Rev. Michelle's Message July 25, 2024

In last Sunday’s lesson, I talked about the phenomenon of awe–the feeling we get when we encounter something amazing that takes our breath away, something that our current understanding of the world is insufficient to fully explain. We learned about Dr. Dacher Keltner’s research on awe and how experiences of awe can actually be good for us. They can transform the way we think and act, and help us to see the world, ourselves, and other people with new eyes.

When we experience this type of awe, one of the physiological responses we can have is getting goosebumps. So at the end of my lesson, I gave you a homework assignment: to seek out experiences that give you goosebumps. I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of that assignment in case you haven’t done it yet!

This week, if you are able, try to get outside and find something to be in awe about. And if you can’t get outside, find something to read that inspires awe. It doesn’t have to be anything huge or extraordinary. Remember, awe can be found in the most ordinary of things when we look with the right perspective. In fact, that’s one of the greatest things about awe, that it has the power to take the ordinary and transform it into something amazing and wonder-inducing.

Try this experiment: go outside and try to see things in a different way. See if you can put on your God-glasses and see the ordinary things around you with a mindset of awe. How about that ant marching through your front yard? How in the heck does he know where he’s going? Or the squirrel chirping in the trees near your home. How on Earth does she remember where she has hidden all of her nuts? Or that vast ocean we are so fortunate to live near. How can something be so incredibly huge and powerful and mysterious?

The most ordinary every-day things can become magnificent and awe-some when we behold them with a sense of wonder and amazement, seeing them as if for the first time. Remember, when we experience awe, our bodies produce dopamine and oxytocin–neurochemicals that make us feel good, create more openness, and allow us to connect more deeply with others.

I always say, if you are not simply astounded by this amazing world, you are not paying attention! I challenge each of you to pay attention and see what you can find today that gives you goosebumps.

Warm Weather Blessings,

Rev. Michelle