It was a privilege to host Professor Ruth Baer's fascinating talk at our Annual Gathering earlier this month. She offered a unique exploration of the benefits of developing our sensory awareness, a review of research evidence on the benefits of using these skills when ‘sense foraging’ in nature, and how this, in turn, opens up the possibility of experiencing ‘awe’.

Exploring the Power of Awe in Nature

As we transition into a new season, we hope to inspire you to explore the outdoors by sharing some of the studies Ruth discussed, along with her valuable insights.

What is ‘awe’?
While the term ‘awe’ or ‘awesome’ can be an overused/misused term in everyday language, Ruth offered some helpful definitions, including ‘…. the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world’ (‘Awe’ by Dacher Keltner, 2023). Ruth points out that the ‘Evolutionary argument for awe is that it has survival value in that it integrates us into larger patterns: community, nature, ideas, culture’, and ‘…releases oxytocin and activates the vagus nerve’.

The interplay between awe and mindfulness
In their groundbreaking book ‘Better in Every Sense’, Farb & Segal note that awe begins with the senses, and often involves a sense of appreciation or gratitude – key qualities and practices in mindfulness teaching and learning.

Awe and the Natural World

Experiences in the natural world can evoke profound feelings of awe. A study conducted by UC Berkeley, involving 119 undergraduates, asked participants to maintain a daily diary over a 14-day period. The findings revealed that of the participants’ nature narratives, 63.7% were about experiences of awe. This highlights how frequently awe can be experienced when individuals engage with nature.

Ruth also discussed a follow-up to the UC Berkeley study that examined the impact of nature and awe on well-being by observing military veterans and at-risk youth during a whitewater rafting trip. The researchers found that experiencing awe was the strongest predictor of improved well-being among participants, surpassing other positive emotions like gratitude and contentment.

Read the studies.

“63.7% of the participants’ nature narratives were about experiences of awe.”

The Benefits of Green Spaces 

As university students return to campus this month, we are pleased to reference a study conducted by Mason et al. (2022). Their research found that students who took short breaks in green spaces, such as parks or gardens, after engaging in demanding cognitive tasks (attention and memory), performed better on further cognitive tasks compared to those who had breaks in non-green environments, like indoor or urban outdoor spaces. This effect was observed across all age groups. Walking or moving during the green break was found to be more beneficial than sitting.

Ruth concludes ‘Short breaks in a green environment after cognitive effort are a low-to-zero cost type of intervention to help students refresh attention and improve their cognitive functioning.”

See the study.

“Short breaks in a green environment after cognitive effort are a low-to-zero cost type of intervention to help students refresh attention and improve their cognitive functioning.”

The Impact of Nature on Health

Ruth shared the results of a robust study from Exeter Medical School. A sample of 19,806 adults were surveyed about their time spent in natural environments and its effects on their overall health. The study revealed that dedicating just 120 minutes per week to engaging with nature is linked to significant improvements in both physical health and mental well-being.

The research highlighted that weekly exposure of 200-300 minutes in natural settings produced the most pronounced positive outcomes. Participants reported enhanced mood, reduced stress levels, and improved general health with increased time spent outdoors. Benefits were seen whether this engagement took the form of one extended session or several shorter ones.

Read the research.

“Dedicating just 120 minutes per week to engaging with nature is linked to significant improvements in both physical health and mental well-being.”

Final Thoughts

We hope this deep dive has inspired you to engage with your own great outdoors.

Are you interested in deepening your appreciation for the great outdoors and beyond? Or perhaps you’d like to cultivate your ability to be present with awe and other profound emotions?

Our Learn Courses can support you in deepening your connection to both your inner experiences and the world around you.

(Please note, the research and reporting in this article are independent of the OMF.)