Awe Practices and Prompts

Practicing awe with the For Awe publication (updated 6/23)

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. — Albert Einstein

For Awe

For Awe is a Medium publication providing space for people to read and write about everything that inspires awe.

For true happiness and better physical and mental health, make way for awe. In the vastness of the universe, the opportunities for finding awe are unlimited. Sharing our experiences of awe increases the impact it has on us and further connects us for the greater good. — K.Barrett, For Awe

Awe Practices and Prompts

For Awe accepts all awe-inspired stories and poems. We also have a prompt feature and some challenges to help us further develop our Awe Practices.

Each awe practice and challenge serves as a prompt. Use them as prompts to recall or experience more moments of awe. If you are responding to a prompt or challenge, you can link this story at the bottom of your response so others can join.

There are no limits on time, number of submissions, or format. Follow For Awe to read more awe-inspired stories and see the directions below to be added to the publication as a writer. Inspire us as much as you can. We are here for it!

Let’s increase our awe-sensitivity together!

Awe Practices

Awe Narrative: Have you found yourself experiencing a moment so awe-inspiring that you wished you could hold onto it forever? Capturing the details in an awe narrative will help you keep the moments so you can draw on the feelings for a mood boost in the future.

Awe Walk: Have you ever walked in nature or in a city and found your mind reeling to comprehend the vastness of what you were experiencing? Take an awe walk.

Awe From Human Actions: Has your jaw ever dropped when you witnessed or heard about an amazing amount of talent, effort, or kindness?

Awe From Images: Have you ever seen an image that warmed your heart or gave you goosebumps?

Buying Time With Awe: Has your perception of time ever been shifted or have you ever felt time like time stood still because of a moment of awe?

Poetry as a Source of Awe: Reading poetry can induce awe. Writing poetry can work like an awe narrative to preserve your experiences with awe.

Timelines and Technology Inducing Awe: Timelines offer us countless opportunities to reflect on moments of awe in our lives and in the developments in the world around us. A technology timeline is outlined in this example.

Spiritual Awe: Spiritual awe can be a powerful tool in our well-being toolbox. Spirituality on its own can increase our connection with our authentic self, and it can also enhance our religious beliefs and experiences, inducing feelings of awe.

Awe Ride: Give yourself a little extra time while on the road. Keep your eyes out for something awemazing. Stop, take a look, and explore. Let wonder take over for a moment. If you take that extra time, you may be surprised at the awe you can find even along some of your most regularly traveled routes. (Having a driver is the safest way to practice awe rides.)

Awe in Architecture: Sometimes, just looking up while walking along a city street or stumbling upon a nature-inspired cabin in the woods can bring us a full dose of awe.

Awe From Art: Art can be a personal lift, a catalyst to shift perspectives, and a community builder. Art can inspire awe. There is a realization that the piece is like nothing you have ever seen before or could even imagine. This feeling of vastness causes a stretching of the mind to accommodate the awe experience.

Awe from Music: Certain sounds or combinations of sounds can elevate a listening experience to a moment of awe. Music can be so powerful it can cause a physical reaction, even goosebumps.

Awe from Nature: Nature is the top source of awe for most people. It can be incorporated in many of the above awe practices or experienced in so many ways on its own. There is a lot of research to support awe of nature.

Awe from Travel and Adventure: Travel brings novel experiences — nature, art, music, architecture, culture, and more. The anticipation from adventure-packed itineraries can also add an extra layer of awe.

Awe from Videos: If you are stuck inside for quarantine, a weather event, or want to lay back and discover awe — videos are the way to go!

Awe from Learning: An abundant source of awe.

Awe From the Human Body: Our bodies are a natural wonder of the world.

Awe from Weather: Get outside and enjoy all kinds of weather.

Challenges: These challenges can be practiced at any time of the year. Planning for and revisiting moments of awe increases life satisfaction. Try these challenges.

Thanks for reading! I hope everyone increases their awareness of Awe Practices to experience more awe and the benefits it brings.

We look forward to reading about your experiences with awe. If you are not a writer at For Awe, see the directions below to join us in these prompts and challenges or to share your experiences of feeling awe in any other way you choose.

Thanks!

Kara Barrett, For Awe

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