BEING IN AWE
I am sitting in Queens Park in Toowoomba. The entire month of September is “The Carnival of Flowers”. I am surrounded by the most beautiful gardens of flowering annuals and the magnificent trees that grace these acres of parkland. I am indeed in Awe, not only of the gardens but of the teams of gardeners who spend all year planning and planting for “Carnival” in all of the parks and spaces in Toowoomba… magical!
I was reminded of the importance of Awe in our lives, by a friend who mentioned a recent episode of “Compass” on the ABC. I caught up with it on iView and I would recommend anyone to take the half hour to see it: “Awe Hunters with Julia Baird” – https://iview.abc.net.au/show/compass/series/37/video/RN2211H025S00 .
A sense of Awe puts our lives into perspective and indeed sharpens our senses and awareness.
I have been privileged in my travels here and overseas to experience that feeling of Awe many times – Uluru, the Canadian Rockies, the Highlands of Scotland, Italy’s Cinque Terre, Tasmania’s Gordon River – all magical moments. My mind is racing with so many Awe-inspiring memories.
I feel blessed to have had such wonderful experiences, but a sense of Awe can be felt in many situations. Travel is wonderful, it broadens the mind and creates joyful memories.
We don’t need to leave home or travel the world.
Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves, to take stock of the immediate world around us, to be grateful and appreciate what is already there.
I am reminded of William Glasser’s “Reality Therapy” and the five basic needs of we human beings:
- Survival – food and shelter, physical needs.
- Belonging – to family, friends, community.
- Power – making a difference, leaving a legacy.
- Freedom – autonomy in our daily creative lives.
- Fun – pleasure, humour, relaxation, laughter.
“Belonging” is our relationship with family, friends, co-workers, teachers, pets etc. That also includes belonging to the greater world around us and our place in it. This is where our sense of Awe can give us a perspective and understanding of what it means to appreciate those things that are greater than us. We are part of an amazing Universe.
A suggestion from the insightful Wayne Dyer:
“Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in Awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. This five-minute-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you to focus your life in Awe.”
Over the past few decades, science has confirmed the close connection between our mental and our physical health. Our thoughts and emotions are far more powerful than we previously thought. Everything we think and feel has a profound affect on our physical being.
Taking time out to observe and appreciate is a great way to help in our ongoing overall wellbeing. This is where our Attitude comes into play: what we see and how we perceive things, and how we choose to think, feel and act.
Irish writer W.B. Yeats put it well, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
May you have an Awe-inspiring day, week, month and year.
Love and Laughter,
