A joyful approach to awe. Connection in a small group.
Join a small group to saunter through a lovely urban space, noticing things vast and tiny. Dr. Dacher Keltner, an Awe Scientist, has found that cultivating the emotion of awe improves our mental and physical health. Dacher describes awe as a practice of noticing your place in the world with openness and surprise. His research team offer Awe Walks as a simple way to cultivate and notice awe. Apart from the science, it’s simply pleasant: when summer arrives in the pacific northwest, we want to enjoy the outdoors! Gathering Ground Community Member CJ Roberts will lightly facilitate our time as we walk about a mile at a leisurely pace. You will leave with a few pointers to explore your own awe walks, connections with a friendly circle, and maybe a short poem!
We’ll host two walks. Our other walk is July 15 at the Arboretum. You are welcome to join both or just one of them. Please bring something to drink and dress for the weather. Each walk will last about an hour, plus time to meet up and reflect together at the end. Not available these days? Take yourself on an Awe Walk! Tool kit here.
Meet-up location: We'll meet at Cowen Park entry to the Ravenna Ravine intersection of Brooklyn Avenue NE & NE 61st Street, Seattle, WA, 98105. There is abundant free street parking. Accessible by many Metro Bus lines and .5 miles from the Roosevelt Light Rail Station
Accessibility notes: Our route goes over well-packed pathways with no steps. It is accessible for a motorized wheelchair or stroller. There are not benches at every pause point. So if standing is an issue, please let us know. We would like to work together with you to bring a folding stool or find other ways you could join in. Some of us will end the event by cooling off in the Ravenna wading pool.
The walking route will be about 1.3 miles long to our destination. You have the option to return the same way or take a shorter 0.6 mile route back by the streets. There are restrooms and water at our destination, which is 5520 Ravenna Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105.
Contributions are warmly welcomed to meet our program expenses, which are about $20/person. Everyone is welcome to join in at whatever level is right for you: we all make this happen together!
Feel free to email us with questions: gatheringround.seattle@gmail.com