The Gifts of Wonder & Awe
Cultivating Wonder & Awe through Nature: Rachel Carson - A return to Childlike Wonder
“What is the value of preserving and strengthening this sense of awe and wonder, this recognition of something beyond the boundaries of human existence? Is the exploration of the natural world just a pleasant way to pass the golden hours of childhood or is there something deeper?
I am sure there is something much deeper, something lasting and significant. Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the vexation or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner contentment and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.” -- Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
“It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know the sense of wonder and humility. ” -Rachel Carson
In her book, The Sense of Wonder, Rachel Carson guides her readers through ways of instilling a sense of wonder in their children with the intention of letting it carry them through adulthood and beyond. A good reminder for adults to do for themselves also. The purpose is twofold, Rachel emphasizes how wonder sparked by nature is an imperative way to enrich one’s life as well as to introduce and secure reverence and respect for nature in future generations. This admiration is demonstrated through Rachel’s own ordinary, yet magical natural encounters with her young nephew over the years. Things like star gazing, noting patterns of constellations, discovering treasures along the shoreline, the mystery of a growing seed, the smell of low tide, the visual wonder of rising and falling tides, and the sounds of thunder. And possibly the most magical experience of all, cultivating their imagination during a rainy day, foggy day as they embark on lichen-carpeted forest walk. She encourages us to bring our awareness to the beauty that is immediately in front of us and to experience whole-heartedly, with all of our senses. The knowledge of a naturalist isn’t required in order to do so. The ability to identify every bird and plant is of lesser concern, but rather the simple observation and admiration of nature is what will color our lives and infinitely enrich them.
I would also add that learning to identify/name species of plants and birds however, deepens our show of adoration for them. It is in the same way that we too, like to be acknowledged for our identities.
The simplicity of nature that Rachel has us fixated upon, draws out the extraordinary within ordinary moments. As adults, nature coaxes out of us, the openness and fascination that are components of the beginner’s mind of a child. Before we claim to know things, we are limitless in our imagination and sense of what is possible. We are actually able to witness more of life in its truest form.
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“It is our misfortune that for most of us, that clear eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood” - Rachel Carson
Whether it was a direct message that I absorbed from others over time, an assumed truth on my part, or a combination of both, either way, I internalized the idea that play, slowing down, daydreaming, letting myself succumb to the feeling of awe, wonder, and inquiry amidst nature, was something to be grown out of. All were childish and certainly not appropriate for the maturity required for adulthood or the desire to be taken seriously. And, if they were, time spent in this way should be reserved for designated vacation time - X amount of days or weeks allotted per year for this type of thing to be scheduled in. Usually in the summer months or around the celebration of traditional holidays. More rules and not much freedom there for spontaneous joy and creativity.
In truth, indulging in all of the above is the way to live wholeheartedly, with bliss, with ease, and a greater present awareness.
Wonder and awe are possibly the greatest gifts of having incarnated into this human form. They enable us to feel truly alive in the most positive form of our alive-ness. They spark impulsive elation and an inner contentment that erases agitation, struggle, and suffering. They pave the way for gratitude and admiration, opening us up and letting life in. While these characteristics are associated with the nature of childhood, the ability to carry them with us may very well be the means for living a most fulfilled life and one that is less burdened by stress. When led by them, we become more alive with creativity and possibility. We access the creator within. We live boundlessly. As we transition out of our childhood years, we may begin to lose these qualities as we take on various identities and chores. Thankfully, they can be accessed again. Nature sets the perfect conditions to reignite their presence and allow them to infiltrate all areas of our lives.
Wonder and awe birth abundance, gratitude, imagination, presence, and perspective. They remind us how miraculous it is to be here.
They remind us that what we call the mundane is truly the extraordinarily familiar that we take for granted. That life’s beauty and mystery are all around us.
They elevate us to the best version of ourselves.
They inspire us and spark our imagination that we otherwise would not have recognized. With their signs - the appearance of a rainbow, the discovery of a special seashell or wishing ring stone, they reinforce our understanding that we do not walk this earth alone, but that we are always guided.
