Don't overlook this emotion. It helps us appreciate the wonder of our world and humanity

Another new — but very old — concept has surfaced in the world of research.

In 2017, Psychology Today featured a story by Emma Stone, Ph.D., titled "The Emerging Science of Awe and Its Benefits." The article introduced a gentleman named Dacher Keltner, one of the foremost theorists and scholars of awe, who says: “Seek out experiences that give you goosebumps. What the science of awe is suggesting is that opportunities for awe surround us, and their benefits are profound.”

The article explains: “Recent studies exploring this complex emotion have discovered compelling connections between the experience of awe and enhanced critical and creative thinking faculties, improved health, and an increase in pro-social behaviors such as kindness, self-sacrifice, co-operation, and resource-sharing. Awe is also one of the few emotions that can reconfigure our sense of time and immerse us in the present moment.”

Keltner’s new book is "Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life." In it, he delves into the research that reveals the benefits of this experience but also explains that it is available to all of us if we are paying attention.

You’ve probably experienced awe when you’ve seen a magnificent sunset — maybe you tried to photograph it just to savor the beauty. If you’ve been present for the birth of a baby or even a litter of puppies, you experience awe.

A group experience of awe is called collective effervescence. If you’ve had the pleasure of singing, praying, meditating or even just holding hands with a group of people, especially when it is spontaneous, it can be a goosebump experience.

Do you remember the feeling you had watching Neil Armstrong step onto the surface of the moon? Your first glimpse of the Grand Canyon or the Rocky Mountains can cause the same reaction.

But to bring it home for our everyday living, Keltner suggests opportunities like live music, art galleries, theater, museums, spending time outdoors and allowing unstructured time for exploration to invite more awe into our everyday lives.

I love the idea of moral beauty as awe-inspiring. It happens when we observe someone doing something so kind or generous it stops us in our tracks. It may not be goosebumps, but oftentimes, it brings tears to our eyes.

Why is it important to seek out this emotion called awe?

Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday life leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature. And during a moment in which our world feels more divided than ever before, and more imperiled by crises of different kinds, we are greatly in need of awe.

If we open our minds, it is awe that sharpens our reasoning and orients us toward big ideas and new insights. Awe can also cool our immune system’s inflammation response and strengthen our bodies.

It sounds like good medicine to me. Why don’t we start actively seeking these moments? When we are out for a walk, we need to look at the flowers, the trees, the sky — really look.

Let’s watch — really watch — for acts of kindness and generosity.

Irish poet W.B. Yeats said, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Find Connie’s book, “Daily Cures: Wisdom for Healthy Aging,” at www.justnowoldenough.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Don't overlook this emotion. It lets us appreciate our world, humanity