Recent Posts

Making the Stone Stony

Art and aesthetics inform psychotherapy just as much as science—and these aesthetic processes can help push patients toward cognitive flexibility.

Art and aesthetics inform psychotherapy just as much as science—and these aesthetic processes can help push patients toward cognitive flexibility.

Grounding Yourself Through a Moment of Wonder

In a distracting, cynical world of ever-breaking news, we can lose our focus and attention to what really matters. But a few minutes gazing at the sky can switch us back on track.

In a distracting, cynical world of ever-breaking news, we can lose our focus and attention to what really matters. But a few minutes gazing at the sky can switch us back on track.

H.G. Wells, Maslow, and the Peak-Experience

H.G. Wells may have been an important source for Maslow's influential concept of peak-experiences.

H.G. Wells may have been an important source for Maslow's influential concept of peak-experiences.

Access Your Ecstasy

Being wired for bliss means you can turn this circuit on naturally. Here are five ideas to enhance your bliss in the new year.

Being wired for bliss means you can turn this circuit on naturally. Here are five ideas to enhance your bliss in the new year.

Awe in Childhood

Without digital distractions, children seem to experience more profound awe, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for technology-free wonder.

Without digital distractions, children seem to experience more profound awe, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for technology-free wonder.

Choosing Wonder Over Achievements: A New Year’s Mindset Shift

What’s more important than your life’s purpose? Engaging in wonder and awe has more immediate and long-lasting health benefits than achievements and goals.

What’s more important than your life’s purpose? Engaging in wonder and awe has more immediate and long-lasting health benefits than achievements and goals.

Discovering Gratitude for Work

Think work is a curse? Think again.

Think work is a curse? Think again.

The Transcendent Power of Travel

Discover how travel transforms the teenage brain, fostering awe, creativity, and resilience.

Discover how travel transforms the teenage brain, fostering awe, creativity, and resilience.

Science, Phenomenology, and the Artistry of Vincent van Gogh

Artists like van Gogh show us that there is so much more to human experience than quantitative experimental research can reveal. Phenomenology is one path that can bring redress.

Artists like van Gogh show us that there is so much more to human experience than quantitative experimental research can reveal. Phenomenology is one path that can bring redress.

Treating the V.I.P. Patient Without Being Starstruck

The V.I.P., a very important or influential person, can engender feelings of awe in those around him or her. What are some of the issues when treating a V.I.P.?

The V.I.P., a very important or influential person, can engender feelings of awe in those around him or her. What are some of the issues when treating a V.I.P.?

Finding Joy in the Present

Discover how Schopenhauer's 19th-century insights and modern mindfulness practices can transform your perspective.

Discover how Schopenhauer's 19th-century insights and modern mindfulness practices can transform your perspective.

Awe Is a Response to Mystery

Researcher Dacher Keltner explains that the emotion of awe encourages imagination and cooperation, inspiring us to think beyond what we know and to feel connected to others.

Researcher Dacher Keltner explains that the emotion of awe encourages imagination and cooperation, inspiring us to think beyond what we know and to feel connected to others.

8 Ways of Achieving Perspective

Learning to achieve and maintain perspective can help people cope better with life challenges.

Learning to achieve and maintain perspective can help people cope better with life challenges.

Rediscovering Wonder: How to Spark Adult Imagination

Imagination is critical for understanding the world. Building a stronger imagination is like a superpower, sparking new ideas and innovations and enhancing personal fulfillment.

Imagination is critical for understanding the world. Building a stronger imagination is like a superpower, sparking new ideas and innovations and enhancing personal fulfillment.

2 Ways the "Overview Effect" Can Make You Feel Alive

Sometimes, all you need is a change of perspective.

Sometimes, all you need is a change of perspective.

3 Myths About Awe and Wonder That Curtail Our Experience

It is our willingness to be wowed—not so much the thing that wows us—that we can claim as a source of strength. Letting go of expectations allows for surprises of awe and wonder.

It is our willingness to be wowed—not so much the thing that wows us—that we can claim as a source of strength. Letting go of expectations allows for surprises of awe and wonder.

Sensory Foraging and Mental Wellness

Sensory foraging is a holistic approach to combat depression relapse by engaging and exploring the senses in a mindful way. This simple process elevates mood and cognition.

Sensory foraging is a holistic approach to combat depression relapse by engaging and exploring the senses in a mindful way. This simple process elevates mood and cognition.

What Maslow Never Got to Teach About Happiness

Beyond peak-experiences, Maslow conceptualized the importance of plateau-experiences for lasting happiness.

Beyond peak-experiences, Maslow conceptualized the importance of plateau-experiences for lasting happiness.

Why We Need Awe and 8 Ways to Find It

Awe offers extraordinary benefits to our health and well being. Research encourages us to be mindful of eight types of experiences that can bring awe to our daily lives.

Awe offers extraordinary benefits to our health and well being. Research encourages us to be mindful of eight types of experiences that can bring awe to our daily lives.

How to Sustain a (Spiritual) High

Anyone can get high. But bringing the wisdom of your highs, epiphanies, and revelations into ordinary life is where the real pick-and-shovel work of growing and evolving happens.

Anyone can get high. But bringing the wisdom of your highs, epiphanies, and revelations into ordinary life is where the real pick-and-shovel work of growing and evolving happens.

3 Simple Ways to Make Every Day Extraordinary

Want to turn the mundane into the magical? Learn how to unlock awe-like experiences in your everyday life.

Want to turn the mundane into the magical? Learn how to unlock awe-like experiences in your everyday life.

3 Key Things That Happy People Understand

1. Joy and sadness can and do coexist.

1. Joy and sadness can and do coexist.

Spirituality and Meaning-Making

Clinicians can empower clients by understanding and engaging their belief systems to foster meaning and psychobiological change.

Clinicians can empower clients by understanding and engaging their belief systems to foster meaning and psychobiological change.

How to Feel Less Lonely

Find yourself struggling with feelings of loneliness from time to time? These four strategies can help.

Find yourself struggling with feelings of loneliness from time to time? These four strategies can help.

The Power of Sharing Moments of Awe

When we’re captivated by something greater than ourselves in a moment of awe and wonder, we see each other in a new light.

When we’re captivated by something greater than ourselves in a moment of awe and wonder, we see each other in a new light.

The Universe Within

If you have ever looked up at the starry sky on a clear night and contemplated the sheer vastness of the universe you live in and your place in it, read on.

If you have ever looked up at the starry sky on a clear night and contemplated the sheer vastness of the universe you live in and your place in it, read on.

The Case for Curiosity

Curiosity and wonder are closely intertwined psychological states that enrich our mental and emotional experiences and enhance our engagement with the world around us.

Curiosity and wonder are closely intertwined psychological states that enrich our mental and emotional experiences and enhance our engagement with the world around us.

Horrors from Above: Eclipses, Comets, and Human Dread

Solar eclipses and comets evoke not only feelings of wonderment and awe, but also dread. We have a long history of fearing the skies.

Solar eclipses and comets evoke not only feelings of wonderment and awe, but also dread. We have a long history of fearing the skies.

6 Ways Smartphones and Social Media Tax Your Spirit

Looking at 6 of the ways in which smart phone use and social media contribute to spiritual degradation, and worsen wellbeing in general.

Looking at 6 of the ways in which smart phone use and social media contribute to spiritual degradation, and worsen wellbeing in general.

Awe Through the Eyes of Children

Despite lots of studies showing that adults react positively to awe, little research has looked at awe-inspiring experiences early in life.

Despite lots of studies showing that adults react positively to awe, little research has looked at awe-inspiring experiences early in life.