Visit the Wilderness

Big rock faces like this feel like nature’s Cathedrals.

Take a Day Trip

In addition to paying attention in daily life, I think it’s important to leave our human dominated landscapes and go to places that are wild.  Dream up all the places you could you go in order to feel awe and reverence. And then schedule an attainable outting. I know wilderness isn’t easily available to everyone, but perhaps think outside the box.  What defines a wild place?  Is it important that there be no people or signs of people?  Does it need to include wild animals? Maybe there’s a small space that feels wild. Maybe it’s just looking up at the sky. Do you feel different awe in different landscapes? How about the beach as opposed to the ocean?  Which emotions do the mountains vs. the ocean vs. the forest vs. the desert vs. ____ bring forth? It can be useful to perform physical gestures that describe these as a way to invite nature into our psyches. What kinds of activities inspire feelings of awe?  Do you feel more reverence when you’re moving slowly or when you feel adrenaline (maybe from running) and a sense of danger (such as being in place where you could fall)?  There have been studies showing that people who feel adrenaline when they meet are more likely to fall in love. Remember that the definition of Awe includes an appreciation of something dangerous or powerful. When are you most aware of Nature’s awesome power?

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