They touch us with increased awareness and they remove anxiety and worry. Neither of these feelings can coexist with wonder and awe.
With them, we have the ability to see ourselves in all of nature and in all others. They dissolve lines of separateness and force notions of hierarchy to dissipate.
Wonder and awe are the gateway to the Self. It’s through the experience of them that we get a glimpse of the soul.
There seems to be a shared energy between the archetypal old soul and the qualities of childlike wonder. Both ways of being encompass an open-hearted wisdom. The old soul who occupies a youthful body derives such enlightenment from living in a space of childhood simplicity. Their wisdom lies in being able to detach from and transcend the play of life. They are yet to be affected by worldly drama and conflict. They see only what matters most in life. They occupy a space of authenticity and deep connection.
Meanwhile the older embodied individual is able to still perceive the world through a childlike awe. Their wisdom is sourced from their maturity. From evolving and transcending worldly dramas. In that, they naturally return to a beginner's mind and see the world through the fresh eyes of youth.
No matter our chronological age, we can glean an admiration for nature and for life beyond the jaded lens that is often opposed upon us. Growing, focused awareness is the first step to opening that door of possibility and nature does a fine job of helping us turn the knob. Walking across that threshold, we embody both magic and wisdom.
On the other side of our planning, goal setting, and striving for validation and success, is our time spent in the present moment.
Planning our life is part of what we do as humans. But if we continually miss life’s ordinary beauty while seeking and preparing for a promise of something else extraordinary, the cumulative moments of our life are missed. Observe how you are living your days, in the present. Are you soaking in all in or hitting the fast forward button?
There is grandeur in simplicity and in the immediate moment.
Being in nature encourages if not, necessitates introspection and appreciation. Observation of nature naturally increases our awareness. It is from this place that we are creating our lives, moment by moment.
Adding to Carson’s list of nature’s wonder-full displays, I’d like to add:
The divine design of seashells
Moon phases and the commanding pull of moon tides
The Kingfisher diving for its food
The squaw of a heron as it takes off
The hypnotic flow of water as it moves down a river or in around marshlands
Seeds sprouting and plants flourishing
Storm systems passing and the changing shapes of clouds
The stature of trees
The variation of leaves
The feel of salt air in our lungs and on our skin
Seasonal transitions
Pre-dawn transitioning into daylight
Dusk moving towards night
The endless combinations of colors and shapes of rocks
The way the sunshine creates star-like sparkles upon waters ripples
The way a strong ocean breeze breathes life into you
The sound of ice crackling amidst the thawing of a frozen lake
And lastly for now… The way a still pond reflects the clouds in the sky, reminding us that “as above, so below”: What happens in the spiritual realm is reflected in our own soul. We are the same. The microcosm of being within the macrocosm of the universe.
When we practice noticing these things, we not only take in more beauty and internalize more gratitude and admiration, but we also strengthen our ability to become the witness to life. We learn to become a better observer of everything. As the watcher, we take the stance of a distant view and gain perspective on all things in our life. This enables us to hone our perspective and to make better lifestyle choices for ourselves and readjust as needed.
Such perspective adds levity to our life. We learn to live with less desperation for control and welcome more humor as we watch our storyline unfold.
Committing to the practice of seeing the world with eyes of wonder and awe encourages another unexpected gift to flourish. It conditions us to open up to all of life in this way of true present awareness. This means that even the difficult, challenging turns of life are somehow softened by simply surrendering to the mystery of it all. We proceed with a deeper acceptance of the fact that we are rarely met with clear explanations and reasons for why life unfolds as it does.
Child-like wonder and awe helps us to cast a spell upon our perspective and create the possibilities for a stronger, more flexible way of being as we move into our adult years.
I love the way Carson characterizes our contemplations of earth’s beauty as being life-giving and fortifying. In our adoration for nature, we find within ourselves, the reserves to create a beautiful life.
