Awe walking is all about being present and noticing what’s around you. What colours can you see? What interesting textures do you feel? What joyful patterns catch your eye? They might be small and underfoot, or big and above your head!
An awe walk involves embracing the extraordinary in the everyday. It is about being intentionally curious and seeking moments that make you go ‘wow’. It’s a way for us to remind ourselves of how amazing the world is.
This feeling of wonder and the importance of seeking it is described as awe by Dacher Keltner in his book Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder. What’s interesting is what finding awe does for our wellbeing, with Keltner’s research showing it calms our central nervous system, lowers our heart rate and stress, and releases oxytocin, the natural love hormone responsible for creating connection and making us happier. And the more we seek out awe and wonder, the more we find it.
Here are Common Exception and Coco Lom’s tips for going on an awe walk. We both find that when we focus on looking for these things specifically, all our other thoughts and worries disappear…it can be very meditative and makes us feel calm.
You’ll need:
Paper or a book
1 thick pen
1 thin pen
A viewfinder (optional, you can make this by cutting any shape you like in a piece of paper)
A phone (optional)
Be present
First, we quieten our minds by checking in with our bodies. This can be as easy as connecting with out our feet. How do they feel? Are they comfortable? What can they feel? What’s the texture of my sock or shoe feel like? How do the vibrations feel when I step? The we can think about the ground. How it supports every step we take, a friend welcoming and holding our movement.
Look outwards
Now it’s time to start looking around. An easy way to get into a wonder and curious mindset, it to pretend you’re on holiday and everything is new. Look around. What can you see? Can you find shapes, patterns, colours, nature, architecture, shadows, reflections?
Prompts to help you see
Look high, look low — what can you see?
Can you see any window reflections?
If you look up close, squint or close your eyes, what can you see/feel now?
What makes you feel awe/connected?
Where does your awe lead you to?
What do you feel drawn to?
How does it make you feel?
Are there any shadows? What do these look like as patterns?
Are there any interesting negative spaces? These are the spaces in between objects or buildings.
Draw what you see
Take your thick pen and draw any interesting patterns, shapes, and colours you see. Make a note of any feelings that arise, either in your head or write it down. Let your pen guide you and don’t worry about being good. Intentionally work quickly as you’re capturing a passing moment and we’re not looking to draw perfect buildings.
Using your viewfinder
You can use your paper viewfinder or mobile to frame things.
Walk around while looking through it.
Bring it closer and further away from your eyes and watch how scale changes.
What shapes can you see?
How can these be translated into your own patterns?
Touch the surfaces around you – are they smooth, are they rough?
What does a soft or gravel texture feel like as a drawing? Make some marks in response to them.
