Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
by Rabbi Debra Orenstein
This Awe Exercise comes in multiple parts. To get the most out of it, do one at a time, without looking ahead. Though there are eleven parts below, the first nine should take only a minute, because the goal is to record your first, immediate association.
- Love and blessings,
Rabbi Debra
Part 1: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or
relation to Nature? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 2: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to Mortality? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 3: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to Art? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
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Part 4: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to your profession? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 5: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to Learning, being a student? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
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Part 6: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to a child? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 7: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to an intimate relationship? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 8: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to a large gathering? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 9: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
What memory or thought first comes up when you think of awe in or relation to yourself? Jot down a few notes, so you will remember what you thought of.
Part 10: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
Merely recalling awe-inspiring experiences is a way of savoring them and cultivating awe. But now comes the real payoff of this exercise! Review all your answers and record any commonalities and themes that you notice running through them. After you find a few, take some extra time to explore further and discover still more through-lines.
Part 11: Awe in Various Settings and Circumstances
The elements that your associations have in common constitute your own, personal ingredient list for a recipe to create awe. Deliberately cultivating those common threads can help you “reverse engineer” awe experiences and discover more awe in your life.