Brilliant piece. Even superficially ugly things can have a kind of beauty and awesomeness. It takes certain types of disposition to see these, however.
I love WONDER or tiny magic! As kids we see it everywhere and we loose this capacity as adults. But it's still there and we can easily trigger it by simple things!
Ya! All these examples you give are ones the ancient philosophers talked about. And it is crazy how we become numb to their awe. How can we not see it?
I am in awe of your posts. You provoke and prod me to explore new ways of thinking and exploring the world and myself. This article prompted me to subscribe. Many thanks.
Bravo, an excellent tapestry of thought weaved together beautifully. I think the key question is, how to emebed this practice amid the tulmut of the everyday - especially for those without a tower or garden to retreat to?
Star gazing is a great practice if city glow doesn't stop you. I like thinking how each pinprick of light is an entire solar system equal to ours, and how incredibly innumerable they are. Any of these "makes you or your perspective feel small" comparisons are great. You just need to dwell on them and not brush them off. Hold them in your mind and marinate in the perspective.
I go for a walk most days, leaving behind electronic devices. I usually head through one or more parks. Simply sitting, clearing my mind, and watching with the idea of noticing connections often brings me into a positive mental state.
— Watch birds eat bugs, shit, and fertilize the soil which is a haven for the very bugs they eat.
— How the shade of the trees affects the grass, how this is part of a secession that's been at work for thousands of years.
— How an on-contour ditch that lets the water soak in keeps the grass on the far side green, while areas where the water runs off has eroded soil and dead grass.
If you have no access to parks ...Nature is an aid to this sort of contemplation, but it's possible to do it in your mind alone. Also Quite a bit of research has been done on nature videos — they can change a person's perspective.
On awe from the virtues of others ....good biographies of "saints" — secular and otherwise — may work. But I like to think of the people in my own life and how I can be a bit more like them.
We often think of wonder and awe as spontaneous when you can actually cultivate intentional wonder and awe.
Brilliant piece. Even superficially ugly things can have a kind of beauty and awesomeness. It takes certain types of disposition to see these, however.
Thanks!
I enjoyed reading this! Thank you!
I love WONDER or tiny magic! As kids we see it everywhere and we loose this capacity as adults. But it's still there and we can easily trigger it by simple things!
https://mirandavandenheuvel.substack.com/p/9-simple-ways-to-bring-some-wow-ways
Ya! All these examples you give are ones the ancient philosophers talked about. And it is crazy how we become numb to their awe. How can we not see it?
Not only from far above, but also through week-long travel in the Great Saharan Desert you can adjust the perspective ...
I am in awe of your posts. You provoke and prod me to explore new ways of thinking and exploring the world and myself. This article prompted me to subscribe. Many thanks.
Thanks! I love it when my writing spurs introspection. It's one of my goals for this whole project, so thanks for letting me know.
Bravo, an excellent tapestry of thought weaved together beautifully. I think the key question is, how to emebed this practice amid the tulmut of the everyday - especially for those without a tower or garden to retreat to?
Star gazing is a great practice if city glow doesn't stop you. I like thinking how each pinprick of light is an entire solar system equal to ours, and how incredibly innumerable they are. Any of these "makes you or your perspective feel small" comparisons are great. You just need to dwell on them and not brush them off. Hold them in your mind and marinate in the perspective.
I go for a walk most days, leaving behind electronic devices. I usually head through one or more parks. Simply sitting, clearing my mind, and watching with the idea of noticing connections often brings me into a positive mental state.
— Watch birds eat bugs, shit, and fertilize the soil which is a haven for the very bugs they eat.
— How the shade of the trees affects the grass, how this is part of a secession that's been at work for thousands of years.
— How an on-contour ditch that lets the water soak in keeps the grass on the far side green, while areas where the water runs off has eroded soil and dead grass.
If you have no access to parks ...Nature is an aid to this sort of contemplation, but it's possible to do it in your mind alone. Also Quite a bit of research has been done on nature videos — they can change a person's perspective.
On awe from the virtues of others ....good biographies of "saints" — secular and otherwise — may work. But I like to think of the people in my own life and how I can be a bit more like them.