According to Chassidus, emotionally healthy awe begins through curiosity and noticing patterns.
A person notices the wisdom in creation, the way life is continually given, the importance of human choices, and the deeper patterns found in Torah and experience.
These patterns help the mind recognize that the Infinite Creator is here, and that reality comes from a Source with wisdom, free choice, and a desire to give goodness.
When that understanding becomes emotionally real, it becomes awe.
____________________
How does healthy awe turn into love?
Healthy awe then leads to love if you trust the Creator is good.
That love includes joy because the Creator gives us life, allows closeness, makes life a conversation with Him, and trusts humanity with partnership.
That intimacy can includes sadness because His goodness is still hidden, the relationship could be felt and revealed more deeply, and the world could reveal much more goodness.
____________________
How can beliefs about the Creator block love?
But beliefs about the Creator affect whether this love can develop.
If someone believes the Creator is cruel, unfair, unpredictable, or like a bully who tortures people in the World of Souls, the nervous system is more likely to protect itself from Him than to open itself to love.
That belief may create fear, but it does not naturally create the deeper love that grows from trusting His goodness.
____________________
Why do trauma patterns numb awe?
Adaptive trauma patterns can also numb this process.
Fight (which often shows up as narcissism), flight (which is avoidance), freeze (which looks like inaction or shutdown), and fawn, which often appears as people-pleasing, narrow a person’s attention toward staying safe.
They make it harder for the nervous system to stay present long enough to notice the patterns that awaken awe.
A person may understand ideas about the Creator intellectually while having very little ability to feel wonder, closeness, sadness, or joy.
____________________
How does curiosity reopen awe?
Curiosity begins to reopen that ability.
As a person becomes less controlled by survival patterns, they can notice reality more honestly, recognize more of the Creator’s wisdom and goodness, and allow that recognition to become felt awe.
That awe can cause love if you trust He is good, the intimacy can contain joy in the closeness that is already possible, and sadness that His goodness could be revealed even more.
Related guides:
Every world view contains mystery:People pleasing and misguided awe is like idol worship: One unhealthy spiritual pattern is misdirected awe
Jewish secret to transform suffering into goodness: You can have good arguments and still struggle with fear, shame, or people-pleasing
Emotionally healthy beliefs about the world of souls: Maimonides [Rambam] describes the World to Come as fully spiritual
Questions people ask
How does emotionally healthy awe begin?
It begins with curiosity. A person notices the wisdom in creation, the way life is continually given, the importance of human choices, and the deeper patterns found in Torah and experience. Those patterns help the mind recognize the Infinite Creator, and when that understanding becomes emotionally real, it becomes awe. Curiosity and noticing patterns are the emotional skills at work.
Can healthy awe include sadness as well as joy?
Yes. Healthy awe leads to love when you trust the Creator is good, and that love includes joy, because He gives us life, allows closeness, and trusts humanity with partnership. The same closeness can hold sadness, because His goodness is still hidden. Letting joy and sadness sit together is an emotional skill.
Why is it so hard to feel awe when I live in survival mode?
Adaptive trauma patterns numb the process. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn (which is people-pleasing) narrow your attention toward staying safe, so the nervous system cannot stay present long enough to notice the patterns that awaken awe. You may understand ideas about the Creator and still feel very little wonder or closeness.
How can curiosity help me feel close to the Creator again?
Curiosity begins to reopen that ability. As you become less controlled by survival patterns, you can notice reality more honestly, recognize more of the Creator's wisdom and goodness, and let that recognition become felt awe. Honest noticing and curiosity are emotional skills, and awe that grows from them can turn into love.
Explore the NextSelf Blog. Start with this post explaining the world of souls. And my Youtube.
The blog lists all the difference patterns to study, understanding patterns is how one can develop 'Daas' [felt knowing].
Update: As awe, trust, and love deepen, they can allow greater openness and intimacy with the Creator. That intimacy can include sadness when you notice how much more of His goodness can be revealed.