Awe is considered a self-transcendent positive emotion. Awe has been defined as the perception of vastness (immense size, scope, or complexity) accompanied by the need for accommodation. Accommodation is the reorganization of mental schema to accommodate experiences that exceed our existing schema.

Neural Entrainment (Also Brainwave Entrainment) is the synchronization of neural responses (Brainwaves) to rhythmic external stimuli. Music, speech, flickering lights and the undulating forms in water and fire all provide these kinds of rhythmic stimuli. Hypnosis is a form of neural entrainment.

Pareidolia is the perception of meaningful imagery in random or ambiguous visual stimuli, such as seeing faces, animals, or other objects, in clouds or other visual stimuli. Originally considered a form of delusion, Pareidolia is now understood to be a fundamental aspect of perception, imagination, and creativity.

Novelty is a fundamental aspect of awe, pareidolia, creativity, and imagination. When your brain is unable to recognize or categorize what it is seeing, it tries to imagine what it might be seeing. This is the mechanism behind pareidolia. A novel stimulus focuses and intensifies attention and presence. Awe is, in essence, a response to novelty. When we experience something that exceeds or contradicts our previous experience, it inspires awe.