Today's episode of the podcast is a little different than usual, because it’s about a book! I’m talking about why awe is good for us, drawing from what I learned by reading Dacher Keltner’s new book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life.

In case you didn’t know, researchers are studying awe - as in the feeling of amazement or wonder, the experience of having your jaw drop, or those moments when you get goosebumps. It turns out this is very good for us!

There are benefits for us as individuals, as awe impacts our physical and mental health. But, there are also big implications for how awe affects our attitudes towards others and the planet.

You'll hear about:

• the 8 categories of awe that the researchers identified
• examples of moral beauty, awe in nature, and mystical awe
• how moving in unison generates "collective effervescence"
• how awe is not always pleasant, and can arise alongside states like fear and grief

The research suggests that awe may have many benefits, including activation of certain brain regions, release of helpful neurochemicals (like dopamine), positive effects on mood and life satisfaction, and even decreases in inflammation markers in the body. On a societal level, awe could contribute to our human co-existence by decreasing the tendency toward materialism, and increasing generosity and cooperative behaviors.

Listen for more of my take-aways from this book, including many themes that are relevant to mindfulness, wellbeing, and building a kinder world.

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Find the book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner

For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. I would love to know if you read the book, and how you practice cultivating awe! You can also connect with me on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).