reverence
Awakening awe amongst the complexity of existence
Second layer of our Earth Medicine Integration Programme
“What you encounter, recognise or discover depends to a large degree on the quality of your approach. Many of the ancient cultures practiced careful rituals of approach. An encounter of depth and spirit was preceded by careful preparation. When we approach with reverence, great things decide to approach us. Our real life comes to the surface and its light awakens the concealed beauty in things. When we walk on the earth with reverence, beauty will decide to trust us. The rushed heart and arrogant mind lack the gentleness and patience to enter that embrace.”
― John O'Donohue
be awe-ful
Cultivating awe and reverence within our lives is our path towards deepened perspective, with an appreciation of the magnitude of existence. By experiencing awe, we can gain a profound understanding of our place in the universe and recognise ourselves as integral parts of a vast and intricately woven tapestry, whose mystery can fuel our wonder, sense of purpose and creativity.
Awe is a powerful emotion that arises when we encounter something greater than ourselves, something that exceeds our usual frame of reference. It can be evoked by natural wonders like a breathtaking sunset, a majestic mountain range or the vastness of the night sky filled with stars. It can also be inspired by remarkable acts of courage or artistic masterpieces that move us deeply. Entheogens remind us that we can find awe by looking at a bee land on a flower or at the patterns and lines across our palms. Awe opens us up to a sense of wonder, curiosity and humility, reminding us of our smallness in the face of the immense universe.
When we experience awe, our perception expands beyond our individual concerns and focuses. We become aware of the interconnectedness of all things and gain a deeper understanding of the web of life. We realise that we are not isolated entities, but rather integral components of a larger whole. This awareness fosters a sense of unity and connectedness, encouraging us to act with greater empathy, compassion, and stewardship toward the world around us (and within us).
Reverence is an attitude of honouring life and its mysteries and complexities. It is to dwell in gratitude for the beauty and diversity that exists within the tapestry of existence. Amongst a society of mechanical ruling, it is a muscle to be re-ignited and strengthened. We shift our perspective from one focused solely on our individual desires and concerns to a broader, more interconnected understanding and appreciation. This shift allows us to transcend our ego-self and tap into a deeper, multigenerational sense of purpose and meaning. We begin to see ourselves as active participants in a dynamic, ever-evolving world of emergence.
In cultures often characterised by busyness, distraction and relentless pursuits of material gains, cultivating awe and reverence provides a much-needed counterculture. It helps us find solace, inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose. It encourages us to slow down, be present and saviour life, here and now.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.”
― Rumi
"Stride deeper and deeper into the world."
—Mary Oliver
“To take the world into one's arms and act towards it in a soul-filled and soul-strengthening manner is a powerful act of wildish spirit.”
― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
awe walks
Awe walks are a very simple exercise where you are encouraged to take a walk with a heightened focus on the details of the world around you, tapping into your childlike sense of wonder. A recent study showed that a weekly 15 minute awe walk increased positive prosocial emotions and facilitated decreases in mental distress in people’s day-to-day emotional state over time, so helping to foster social connection and reduce stagnant, heavy emotions. In addition, the more people sought out awe, the more they experienced awe over time.
With the right outlook, awe can be found almost anywhere, but it is most likely to occur in places that involve two key features: physical vastness and novelty. No matter where you choose to take your walk, these two general guidelines should increase your opportunities to find awe-inspiring moments.
First, try to tap into your childlike sense of wonder. During your walk, try to approach what you see with fresh eyes, imagining that you are seeing it for the first time. Take a moment in each walk to take in the vastness of things, for example in looking at a panoramic view or up close at the detail of a leaf or flower.
Second, go somewhere new. Each week, try to choose a new location. You’re more likely to feel awe in a novel environment where the sights and sounds are unexpected and unfamiliar to you. That said, some places never seem to get old, so there is nothing wrong with revisiting your favourite spots if you find that they consistently fill you with awe. If walking a familiar route, try and be mindful of different aspects of it and seek out new features of the same old place.
Try to maintain a fairly light to moderate pace while walking - no speed walking or jogging. Keep your phone on silent (or off!), and abstain from using it, listening to music or talking during the duration of the walk. Walking barefoot in nature has been found to increase nature connectedness, at least in the short term, by enhancing sensory contact with nature and attuning with Earth’s bioelectrical field. This gets harder into the colder months, so you can look into footwear that’s designed to help you stay connected to the ground beneath your feet, or be brave and create a moment for no shoes, even paddling in a cold stream.
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Tech free awe walks are the best, BUT if you feel disconnected from the birdsong around you and would like to deepen your learning, there are some brilliant birdsong ID apps. Learning the songs and folklore of the birds is a beautiful way to deepen how you relate with place. We have found the birds to be beautiful allies with ceremonial work especially… Equally, you can find apps that help you ID the flora. The most important thing is to slow down and stay curious with what is physically around you though, so only resort to the apps for longer term exploration if it calls to you!
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
― W.B. Yeats
deep ecology
One of the most profound ways to cultivate awe and belonging is to deepen your relationship with the ecology of your area. Becoming somatically familiar with your local ecosystem is a powerful way to connect with the beauty, wisdom and healing potential of the natural world. Use all of your senses to meet your more-than-human community. By learning about the wild plants, their medicinal properties, the stories and folklore associated with your local water sources, and so on, you can develop a profound relationship with the animate landscapes. This is a way to reclaim an indigenous relationship with the land that holds you, cultivating curiosity and awe along the way.
