Everyday Reverence

And how it shifts everything.

I have a thing for words. I love exploring the feeling they can ignite in me.

One that's been on my mind lately is reverence.

Reverence; a deep respect for someone or something. To hold in high regard. To be in awe.

How good does it feel to be in deep reverence of something? And even more magical is that it's all around us.

When I was in New York a few weeks ago I was walking on my way to Washington Square park when I passed by one of the many beautiful churches that you can find in the city.

I was instantly drawn to it, and something told me to stop and step inside. And when I get those intuitive hits, I always listen. I'm not a religious person but I am a spiritual one and I'm always drawn to energy. In places. People. Everything. So I felt the pull and moved through the open door and inside was an invitation to calm and quiet in a city that's forever buzzing. The perfect balance for me because I love to be in buzzy spaces observing life but because I tend to take on so much of the energy around me I need just as much space to be quiet. I walked in and met the caretaker who was very friendly and keen to give me the history of the church which I loved because learning stories always makes me feel more connected to anything. After chatting with him briefly I said thank you his time and moved to one of the pews to simply sit in silence. I was in awe of the stained glass windows, how the sunlight peaked through to give them life. I marvelled at the hand painted mural at the front and how the beauty of it all has lasted through the years. The craftsmanship of the entire space. I imagined all the people who might have sat in this same spot over a span of more than a hundred years.

For respite.

For hope.

For celebration.

For mourning.

For prayer.

For connection.

The reverence of it all moved through me in the most beautiful way and shifted my energy for the rest of the day.

Imagine missing that opportunity? These are the moments. These are the opportunities we have to shift our way of being in the world.

We've lost this reverence for life in our modern world because we think we have to always be looking for the bigger, better thing. But what if everything around us in an opportunity to bring this back into our reality?

“I cannot but have Reverence for all that is called life. That is the beginning and foundation of morality.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Reverence for food. To have a deep appreciation for where it comes from and how it's grown or made. To show respect by cooking it with intention. Finally to take the time enjoy it and allow it to be a source of deep nourishment and pleasure. This is one I wish more of us did. This over fast food any day.

Reverence for our bodies. How amazing they are and all they're able to do on a daily basis, seen and unseen. To show them deep respect and hold in the highest regard by doing the things that best support them.

Reverence for nature and all that she provides.

I could go on and on but the point is it's all right here in front of us.

An it isn't complicated. It's as easy as stopping and looking around for a minute and remembering how magical it is that we're here on earth in this exact moment in time.

The more present and aware I am, the more reverence I have for everything. The more in awe of life I am.

And while we're at it let's add the word awe into the mix too. Because they do go hand in hand.

Psychologist, Dacher Kelter defined it best in his book as; the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.

Being in awe of something is like a reset button for the brain. When you look at something and you can't quite make sense of it. And when we look around there's so much we can find to be in awe of that's often overlooked. The amazing part is that when we choose to be in awe of even the smallest of things, it makes us that much more curious and open to the infinite possibility of life.

'We can find awe not just in the stars but in the stardust that constitutes everything—even the most mundane objects on Earth. - Eben Harell

How amazing is it that we can change our perspective on life simply by choosing a different way of thinking about it?

More everyday reverence. More everyday awe. More infinite possibility.

Yes please.

More things: 

Learn more about my Nourished Living Mentorship program. Applications are open for January Intake.

If you’re looking for some simple practices for more seasonal living, you can grab the Nourished With The Seasons - A Guide To Seasonal Living.

Ready to learn the pleasure and the principles of cooking well? Let’s THE CREATIVE KITCHEN This if for you if you want to learn some foundational cooking skills, find your own creativity and flow in the kitchen and connect to your food more. Because that’s what it’s all about!