The Power of Awe

Overcome Burnout & Anxiety, Ease Chronic Pain, Find Clarity & Purpose—in Less than 1 Minute per Day

By: Jake Eagle LPC, Michael Amster MD

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Discover a clinically proven way to reduce inflammation, stress, loneliness, and burnout while improving overall well-being.

As lifelong meditators and mindfulness teachers, we confess we were almost embarrassed when we stumbled onto a 5–15 second shortcut to transcendence. This idea ran counter to everything we knew about meditation before we began our research. But, yes, it is possible. It only requires accessing the powerful emotion of awe in ordinary, everyday life. The changes in our lives have been profound, and after seeing the results repeated again and again in our thousands of patients, clients, and study participants, we’ve proven that our shortcut, coined the A.W.E. Method, works. —from the Preface

Research has proven that mindfulness improves well-being and reduces stress, anxiety, and pain. But for some, the practice itself feels challenging and inaccessible. That’s where the A.W.E. Method comes in. In The Power of Awe, therapist Jake Eagle and chronic pain specialist Michael Amster, MD, share their extraordinary yet simple mindfulness practice that turns ordinary moments into awe-inducing experiences, helping you effortlessly achieve a heightened state of consciousness usually reserved for seasoned practitioners of mindfulness—all within a matter of seconds.

A.W.E. stands for Attention, Wait, Exhale and Expand, and the method is a five- to fifteen-second, three-step process—a type of “microdosing mindfulness,” or a brief, informal mindfulness practice supported by research conducted at UC Berkeley. The A.W.E. Method quickly transports us into awe, an incredibly powerful emotion that produces wonderment and a heightened state of consciousness along with some remarkable changes in the mind and body that can improve health and wellness.

Experiencing awe does not require any demanding discipline or skills or “awesome” settings. The A.W.E. Method ensures that awe and its many benefits are accessible to you at any time, in any place—sitting at a stoplight, cooking a meal, petting an animal, or listening to a loved one’s laugh.

©2023 Jake Eagle, LPC and Michael Amster, MD (P)2023 Hachette Go

Critic reviews

"Able guides Jake Eagle and Michael Amster empower us to find awe in the ordinary and throughout the day, let go of the filters of naming and categorizing experiences, and open instead to a more receptive state of mind—to reawaken a ‘beginner’s mind’ and take in the breadth of life’s majesty."—Daniel J. Siegel, MD, New York Times bestselling author of IntraConnected: MWe (Me + We) As the Integral of Self, Identity, and Belonging

“I love this book! It’s direct, powerful, heartfelt, and grounded in science. Frankly, I am in awe of the deep practices offered by the authors. A gem.”—Rick Hanson, PhD, senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Great Good Science Center, and New York Times bestselling author

“A powerful, practical, science-backed book that shows us how finding awe everywhere, every day is essential to our health and well-being. In The Power of Awe, the authors generously share their A.W.E. Method, a novel, and refreshing approach to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain by finding awe in the ordinary.”—Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety

Awesome

Life enhancing, valuable information and highly recommended, will add to your life and filled with positive thoughts.

A simple but profound tool for a belter life.

many philosophies and religions have told us this truth but often without instruction. This is useful for anyone regardless of background.

Only for the Very Beginner Mindfulness Seeker

I was very disappointed in this book. It may be fine for someone who knows nothing about mindfulness training but I learned absolutely nothing new. If you've ever studied Eckhart Tolle skip this one.