Dacher Keltner, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, devotes much of his research to studying awe. In his 2009 book, Born to Be Good, he looks at the emotions beyond the “big six” (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise), believing that more nuanced sensations—compassion, forgiveness, humility, and awe—are what push us beyond self-interest and “wire us for good.” Cultivating awe, he says, is part of unlocking the truest sense of life’s purpose.
At the Berkeley Social Interaction Laboratory, Keltner and his team are attempting to figure out where awe originates in the brain. Along with neuroscientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas, he’s used striking images to elicit awe in subjects whose brains were monitored by an fMRI scanner. Their preliminary findings suggest that while other pleasures—a monetary reward, a slice of cake—engage areas of the brain associated with self-interest, awe lights up the region that becomes active when we are touched, or when a mother sees pictures of her baby. Unlike the “me, me, me” response that most types of pleasure trigger, awe—and its associated increase in oxytocin—makes us feel warm and fuzzy toward others. For the full article, go here.
1 Comment
Great Article! if you want to learn more about yoga and how to start up your own yoga business read How to Start and Maintain A Profitable Yoga Business by L. Burke Files.It helps you avoid common mistakes and insures success.http://www.amazon.com/Start-Maintain-Profitable-Yoga-Business/dp/0982372329/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1293639473&sr=1-3