I remember the first time I really experienced awe was standing on a suspension bridge and looking down and across to the other side and just being amazed.
In the book by Thomas Didymus, Natureligion, awe is defined as the sacred, visceral feeling one experiences in the presence of something vast, beautiful, mysterious, or transcendent—often found in nature, human achievement, or acts of profound love.
Unlike traditional religions that may locate divinity in distant heavens or ancient texts, Natureligion sees awe as the doorway to the divine—something available in the everyday world: the grandeur of a mountain range, the precision of DNA, the kindness of a stranger, or the silence of a starlit night.
This sense of awe is not just emotional—it’s a spiritual signal that we are connected to something greater, yet also deeply within us. Awe is treated in Natureligion as a holy spark, a moment of communion that doesn’t require belief in a personal god but still evokes reverence, humility, and wonder.
“If prayer is speaking to the divine, awe is listening.” — from Natureligion
Has there been research inquiring into the relationship of the experience(s) of"awe"to Charles Taylor's concept on the experience of"epiphany"? Or experience(s) of awe to experiences of persons who have reported NDEs? Thank.
The split between connective awe and disorienting awe is useful. One expands, the other destabilizes. Interesting that the destabilizing kind correlates with both difficulty and growth - maybe the awe that changes us isn't the comfortable kind.
My first experience was as a child, looking up at the clouds and merging with their movements. Later in life, engaging with Rothko’s work, first unexpectedly, subsequently intentionally.
I remember the first time I really experienced awe was standing on a suspension bridge and looking down and across to the other side and just being amazed.
Typos bring me the opposite of awe…I’m noticing them more and more everywhere lately. Please! Proofread!
In the book by Thomas Didymus, Natureligion, awe is defined as the sacred, visceral feeling one experiences in the presence of something vast, beautiful, mysterious, or transcendent—often found in nature, human achievement, or acts of profound love.
Unlike traditional religions that may locate divinity in distant heavens or ancient texts, Natureligion sees awe as the doorway to the divine—something available in the everyday world: the grandeur of a mountain range, the precision of DNA, the kindness of a stranger, or the silence of a starlit night.
This sense of awe is not just emotional—it’s a spiritual signal that we are connected to something greater, yet also deeply within us. Awe is treated in Natureligion as a holy spark, a moment of communion that doesn’t require belief in a personal god but still evokes reverence, humility, and wonder.
“If prayer is speaking to the divine, awe is listening.” — from Natureligion
Has there been research inquiring into the relationship of the experience(s) of"awe"to Charles Taylor's concept on the experience of"epiphany"? Or experience(s) of awe to experiences of persons who have reported NDEs? Thank.
The split between connective awe and disorienting awe is useful. One expands, the other destabilizes. Interesting that the destabilizing kind correlates with both difficulty and growth - maybe the awe that changes us isn't the comfortable kind.
My first experience was as a child, looking up at the clouds and merging with their movements. Later in life, engaging with Rothko’s work, first unexpectedly, subsequently intentionally.
Resonate strongly with this research as it tracks with experience.