There is a word in Japanese language – komorebi. It is made up of the characters for tree, shine through, and sun. An eloquent word, komorebi rolls off the tongue in a much more poetic way than the English equivalent of ‘dappled light shining through the forest canopy’. 

Finding awe in komorebi

Komorebi is a phenomenon that never fails to invoke the feeling of awe, at least that’s my experience. I love the depth of contrast caused by komorebi in early mornings and late afternoons when the sun is low in the sky. The burst of sunrays finding their way through thick canopy, or the contrast in colours of vibrant green leaves backlit against muted-shades of green. 

Sometimes on bushwalks I am stuck in my head, ruminating over a worry, trying to solve a problem, or just simply distracted. Then I catch sight of a backlit fern or vine and it grabs my attention. For a moment I’m out of my pre-occupation and instead joyfully caught up in an appreciation of colour and light. I’m in a state of awe. I’m transcending my self. I am part of something bigger than me.

In recent years the science of awe has become a topic of study. We may think about awe and our mind grabs on the big moments – like seeing thousand-year old rice terraces, or witnessing the birth of a baby. However, researchers are bringing to light the importance of finding awe in the little things, and especially in nature. For example, a conscious noticing of komorebi and the awe it invokes. Not only does it make us feel wonder, but it has a flow-on effect to other positive feelings such as joy and gratitude. Noticing awe has even been shown to increase satisfaction in life.