Discovering nature’s awe-inspiring painting
A Real Awe Walk
It has been a while since I have taken a real awe walk as prescribed by the Greater Good Science Center. I often find awe on my journies, but I am usually distracted by an audiobook or podcast. I am not always fully immersed in the experience.
Today, I headed out quickly and forgot my headphones. I almost ran back to get them but I decided to forge on and be more present. I stopped, took six deep breathes slowly, in and out. Then, I walked on, paying close attention to the sounds, smells, and sights around me. Even though I was in my own neighborhood I knew I could find something that brought a feeling of awe.
I decided to turn off the street onto a sidewalk that led partway to the creek. I stopped to breathe and refocus again before I reached the end of the sidewalk, feeling my breath in, deep down into my lungs as my chest rose up. Then, slowly letting the air back out, my chest settled, relaxing back down to rest. I started walking again. I couldn’t believe how bright green and fresh-looking the grass was in the space ahead of me.
When I reached the end of the sidewalk, where I would continue to the creek across the luscious grass, I stopped. I looked up. There was the elegantly painted green scene. So beautifully displayed that I could barely tell where the trees and grass ended and where the reflections began. Nature revealed an awemazing masterpiece just steps away. I stood and took it in. Noticing each brushstroke, the glimmers of light and shadows that each added an extra layer of serenity. It felt like time stood still. It felt like all of the green in the world swirled around this place.
I didn’t walk across the grass to the creek. The view from right where I stood at the end of the sidewalk was perfect. After a few seconds, I turned around feeling full of awe and continued my walk with a smile on my face.
Awe Narrative
Experiencing this moment of awe and narrating it refreshed my memory of some of my other favorite scenes that also seemed to be painted by nature.
As these moments flood my memory, I was reminded of two other awe walks I documented, Welcome to Nature’s Art Show, a poem, and Speechless then Slower then Still and Subsequently Quite.
One moment of awe leads to another. In my experience, awe practices increase sensitivity to awe and awe is some of the best medicine on the market. Try it.
Thanks for reading. I hope everyone stocks up on awe-inspiring experiences.
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Speechless then Slower then Still and Subsequently Quite and Welcome to Nature’s Art Show