Podbit · The Mel Robbins Podcast
Awe deactivates the brain's default mode network — the ego headquarters — and activates the vagus nerve, releasing oxytocin and quieting the mental noise of to-do lists and self-criticism. In that opened mind, you see yourself as part of something vast.
Where this was said
At 49:15 · chapter starts 47:15
Mel sets the scene with her upcoming Grand Canyon rafting trip and her obsession with catching barred owls at dusk, and Dr. Keltner uses these as entry points into the neuroscience of awe. When you encounter something beyond your frame of reference, the brain's default mode network — the headquarters of ego, to-do lists, and self-referential anxiety — deactivates. In its place, the vagus nerve activates, calming the heart, opening the chest, and producing a feeling of connection to others. Oxytocin is released, generating a 'we are all one' sensation. The immune system functions better. And crucially, the mind expands: you see yourself not as an isolated individual but as part of a larger ecosystem, a bigger story. Dr. Keltner's own experience backpacking with his daughter Natalie illustrates this — awe in nature consistently produces the feeling of being part of life itself, not separate from it [1] — Dacher Keltner "Awe deactivates the brain's default mode network — the ego headquarters — and activates the vagus nerve, releasing oxytocin and quieting th…" 49:15 .
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