Thanks so much and I love your comment! I am a big fan of awe in particular. The science on it is quite good and I highly recommend Dacher Keltner’s book Awe. I think it’s awe that we look to when we really center in on what makes us most human. I’m not sure about joy. Is it just an even more intense version of happiness? I do appreciate how it’s being used politically to reframe our priorities.
I had a thought -I agree so much on how our not achieving ecstatic positive emotions can make us feel less than. And? from a mindfulness point of view, I have appreciated the insight of accepting and watching a positive emotion come and go rather than thinking positive emotions are a higher state of being that should be sustained constantly. I have been wondering about a couple positive emotions lately - joy and awe - and what you think about this - 1) joy as political and healing and worth recognizing as a superpower, like at the democratic convention; and 2) awe as an emotion which has the potential to heal if one’s attention skills to it can be further developed. Like, I’ve been exploring how in context of political oppression of refugees - how awe can often be a driving and healing force.
Thanks so much and I love your comment! I am a big fan of awe in particular. The science on it is quite good and I highly recommend Dacher Keltner’s book Awe. I think it’s awe that we look to when we really center in on what makes us most human. I’m not sure about joy. Is it just an even more intense version of happiness? I do appreciate how it’s being used politically to reframe our priorities.
I had a thought -I agree so much on how our not achieving ecstatic positive emotions can make us feel less than. And? from a mindfulness point of view, I have appreciated the insight of accepting and watching a positive emotion come and go rather than thinking positive emotions are a higher state of being that should be sustained constantly. I have been wondering about a couple positive emotions lately - joy and awe - and what you think about this - 1) joy as political and healing and worth recognizing as a superpower, like at the democratic convention; and 2) awe as an emotion which has the potential to heal if one’s attention skills to it can be further developed. Like, I’ve been exploring how in context of political oppression of refugees - how awe can often be a driving and healing force.
God I love this post! Probably just what I needed at start of a striving and often feeling like I need to perform higher with students semester.