Episode Details

Dr. Michael Amster is a pain management physician who spent decades teaching mindfulness, only to realize a hard truth: for most people, meditation is a struggle. Between the attention economy and the monkey mind, the path to peace often feels like a battle. But what if you could access the bliss of a 10-day silent retreat in just 15 seconds while making your morning coffee?

In this episode, Dr. Amster shares the breakthrough research behind The A.W.E. Method: a micro-dosing practice that leverages the physiology of wonder to quiet the default mode network and activate the vagus nerve. He recounts his own journey from having panic attacks during his medical boards to discovering that "radical amazement" is a biological necessity, not just a poetic luxury.

Corissa and Dr. Amster dive deep into the mechanics of the Awegasm: those spine-tingling moments of connection, and the quieter, everyday magic of sensorial awe. They explore how this practice is revolutionizing chronic pain treatment by shifting the internal equation of suffering.

In this episode, we cover:

• The MCAT Panic: How a young medical student’s anxiety led him to a Vipassana retreat that was "harder than med school combined."
• The A.W.E. Protocol: A breakdown of the 3-step method (Attention, Wait, Exhale/Expand) that resets the nervous system in under 20 seconds.
• The Pain Equation: Dr. Amster explains why Suffering = Pain x Resistance, and how awe lowers the resistance variable to reduce physical agony.
• Hands-On Healing: Why making sourdough bread or eating with your hands isn't just tactile...it's a gateway to sensorial awe that aids digestion and grounding.
• Identity Expansion: Using awe to move from a constricted identity ("I am a chronic pain patient") to an expanded one ("I am a part of this beautiful mystery").

Notable Quotes:

• "You can't force happiness to happen... but we can always access the emotion of awe. Awe is free and readily available all the time." — Dr. Michael Amster
• "Suffering equals pain times resistance. If we're less resistant... our perception of pain is much less." — Dr. Michael Amster
• "Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement... Never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed." — Dr. Michael Amster (quoting Rabbi Heschel)

Resources & Links:

• Buy the Book, The Power of Awe by Dr. Michael Amster and Jake Eagle: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Awe-Overcome-Burnout-Purpose-ebook/dp/B09ZB5JGCK
• Learn More About The Power of Awe: https://thepowerofawe.com 
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepowerofawebook 
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thepowerofawebook
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thepowerofawe 

Connect with Corissa:

• Explore the Advisory. https://corissasaintlaurent.com/advisory
• Inquire for Keynotes. https://corissasaintlaurent.com/speaking

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