Although I've never even thought to buy the magazine before, I was required to purchase the December issue of O Magazine for an academic class and was pleasantly surprised by the content. One article in particular caught my attention titled "The Key to Fulfillment". A pulled quote from the piece pretty much sums it up:
Somewhere at the intersection of joy, fear, mystery, and insight lies awe, that ineffable response to the amazing world around us. Only recently have scientists taken a look at the sensation—and why it may be key to a more fulfilling life.
When discussing it in class my professor commented “You couldn’t pay me to read this,” implying that the Oprah “cheese factor,” understandably so, was sure to be sky high in this article. However, I did read it and maybe it’s my sappiness, even though I’ll choose to call it artsy-ness ;), and I liked it. I could completely relate to those moments of “awe” when you feel “overwhelmed, surprised, humbled, and even a little terrified all at the same time. As a dancer I can compare this feeling to not only feeling small when gazing at the cosmos like research scientist Heidi Hammel featured in the article but also feeling larger than life when performing on stage. Dance continues to provide my sense of wonder and attachment to the “bigger picture” of life. I feel incredibly blessed to be hyper aware of my body and as a result be able to more fully realize this “utter fulfillment” or “awe” again and again.
