Elation: The Amazing Effect of Witnessing Acts of Kindness

By Steve Taylor, Ph.D.

Guest writer for Wake Up World

I have a friend who used to live in Pakistan, where he was an animal rights activist. One day, he was walking through his home city when he saw a crowd gathered around the stall of a bird seller. A man had bought some myna birds — a popular caged bird in Pakistan, because of their ability to mimic sounds — and was releasing them. One by one, he took them out of the cage, and let them fly free. In all, he bought 32 of the birds, just to set them free.

My friend was amazed by this act of altruism, partly because — as he put it — “such acts of charity were not so common in my part of the world where people are not so kind to animals in general.” But he was also amazed at his own reaction to the act. He was filled with a deep sense of peace. A strange quietness filled his surroundings, and he felt completely free of worry or anxiety. The sense of peace and joy remained with him for a few days, and, in his words, “I believe it is still there to some degree.”

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This is a powerful example of an experience which most of us are familiar with, even though psychologists haven’t paid much attention to it so far. It’s the fantastic warm, elevated feeling we get when we witness acts of kindness. Even the most simple altruistic acts might give you a touch of this: a passer-by giving his packed lunch to a homeless man, a stranger offering to help a blind person cross the road, or a subway passenger giving up his seat for a old lady. Or when we see seeming acts of kindness amongst animals — for example, perhaps you could watch this short video now, and observe your response.

In this way, witnessing altruistic acts can be a source of what Abraham Maslow called ‘peak experiences’ — those moments of awe, wonder and a sense of ‘rightness’ which make us feel immensely grateful to be alive.

Jonathan Haidt is one of the few psychologists to discuss this type of peak experience. He calls it ‘elation’ and describes it as a “warm feeling in the chest, a sensation of expansion in [the] heart, an increased desire to help, and increased sense of connection with others.” It is, in his words, “a manifestation of humanity’s ‘higher’ or ‘better’ nature.”

In fact, this may be one reason why the experience occurs — because it brings a renewed faith in human nature, a sense of the sheer goodness which human beings are often capable of, which sometimes might seem difficult to see amidst the chaos and conflict of everyday life. But the sense of connection mentioned by Haidt is undoubtedly important too. As I suggested in my last blog post, altruism transcends the separateness we often experience as human beings. It connects us to one another — and in fact, pure altruism is only possible because, at the deepest level, all human beings are part of the same network of consciousness. The person who performs the altruistic act experiences this, and perhaps the recipient of the act of kindness too. And when we witness the act, we become part of the network too.

So when you consider performing an act of kindness, think about its potential three way positive effect. There’s the positive effect on the recipient, and the positive effect on you — you might find yourself experiencing the positive emotion of the ‘helper’s high.’ But perhaps the biggest effect of all will be on a passer-by who just happens to witness the act.

Spiritual Science

Steve Taylor’s new book, Spiritual Science: Why Science Needs Spirituality to Make Sense of the World, is available now. It offers a new vision of the world that is compatible with both modern science and ancient spiritual teachings. Highly recommended reading.

About the author:

Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer in Psychology at Leeds Beckett University, UK. His latest books in the US are The Calm Center and Back to Sanity: Healing the Madness of the Human Mind. He is also the author of The Fall, Waking From Sleep, and Out Of The Darkness. His books have been published in 19 languages. His research has appeared in The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, The Journal of Consciousness Studies, The Transpersonal Psychology Review, The International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, as well as the popular media in the UK, including on BBC World TV, The Guardian, and The Independent.

As the author of Out Of The Darkness, one of Steve’s research interests is “awakening experiences” — moments when our normal awareness intensifies and we feel a sense of connection and meaning. What causes these experiences? Is it possible to control them? Steve’s work also examines the sources of psychological suffering — Why is it that human beings find it so difficult to be contented? His research also shows that many awakening experiences are triggered by intense psychological turmoil, such as depression and loss.

Connect with Steve at StevenMTaylor.com.

Recommended reading by Steve Taylor, Ph.D:

• The Power of Forgiveness: The Transformational Effect of Letting Go of Resentment
• More Than a Chemical Imbalance – Why Depression Cannot Be Cured By Medication Alone
• Harmony of Being – Returning to Our True Nature
• Transcendent Sexuality — How Sex Can Generate Higher States of Consciousness
• The Power Of Silence
• Happiness Comes from Giving and Helping, Not Buying and Having
• Empathy – The Power of Connection
• If Women Ruled the World – Is a Matriarchal Society the Solution?
• The Puzzle of Near-Death Experiences
• The Voice Inside Your Head
• Beyond Anxiety: The Roots of Anxiety and How to Transcend It

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