Awe: Wonders, Miracles, and why they're good for us

Join us in a friendly philosophical conversation as we explore and discuss deep, though provoking topics in a facilitated, cooperative setting

Sunday Evening Conversation Topic:
Awe: Wonders, Miracles, and why are they good for us
In this discussion, we will explore what it is that makes something wonderous or miraculous. What does it take for something to be “awe-inspiring”? And why does awe have such a profound effect on our wellbeing?
Food for thought
There is a growing body of research on the numerous, positive health benefits of experiencing “awe”. What is “awe” exactly? And why does experiencing it have such an impact on our wellbeing?

The philosopher Rudolf Otto coined a word that can be used to describe the quality of wonders and miracles that evokes awe: Numinous
Numinous is derived from the Latin numen, which in religious contexts refers to “divinity” or “divine presence.” The philosopher Rudolf Otto, in a nutshell, used the word “numinous” to refer to the concept of holy, minus the concept of moral perfection; or to refer to the concept of something indescribable and intangible, yet bigger than oneself. (The Wikipedia page on “Numinous” is worth reading)

Those who use psychedelics will sometimes experience an “ego death”, or detachment from a separate sense of self. Part of experiencing awe includes experiencing something that pushes or challenges our perceptual frame of reference. This experience of ego death, or being made to feel small, is widely regarded as beneficial to mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Likewise, the opposite is true. This psychology paper describes how an “amplified focus on the self has been found to be associated with a variety of mental-health struggles—including depression, anxiety, body-image problems, self-harm, drug abuse, eating disorders—and social problems, such as aggression, racism, bullying, and everyday incivility”