For Awe — Challenge 3

Jump into the awe community

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.— Herman Melville

Awe, Self, and Community

The self-help and self-education community is more accessible than ever through books, digital resources, groups, courses, and coaching. We are inundated with gratitude journaling guides, self-care practices, and countless promising paths to the most sought-after feelings: personal joy and happiness.

The first scientific paper on awe was written in 2003 (Keltner & Haidt). The study of awe as an emotion is relatively new. The findings are profound.

In addition to the many great benefits of the other more studied feelings, awe offers important additional layers: generosity, less focus on self, more caring toward others, and feeling more connected.

These extra elements are more important now than ever. Our planet and its people need our respect and care immediately. Together, as a community, we can make a difference.

There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.— Margaret J. Wheatley

Finding Awe Communities

The science of awe is so relatively new, there aren’t a ton of communities that lead with the “awe community” label. But, there are many options. To find them, think about whatever it is that induces your feelings of awe. There are communities built around almost everything we can think of. In many cases, the community missions are drenched in awe. There are local, national, and international communities that can be our awe community.

For example, let’s do a quick awe check with the mission for the Arbor Day organization:

Our mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.

Yep! I would call this an awe community. Jump in if trees are a great source of awe for you!

We can also be part of an awe community by, hmmm…reading, writing, and commenting about awe at the Medium publication For Awe. We can feel awe by reading about the experiences of others and we can deepen our own feelings of awe by narrating them. Share your experiences of awe for your own good and for the common good.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. —Helen Keller

We can jump into conversations with others that also engage in the awe-inducing activities we enjoy. Another awe community created!

I have recently started talking with others who also frequent my local park. They have passed on some history of the park and as they share their experiences, my perspective broadens. I enjoy even more awe and we share a deeper reverence for the space.

Uncovering PA is a Facebook group where people share awe-inspiring photos of PA (Pennsylvania). I am joining an upcoming photography workshop with the founder. Maybe that will be a one-day community experience or a community that I will engage with more regularly.

Photography Workshop: After being closed to the public for nearly 70 years, Black-Coffey Caverns (formally Baker Caverns) in Franklin County, PA is now open again for limited tours. I’m so excited to offer this photography workshop for those that want to capture great photos of this incredible underground world. — Jim Cheney

A New Awe Community and Your Exclusive Invitation

Of course, I saved the best for last. I say best because this opportunity is accessible to everyone everywhere and it is a community focused specifically on understanding awe and feeling more of it.

I regularly reach out to authors and others in the greater awe community. That is how I met Fraser Deans. I emailed him about the work he was doing. Then, we had a virtual call. That counts as meeting these days, right? (It has to. I had to get up super early because we live on opposite sides of the planet.)

After our meeting, Fraser shared a story with the For Awe community, The Gatekeepers of Mystery. His work with the science of awe is inspiring. He has created an authentic and very engaging awe community. Here is your exclusive invite to the community. Jump in!

For Awe — Challenge 3

For Awe —Challenge 3: Jump into the Awe Community and share your experiences.

Here are some ideas about sharing:

• Tell us what communities you have joined or interacted with.
• Tell us how being part of an awe community impacts your awe experiences and your life.
• Tell us how your awe community is impacting each other and the world.

The Power of Awe

If you are not yet convinced to jump into the awe community, read this quick excerpt from Viktor Frankl’s, Man’s Search for Meaning. Consider the power of awe.

One evening, when we were already resting on the floor of our hut, dead tired, soup bowls in hand, a fellow prisoner rushed in and asked us to run out to the assembly grounds and see the wonderful sunset. Standing outside we saw sinister clouds glowing in the west and the whole sky alive with clouds of ever-changing shapes and colors, from steel blue to blood red. The desolate grey mud huts provided a sharp contrast, while the puddles on the muddy ground reflected the glowing sky. Then, after minutes of moving silence, one prisoner said to another, How beautiful the world could be… ― Viktor E. Frankl

Thanks for reading! I hope this challenge brings everyone more awe experiences and more connection with our world and those we share it with.

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