immense World Ed Yong, 2022-06-21 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “thrilling” (The New York Times), “dazzling” (The Wall Street Journal) tour of the radically different ways that animals perceive the world that will fill you with wonder and forever alter your perspective, by Pulitzer Prize–winning science journalist Ed Yong “One of this year’s finest works of narrative nonfiction.”—Oprah Daily ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time, People, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Slate, Reader’s Digest, Chicago Public Library, Outside, Publishers Weekly, BookPage ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Economist, Smithsonian Magazine, Prospect (UK), Globe & Mail, Esquire, Mental Floss, Marginalian, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal The Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every kind of animal, including humans, is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of our immense world. In An Immense World, Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, allowing us to perceive the skeins of scent, waves of electromagnetism, and pulses of pressure that surround us. We encounter beetles that are drawn to fires, turtles that can track the Earth’s magnetic fields, fish that fill rivers with electrical messages, and even humans who wield sonar like bats. We discover that a crocodile’s scaly face is as sensitive as a lover’s fingertips, that the eyes of a giant squid evolved to see sparkling whales, that plants thrum with the inaudible songs of courting bugs, and that even simple scallops have complex vision. We learn what bees see in flowers, what songbirds hear in their tunes, and what dogs smell on the street. We listen to stories of pivotal discoveries in the field, while looking ahead at the many mysteries that remain unsolved. Funny, rigorous, and suffused with the joy of discovery, An Immense World takes us on what Marcel Proust called “the only true voyage . . . not to visit strange lands, but to possess other eyes.” WINNER OF THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL • FINALIST FOR THE KIRKUS PRIZE • FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD • LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/E.O. WILSON AWARD |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: A Touch of Wonder Arthur Gordon, 2013 |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick, 2015-09-03 An orphan and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy train station. He desperately believes a broken automaton will make his dreams come true. But when his world collides with an eccentric girl and a bitter old man, Hugo's undercover life are put in jeopardy. Turn the pages, follow the illustrations and enter an unforgettable new world! |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Sense of Wonder Rachel Carson, 1987 |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Vesper Flights Helen Macdonald, 2020-08-25 The New York Times–bestselling author of H is for Hawk explores the human relationship to the natural world in this “dazzling” essay collection (Wall Street Journal). In Vesper Flights, Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep. Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, Helen invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk’s poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds’ nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Wonder Seeker Andrea Scher, 2021-12-07 “The PERFECT guide to help us slow down and find the beauty and wonder right in front of us.”—Brené Brown Spark your sense of wonder and lift your spirits with this collection of fun, creative activities and ideas to help cultivate daily joy, illustrated with full-color photographs, artful watercolors, and inspiring stories. Do you remember the first time you saw the night sky blanketed in stars? Or that feeling of magic when you found your first sand dollar on the beach? Maybe it’s when you rode a bicycle for the first time and it felt like flying. Wonder taps us into the joy of being alive, opening our eyes to how much beauty there is in the world and how life can surprise us in the most delightful of ways. Wonder Seeker reminds us that no one is too busy (or too old) to experience daily gratitude and delight. Filled with 52 fun, easy, and incredibly creative prompts and activities, this guide to joy helps us to step out of our ordinary lives, even for just a moment or two each day, to witness the magic all around us. Andrea provides simple practices that bridge creativity and mindfulness and allow the imagination to play. These activities can be done anywhere and can be enjoyed solo, or with friends, family, and even strangers. The fun activities and suggestions in Wonder Seeker include: Taking a curiosity walk Writing a banana love note Going on a wonder date Writing a paint chip poem Hosting a bubble flash mob Making a wish tree Choosing a superhero name And much, much more! As Andrea makes clear, you don’t need to be an artist or consider yourself “creative.” All you need is an open heart and a clear intention to find wonder and awe. It will renew your creative spirit, remind you of the marvels around you, and make your soul sing. Reclaim your inner happiness—let Wonder Seeker show you how. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Stuff Matters Mark Miodownik, 2014 An eye-opening adventure deep inside the everyday materials that surround us, from concrete and steel to denim and chocolate, packed with surprising stories and fascinating science. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awe Dacher Keltner, 2024-01-02 A National Bestseller! Read this book to connect with your highest self.” —Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet “We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the definitive book on where to find it.