Awe—an emotion often considered ineffable—promotes mental and physical health by engaging five processes: shifts in neurophysiology, diminished self-focus, increased prosocial relationality, greater social integration, and a heightened sense of meaning. Experiences of awe arising in nature, spirituality, music, collective movement, and psychedelics strengthen the mind and body through these pathways.
This review discusses how psychedelics produce acute subjective effects, including positive emotions such as awe and joy, and outlines the science of positive emotions. Despite a rich literature on distinct emotions and their different correlates and consequences, distinct emotions in psychedelic science remain understudied. Understanding the role of specific positive emotions in psychedelic experiences could help clarify the connection between the acute subjective effects of psychedelics and their therapeutic outcomes, such as decreased depression, anxiety, and substance misuse.