"For Jeanne-Clare and Ash Wonder is the curiosity or openness that appears when we encounter something unexpected, whereas awe is the felt response to vastness or depth-something that humbles us and heightens our awareness. During the recent lunar eclipse, I experienced both. I stood outside with my camera as I captured the moon slowly shifting from silver into a deep, copper-red glow."
"While the transformation was taking place, I thought about something Joseph Campbell wrote: "Awe is what moves us forward" (Osbon, 1995, p. 20). That simple phrase inspired me to reflect on the nature of awe itself, and I began to consider the qualities that give it its power. Four came to mind with particular clarity: truth, gratitude, inspiration, and the intangible."
"Awe connects us to truth by cutting through distortion. Much of human suffering stems from stories we tell ourselves-narratives of inadequacy, judgment, or fear that cloud our perception. Awe interrupts those stories. When we stand before something vast and undeniable-whether a lunar eclipse, a mountain range, or a moment of profound human kindness-our defensive filters fall away. We are confronted not with our projections but with what is."
"In therapy, I notice this when someone finally names their experience without embellishment or self-criticism. Saying, "I feel lonely " without immediately adding "and that makes me weak" is a moment of awe in its own right. It is a moment of truth, connecting us with reality in its raw form, and in doing so, it allows healing to start."
Awe breaks through distorted self-narratives and reveals reality, allowing truth to surface. Wonder is curiosity toward the unexpected; awe is the felt response to vastness that humbles and heightens awareness. Awe evokes gratitude, strengthens connection, and builds psychological resilience by opening space for meaning and healing. Both extraordinary events and everyday moments—kindness, laughter, honest expression—can produce awe and catalyze change. Embracing awe supports movement forward by fostering reflection, receptivity to the intangible, and greater openness to uncertainty, enabling individuals to respond with honesty and renewed perspective.
Read at Psychology Today
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