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again “Awe is awesome in both senses: a superb analysis of an emotion that is strongly felt but poorly understood, with a showcase of examples that remind us of what is worthy of our awe.” —Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of How the Mind Works and Rationality From a foremost expert on the science of emotions, a groundbreaking and essential exploration into the history, science, and greater understanding of awe Awe is mysterious. How do we begin to quantify the goose bumps we feel when we see the Grand Canyon, or our utter amazement when we watch a child walk for the first time? Until recently, there was no science of awe, that feeling we experience when we encounter vast mysteries that transcend our understanding of the world. Revolutionary thinking, though, has shown how humans have survived over the course of evolution thanks to our capacities to cooperate, form communities, and create culture—all of which are spurred by awe. In Awe, Dacher Keltner presents a sweeping investigation and deeply personal inquiry into this elusive feeling. Revealing new research alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday lives leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. At turns radical and profound, brimming with enlightening and practical insights, Awe is our field guide for how to place this emotion as a vital force within our lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Awakening to Awe Kirk J. Schneider, 2009 Awakening to Awe is a self-help meditation on an alternative--and growing--spiritual movement. This is a movement comprised of people who refuse the quick-fix model for healing, whether that model entails popping pills, indulging in material comforts, or adhering to doctrinal dogmas. By contrast, the movement about which Schneider writes is composed of people who have developed the capacity to experience the humility and wonder, or in short, awe, of life deeply lived. In particular, this book highlights the stories of people who through the cultivation of awe have transformed their lives. For example, readers will discover how awe transformed the life of an ex-gang member into a beloved and productive gang mediator, an ex-drug addict into a communally conscious healer, and a sufferer of stage three cancer into a contemplative and spiritual seeker. The book will also inform readers about the challenges and joys of awe-based child-raising, education, humor, political activism, and aging. Drawing on the philosophy of Schneider's earlier work, the acclaimed Rediscovery of Awe, Awakening to Awe tells the down-to-earth stories of a quiet yet emerging revolution in the transformation of lives. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: What Makes a Hero? Elizabeth Svoboda, 2013-08-29 An entertaining investigation into the biology and psychology of why we sacrifice for other people Researchers are now applying the lens of science to study heroism for the first time. How do biology, upbringing, and outside influences intersect to produce altruistic and heroic behavior? And how can we encourage this behavior in corporations, classrooms, and individuals? Using dozens of fascinating real-life examples, Elizabeth Svoboda explains how our genes compel us to do good for others, how going through suffering is linked to altruism, and how acting heroic can greatly improve your mental health. She also reveals the concrete things we can do to encourage our most heroic selves to step forward. It’s a common misconception that heroes are heroic just because they’re innately predisposed to be that way. Svoboda shows why it’s not simply a matter of biological hardwiring and how anyone can be a hero if they're committed to developing their heroic potential. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Sophie's World Jostein Gaarder, 2007-03-20 A page-turning novel that is also an exploration of the great philosophical concepts of Western thought, Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World has fired the imagination of readers all over the world, with more than twenty million copies in print. One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: Who are you? and Where does the world come from? From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning—but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Real Happiness Jonah Paquette, 2015-01-22 Drawing from years of groundbreaking research in positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and neuroscience, Real Happiness provides a simple path to reach lasting happiness. The principles of happiness - gratitude, kindness, mindfulness, forgiveness, self-compassion, optimism and connection - are masterfully presented with fresh ideas and insight. 35 easy-to-implement exercises increase awareness to achieve lasting change to your life. It is indeed possible to become happier; Real Happiness shows you the way. Reviews: “Fresh, insightful and enjoyable read on the important topic of well-being.” - John B. Arden, PhD, author of Brain2Brain,The Brain Bible, and Rewire the Brain “Paquette presents readers with the latest in the science of happiness, and does it in a way that is both accessible and practically useful.” - Acacia C. Parks, PhD, Scientific Advisor to Happify.com “Simple strategies and exercises rooted in scientific research to help you improve your emotional well-being and feel more content, optimistic, and yes, happier!” - Nataly Kogan, co-founder and CEO, Happier Inc |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The World Without Us Alan Weisman, 2008-08-05 A penetrating take on how our planet would respond without the relentless pressure of the human presence |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Story-book of Science Jean-Henri Fabre, 1917 A book about metals, plants, animals, and planets. