A Contemplation on Cultivating “The Overview Effect”

Many astronauts over the past 50+ years have experienced “The Overview Effect”: states of awe and self-transcendence while in space. They feel a transformed connection to their fellow man and the Earth as a whole. How can we share in that experience in our daily lives and our organizational leadership?"

From Wikipedia:

“The overview effect is a cognitive shift reported by some astronauts while viewing the Earth from space. Researchers have characterized the effect as ‘a state of awe with self-transcendent qualities, precipitated by a particularly striking visual stimulus’. The effect can cause changes in the observer’s self-concept and value system, and can be transformative… Broadly, Yaden et al. (2016) state that the most prominent common aspects of the astronauts’ experience were appreciation and perception of beauty, unexpected and even overwhelming emotion, and an increased sense of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole.^”[1]

For many thousands of years, there have been practices that humans have engaged in that have brought to them similar experiences to what is described by astronauts in “The Overview Effect,” without having to travel into space. What many of us in the 20^th and 21^st centuries have lost is the contemplative practice of noticing how, in each moment of our life, we are connected to other people and to the earth in what we are doing and what we are consuming.

This is especially true with increasing technological engagement, city living, and the ease of which we can fulfill our individual wants, hopes and dreams without a relationship with earth or other people. In this experience, we seem to have lost a connectedness that astronauts are finding, again, as they go out further and further from the Earth.

The same Wikipedia page goes on to say:

‘With recognition of the cost and environmental pollution involved in actual space travel, immersive virtual reality simulations have been designed to try to induce the overview effect in earthbound participants.”

I propose that practicing and teaching our youth how to deeply engage with others and the earth in the present moment can bring similar feelings and perceptions of beauty, unexpected and overwhelming emotions, and increased sense of connection to other people and the earth, without needing to travel to the outer reaches of the atmosphere or even engaging in virtual reality. Reality, in every minute of our human existence has all the ingredients that we need to cultivate this same experience, if only we take the time to pay attention and notice.

In recent years, business leaders, spiritual leaders in various religions, and even the news media have all begun to talk about how bringing more “mindfulness” into the home, the family, the workplace, daily living and spiritual practice can reduce stress and provide an increased positive experience of life and in relationship.[2] What is less talked about is that, if one cultivates into their mindfulness practice, an awareness of how others and the earth contribute to one’s daily living and enjoyment, an increased connectedness to both others and the earth is naturally cultivated. Once one becomes aware of the connectedness, it is much easier to notice the connections and feel connected.

With the awareness of the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and with so many apps and platforms that people are accessing around the world to facilitate their practice (with the intention to find more enjoyment and peace in their lives), it is interesting that more environmental action proponents and supporters have not focused energy into the space of mindfulness as another resource. It is a simple resource that could assist facilitating, throughout our world, the deep connections to the Earth that can be cultivated by each person just being a little more aware, in each moment, about the Earth’s function in what one is doing throughout their day and what one is consuming.

As I see it, the real issue with the “mindless” actions that we often take relative to the Earth is that most of us are so used to the gifts we receive from the Earth at our fingertips that it is easy to just “mindlessly” consume and forget to have gratitude for how easy the Earth and its bounty has made it for those of us living in the industrial world to live and thrive. I perceive that, when we simply are reminded of our deep and constant connection to the earth and dependence on its resources for life, as the astronauts are in the experience of looking back at the earth from such a distance, it is much easier to realize what a beautiful gift we have in the earth and what a shame it would be to squander that gift.

The gratitude practice of mindfulness has been taught for thousands of years in many spiritual and religious traditions, and even in secular spaces, as something that can help address loss of enjoyment of life and any sense of a feeling of disconnection; it can also help improve health and be used as a treatment for depression.[3] When I teach mindfulness practices and offer meditations on gratitude, I specifically focus on noticing the gifts of the earth that are consumed throughout the day and being intentionally grateful for everything noticed.

It truly is amazing to contemplate all of the gifts brought by the earth from the time one wakes up to the time one goes to sleep, and even while one is sleeping – amazing even when we simply contemplate the air that we breathe, the ground that holds us as we walk, the gravity that keeps our feet on the ground, each of the morsels of food that we put in our mouths throughout the day, and the water and other liquids that we drink to sustain life, along with where it all comes from, throughout the world, again and again, for our benefit.

From this practice, I have obtained a deep understanding of how important it is to meditate on the gifts of the Earth in order to stay connected to the Earth and its other inhabitants, and I perceive, in a way, it brings me to my own version of The Overview Effect. I say this because I perceive my experience in the practice is very similar to that described by the astronaut looking back and contemplating the Earth from a distance, and it is beautiful to be a able to cultivate that experience without needing to take a rocket into outer space.

A Short Example Contemplative Meditation on the Earth

Sitting in the space that you occupy, and coming into stillness of mind to the extent possible, and breathing for a couple of breaths, and then…

Noticing your breath and the air that you breathe and contemplating where that air you are breathing comes from, including the plants that take the carbon dioxide from your outbreath to turn it into the next inbreath for you, and how that inbreath brings you nourishment, and then…

Noticing the ground under you, and, if it is not ground, noticing how where you are is connected to the ground, and imagining how far down into the core of the Earth the ground under you is connected to provide this support for you, sitting here, and then…

Remembering back to the moments of the beginning of this day and to the moments of the day as it has unfolded up to this moment, noticing what you consumed that was provided to you by the earth, from the air, the water, to the food, to the clothing and even the fuel that warmed you and supported any transportation you engaged, and then…

Noticing everything that supported your existence from the time that you woke up this morning to the time of this contemplation originated with the earth that now holds you in place and supports you being here, in this moment, and then…

Noticing that all of the resources that have supported you in this life and continue to support your existence are freely given by the earth, and then…

As you notice the abundance of this, generating from your heart, as extensively as you are able, in this moment, a sense gratitude for everything that you have just contemplated, and then…

Noticing if you can expand that sense of gratitude outside of yourself around you to everything that exists around you in this moment, and then…

Just sitting in this experience of contemplation and sensing the gratitude that you can generate for the earth and what it provides, acknowledging that the earth’s resources are not infinite and noticing any sense you might have to want to preserve this experience that you are having for your future and future generations, and then…

Just being in that contemplation, with all that it means to you for a couple of moments.

As you move on with your day, notice what choices you make or do not make as a result of this mindful contemplation and meditation on your own personal gratitude and intention for the earth. Notice too your constant connection to the earth and its resources and all of us who are here with you similarly connected.

Thank you.

[1] Overview effect – Wikipedia (see also omitted citations contained on referenced page)

[2] For Example: 5 Ways To Increase Your Happiness, According to Science – CNET; The Top 8 Benefits of Mindfulness (health.com)

[3] Expressing gratitude to improve health – Mayo Clinic Health System