Finding Awe in Broken Times: A Reflection

Note: This is the talk I gave at my synagogue on the Jewish Holiday of Sukkot—which is unique in its focus on joy and comes after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—which are known as the Days of Awe. I share it here as I think it has relevance for all us, Jewish or not. I am posting this on the same day that I am watching truly awesome videos of Israeli hostages returning to their families—and praying that this moment will begin a period of rebuilding and peace for all the inhabitants of the region.

Today is Sukkot, a holiday that specifically asks us to celebrate, to be joyful.

Today is also October 7, one of the worst dates in our collective history.

When I asked to give this drash, I was only paying attention to the first date. I wanted to share what I'd been learning from a book about awe—a topic so relevant to the season we are in. When I then noticed the date on the calendar, I wondered if this might not be such a great idea. I decided to continue because it seemed right to talk about awe in a time of brokenness.

The Science of Awe

I've been reading Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner, who directs the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab. He studies emotion and was even an advisor on the Pixar movie Inside Out. Keltner felt that awe wasn't being studied sufficiently, which led to the research he shares in this book.

Before I go further, I want to invite you to pause for a moment. Consider a time when you felt awestruck. It might be a moment in nature—experiencing the vastness of a national park or the delicate perfection of a succulent. It might be a moment with people, perhaps gathered in prayer during the past few days. It might be a moment with a child. I'm still awestruck by the perfection of a raspberry.

Whatever memory you choose, take a moment to recall the way you sensed awe. What did it feel like? Where did you feel it? Did you get goosebumps, shivers, or a sense of quiet joy?

What Awe Does for Us

Keltner and his colleagues collected thousands of stories of awe across 26 cultures and identified what he calls the eight wonders of life: the strength, courage, and kindness of others; collective movement in actions like dance and sports; nature; music; art and visual design; mystical encounters; life and death; and big ideas or epiphanies.

Based on this research, Keltner defines awe as "the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world."

Does that definition fit your moment of awe? Does it fit inside one of those eight wonders?

Keltner’s book explores each of these eight wonders; even more importantly, he explores what awe does for us as humans. And that’s where I want to begin.

Keltner asks: “How does awe transform how we see the world? And what actions do experiences of awe lead us to take upon encountering the vast mysteries of the eight wonders of life?”

Following are descriptions of a few studies that Keltner and his colleagues did that speak to the power of Awe—and some of what is suggested by those studies.

Awe creates a "small self." Keltner’s team asked people in two locations, Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and Yosemite, to draw images of themselves in the world. Here’s what happened:

Being in a majestic, natural setting that leaves one “awestruck” creates a sense of being part of something larger. There’s humility in awe.  

Awe increases generosity.  In another study, participants who watched awe-inspiring videos (versus goofy animal videos) folded significantly more origami cranes to give to Japanese tsunami survivors. The awestruck group was measurably more generous and kinder.

Awe changes our body chemistry. Studies show that awe reduces cortisol levels and increases oxytocin, reducing our fear-based responses while increasing our sense of connection and belonging.

As Keltner writes: "In moments of awe, we shift from the sense that we are solely in charge of our own fate and striving against others to feeling we are part of a community, sharing essential qualities."

Awe heightens our awareness of being part of a community, of feeling embraced and supported by others. It helps us place the stresses of life within larger contexts. The humility of awe even makes us more able to talk to people different from us with increased openness and curiosity.

The Power of Small Moments

Here's what I found most encouraging—while grand mountains and transcendent religious experiences evoke awe, so do small encounters—moments of beauty, being in community, noticing a perfect raspberry. And the effects are the same. The small, everyday moments of awe have just as much impact on our minds and bodies as the vast experiences we have at the Grand Canyon.

These small experiences of awe are a choice. They are less about what we do than how we see and how we do.

Keltner describes an "awe walk"—where we aren't just going from point A to point B, but we notice the beauty along the way. That shift alone evoked all the goodness of awe in the people who participated, noticeably different from the experience of a control group that took a regular walk. Keltner also found that noticing when people are kind, brave, or good—with a sense of awe—activates all these benefits as well.

Holding Both

This is how we can bring Sukkot and October 7 together. Even in a broken world, we are asked to celebrate. We can notice the beauty around us, in this holiday, in each other. We do not risk abandoning what is important when we feel awe and joy—we are building more resilient, connected selves. We will be better resourced for the work ahead.

We can embrace and seek awe while knowing that this is a profoundly difficult time. Both.

I’ll end with a quote from Joanna Macy, a Buddhist teacher and environmental activist who died this year at 96. I return to her words often:

"You're always asked to sort of stretch a little bit more, and actually, we're made for that. But in any case, there's absolutely no excuse for making our passionate love for our world dependent on what we think of its degree of health, whether we think it's going to go on forever. At this moment, you're alive. So, you can just dial up the magic of that at any time."