I’ve been thinking about the concept of awe recently. In fact, one of my "not New Year’s resolutions" this year is to experience more awe in my life. To be open to the beauty and power of life’s wonders and the experiences that give meaning and a sense that there is something bigger to everyday living.

In his book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, psychologist Dacher Keltner offers this definition: “Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.”

In considering this idea, it certainly seems that we experience awe in nature—seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, for example, or Niagara Falls or the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. But also the tree in your backyard when the leaves change to vibrant yellows and oranges in fall, or a blue heron taking flight over a lake.

While I don’t consider myself the most spiritual person, I imagine that people experience awe in the spiritual—in feeling the presence of some higher power, perhaps through prayer, meditation or a mystical........

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