Experiencing Awe Through Collective Effervescence

Experiencing awe through “Collective Effervescence”

When I deliver presentations on happiness and burnout prevention, I love to talk about the power of awe for mental health.

There are so many different places you can find awe. In his book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life, Dr. Dacher Keltner describes these as the “eight wonders of life.” They are:

• Nature
• Music
• Visual design
• Moral beauty – witnessing people helping others
• Collective effervescence
• Spiritual experiences
• Epiphanies – those “a-ha moments” when we learn something new that alters the way we view the world
• Births and deaths, beginnings and endings

When I’m skiing, I not only experience awe through nature, but also through “collective effervescence.” You might experience this at a concert while standing on your chair and singing lyrics with the stranger next to you, or chanting and cheering at a football game.

I love riding the chairlift and striking up conversation with complete strangers. We may be strangers, but our love of the sport is a common denominator that brings us together and makes strangers feel like friends. That’s “collective effervescence,” and it lasts all day while I ski.

I love the thrill of skiing. I love the physical exercise. I love breathing in the cool mountain air. I love the beauty of the mountains and trees. And I’m uplifted by the awe I experience through collective effervescence – an indescribable feeling of connection with complete strangers through our shared interest.

I am so grateful for Dr. Keltner’s framework. It helps me understand why I get tears in my eyes when I witness a beautiful sunset, and why I cry when I witness or experience authentic and vulnerable human connection.

There are so many places you can find awe.

Which are your favorite?

What can you do to seek awe today? It’s good for your mental health!