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Edge of the Sky Roberto Trotta, 2014-09-23 From the big bang to black holes, from dark matter to dark energy, from the origins of the universe to its ultimate destiny, The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the most important discoveries and mysteries in modern cosmology—with a twist. The book’s lexicon is limited to the thousand most common words in the English language, excluding physics, energy, galaxy, or even universe. Through the eyes of a fictional scientist (Student-People) hunting for dark matter with one of the biggest telescopes (Big-Seers) on Earth (Home-World), cosmologist Roberto Trotta explores the most important ideas about our universe (All-there-is) in language simple enough for anyone to understand. A unique blend of literary experimentation and science popularization, this delightful book is a perfect gift for any aspiring astronomer. The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the universe on a human scale, and the result is out of this world. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: The Urban Bestiary Lyanda Lynn Haupt, 2013-09-17 From the bestselling author of Crow Planet, a compelling journey into the secret lives of the wild animals at our back door. In The Urban Bestiary, acclaimed nature writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt journeys into the heart of the everyday wild, where coyotes, raccoons, chickens, hawks, and humans live in closer proximity than ever before. Haupt's observations bring compelling new questions to light: Whose home is this? Where does the wild end and the city begin? And what difference does it make to us as humans living our everyday lives? In this wholly original blend of science, story, myth, and memoir, Haupt draws us into the secret world of the wild creatures that dwell among us in our urban neighborhoods, whether we are aware of them or not. With beautiful illustrations and practical sidebars on everything from animal tracking to opossum removal, The Urban Bestiary is a lyrical book that awakens wonder, delight, and respect for the urban wild, and our place within it. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Excellent Beauty Eric Dietrich, 2015-06-09 Flipping convention on its head, Eric Dietrich argues that science uncovers awe-inspiring, enduring mysteries, while religion, regarded as the source for such mysteries, is a biological phenomenon. Just like spoken language, Dietrich shows that religion is an evolutionary adaptation. Science is the source of perplexing yet beautiful mysteries, however natural the search for answers may be to human existence. Excellent Beauty undoes our misconception of scientific inquiry as an executioner of beauty, making the case that science has won the battle with religion so thoroughly it can now explain why religion persists. The book also draws deep lessons for human flourishing from the very existence of scientific mysteries. It is these latter wonderful, completely public truths that constitute some strangeness in the proportion, revealing a universe worthy of awe and wonder. |
| awe the new science of everyday wonder: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal Mary Roach, 2014-04 The irresistible, ever-curious, and always bestselling Roach returns with a new adventure to the invisible realm that people carry around inside. |
Awe Definition | What Is Awe - Greater Good
Apr 28, 2025 · Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at …
Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life - Greater Good
Mar 2, 2021 · Awe makes us happier and more satisfied with life. Paquette points readers toward numerous studies that demonstrate how awe can impact our mood. In one study conducted a …
Why Does Awe Inspire Us to Help Others? - Greater Good
Jul 17, 2024 · In one study, participants who watched an awe-inspiring video of the natural world (a clip from Planet Earth) tended to share more “points” (that could be redeemed for raffle …
The Science of Awe - Greater Good
Jan 26, 2023 · Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world. It’s a universal emotion, and research shows its impacts are …
How Awe Helps You Navigate Life’s Challenges - Greater Good
Jan 16, 2025 · She found a simple Awe Walk can make people feel more connected to others. “People who took awe walks [also] showed increasing levels like compassion, admiration, …
How to Teach Students to Embrace Wonder - Greater Good
Apr 28, 2025 · From watching the sun rise, to hearing a song that brings you to tears, to visiting a religious structure, awe is a feeling that encompasses wonder, astonishment, and veneration. …
Eight Reasons Why Awe Makes Your Life Better - Greater Good
Sep 26, 2018 · 1. Awe may improve your mood and make you more satisfied with your life. Need a mood boost or a stress slayer? Some studies suggest that experiencing awe may help. And …
Awe | Greater Good
Apr 25, 2025 · Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at …
What Awe Looks Like in the Brain - Greater Good
Oct 18, 2019 · However, watching the awe videos passively did not increase DMN activation as much. This difference suggests that participants may have been extra engaged while watching …
How Awe Makes Us Generous - Greater Good
Aug 3, 2015 · This seems to suggest that experiencing awe prompts people to help others. Yet another experiment exposed different groups to an awe-inspiring nature video such as Planet …
Awe Definition | What Is Awe - Greater Good
Apr 28, 2025 · Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at the birth of a …
Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life - Greater Good
Mar 2, 2021 · Awe makes us happier and more satisfied with life. Paquette points readers toward numerous studies that demonstrate how awe can impact our mood. In one study conducted a few years ago, …
Why Does Awe Inspire Us to Help Others? - Greater Good
Jul 17, 2024 · In one study, participants who watched an awe-inspiring video of the natural world (a clip from Planet Earth) tended to share more “points” (that could be redeemed for raffle tickets) with another person, …
The Science of Awe - Greater Good
Jan 26, 2023 · Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your understanding of the world. It’s a universal emotion, and research shows its impacts are astounding. On The Science …
How Awe Helps You Navigate Life’s Challenges - Greater Good
Jan 16, 2025 · She found a simple Awe Walk can make people feel more connected to others. “People who took awe walks [also] showed increasing levels like compassion, admiration, gratitude,” says Sturm. For …
