Awe and the Separate Self: Why Vastness Changes Us

In this video I want to explore awe — and I’m coming at it through a slightly unusual doorway: language.

As an English teacher, I often end up explaining how words really work, and sometimes you notice something fascinating. For example:

awesome = wonderful

awful = terrible

Yet historically they come from the same root — a response to power, vastness, and immensity (kings, God, storms, mountains). Over time, the meanings drifted apart.

That opens up a bigger question:

What is awe, really — and why does it sometimes include terror as well as wonder?

People can recognise this not only in religion (“fear of God”), but also in:
standing in front of huge mountains or deep forests
being at sea in big waves
thunderstorms and raw natural power
intense meditation experiences
and yes, sometimes even “bad trips,” where the mind meets something overwhelming

The common thread is that awe confronts us with something bigger than our normal story — something that makes the separate self feel small, not in a depressing way, but in a way that can feel strangely connecting, even humbling.

I also touch on the idea that awe seems to reshape how we relate to:

our problems (they shrink in perspective)
other people (we often become more open, more pro-social)
and even time (life can feel less rushed)

If you’ve felt awe in nature, music, art, spirituality — or in an intense inner experience — I’d love to hear what triggered it for you.

Thanks for watching.

#awe #spirituality #nonduality #advaita #meditation #philosophy