A sense of wonder can soothe and heal

Wonder is the sense of being in contact with something awe-inspiring and mysterious, a sensation we can’t always fully comprehend or put into words. Experiencing such a sensation can create many positive health effects in the body.

A sense of wonder can relieve sadness, reduce inflammation and provide a feeling of belonging. It makes you less self-critical.

Here are situations in which many people feel a sense of wonder:

In nature
Enjoying music, art, design and architecture
Admiring the courage and moral, selfless actions of others
In a unified community
Events involving the extremes of life, that is, birth and death
In religious or spiritual contexts
Hearing about great ideas and visions
Witnessing someone else’s inner strength

Moments of wonder can range from small, everyday things to deeper, more transformative events. Here are a few examples:

Listening to music that gives you goosebumps.
Being at a hockey or football match and doing the wave with other fans.
Taking in a breathtakingly beautiful view.
Being fully in the moment and using all your senses to enjoy the experience.
Witnessing someone doing a good deed for someone else.

Text: Christina Andersson, registered psychologist and doctor of medicine.

Exercise your sense of wonder

1. Take a moment to think about a specific event, relatively recent, when you felt a sense of wonder. If you have a great deal of stress in your life or feel that you’ve been low for a long time, feeling a sense of wonder can prove difficult. It may take you some time to figure out what evokes this feeling. However, if you start paying attention to the times when life causes you to stop and reflect, eventually it’ll get easier.

2. Bring wonder into your life. Try to notice the sense of wonder during a ten-minute walk, perhaps on your way to the supermarket, work or school. Or seek out situations that feel natural to you, that you perhaps miss or would like more of in your life.