When you take the time to learn about the plants, trees, and other living organisms in your local ecosystem, you begin to recognise the intricate web of interdependence that sustains life. Exploring the stories, folklore and songs associated with your local water sources and ecosystems provides a window into the cultural heritage of the land. Indigenous cultures have rich oral traditions that pass down knowledge about the land, including tales of creation, wisdom teachings and the sacredness of specific natural sites. By immersing yourself in these stories and songs, you honour the cultural wisdom of the land and deepen your connection to its psycho-spiritual ecology (of which, human ecology plays a crucial part). There is deep awe to be found in these songs and stories.
You can seek out specific trees or natural features as council spots, where you can sit, meditate or engage in contemplation. These practices invite you to communicate with the land, seek guidance from the spirits of the place, and develop a reciprocal relationship based on respect and reverence. This connection to the natural world can help you find solace, perspective, and a deeper understanding of your place within the grand tapestry of existence.
We also encourage you to find learning pathways to deepen your experience. Direct transmission from real people in real life is always going to be the most energising and inspiring. If this doesn’t feel accessible to you, are there people in your life already who you can learn more from? A parent or friend who is a wonderful gardener, could you offer them some help in exchange for them showing you a few things? There is a certain fragility or vulnerability to this if you’ve spent a long while hiding or retreating, but going out into the world will always bring newness, insight and sustenance to the complexity of your being.
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Recall a specific moment in your life when you felt awe-struck by the grandeur of nature, whether it was a breathtaking landscape, a starry night sky or a powerful storm. Describe that experience in vivid, poetic detail, capturing the sights, sounds, and emotions that arose within you. Take a moment to feel your full self immersed in the memory. Setting a timer to 3 minutes might help you allow a right-brain flow.
Reflect on an encounter with a work of art, whether it be a painting, sculpture or piece of music, that deeply moved you and left you in awe. What was it about that artwork that evoked such a profound response? How did it make you see the world differently?
Think back to a time when you witnessed an act of kindness or compassion that left you in awe of the human capacity for love and empathy. Describe the details of that encounter and reflect on how it touched your heart and reminded you of inherent beauty.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of the ocean, watching the waves crash against the shore. Reflect on the vastness and power of the sea, and contemplate the metaphorical significance it holds in your life. What lessons can you draw from the ocean's beauty, depth and vastness?
Consider a moment when you witnessed the birth or growth of new life, whether it was a blooming flower, the birth of a child or the nurturing of a relationship. Reflect on the intricate processes that bring forth life and the awe-inspiring transformations that occur.
Take a walk in nature and pay close attention to the small details that often go unnoticed. Observe the intricate patterns of leaves, the delicate dance of a butterfly or the harmonious songs of birds. Choose one element that captures your attention and delve into its beauty. Write about its complexity and how it reminds you of the intricate interconnectedness of all things.
Imagine yourself as a poet observing the world with fresh eyes. Take a walk in your neighbourhood or visit a place of natural beauty, and seek out the beauty, paradox and complexity in the seemingly ordinary. Write a poem or a series of descriptive passages that capture the essence of what you see and feel, embracing the perspective of a poet - the permission slip to be abstract and liminal in your expression.
Find a specific plant, bird, tree or water source and write them a poem or love letter.
Find something in your view right in this moment, even a journal, pen or a ray of sun through the window, and have a conversation with it. Be childlike, give it animacy, ask questions, see what happens.
Feel free to modify or adapt these prompts to suit your own writing style and preferences. Allow your thoughts and emotions to flow freely as you explore moments of awe and the beauty that emerges from life's intricate tapestry.
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Books
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowlege and the Teachings of Plants - Robin Wall Kimmerer
Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology - David Abram
Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth - James E. Lovelock
World as Lover, World as Self - Joanna Macy
Animate Earth - Stephan Harding
Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth - Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (Editor)
If you’d like to add more books to this list - please use our shared resources doc.
Find a place outside in nature with a focus point or bring a piece of nature into a comfortable space for this simple moment of presence and contemplation.
crafting ritual in the everyday
Why create ritual?
Ritual is a practice that asks us to gather in circle or individually and follow the deep, ancestrally familiar imagination to guide the moment. It helps us embody a shift or transformation in a language more familiar to the archetypal psyche. Ritual can help us process grief and love simultaneously. It can carry our deepest yearnings into the arms of the animate everything. For us, it is an intuitive practice that brings us closer to awe, and a healing sense of ‘otherness’, beyondness or spirit.
“When we cross the threshold and enter into the healing ground of ritual, we are able to pass into a territory that grants us permission to be authentically who we are. We need the invisible hands of Spirit to shelter us, to support us, and to offer us the nourishing comfort that comes from the Other World. This concert between the human and the sacred in ancient; it is held in the bones. Trust this bond. It is our healing ground.”
— Francis Weller
water
Every morning, before you drink your first sip of water, take a moment for reverence with the water in your hands. Thank the water, treasure it’s essence in your life and in your body, and wish well on the waters of the world. Then take your first sip with as much presence as you can - feel the water’s texture, taste and primordial presence from the moment it touches your lips.
altar
Create an altar of objects to connect you with a sense of awe and reverence. From the indigenous teachings we know, an altar is both practical and deeply symbolic. Simply having a representation for each element can be a beautiful way to reflect on the alchemy of existence. Be creative and make it feel reverent for you and your needs. You can also create altars or art in nature, such as mandalas with fallen leaves, and so on.
intuitive
Feel into the shift or process you want to nurture or cultivate and bring forth your own ritual to embody the change. Reading Weller’s ‘The Wild Edge of Sorrow’ will give you further insight into the intuited ritual ground belonging to us all.
Step closer to the story that scares you~
the one that has you gasping for air
in the night, searching for ground.
This one wants to take you past
the lip of the void to the birthplace
of stars, where all stories dissolve
into the blessing of original song.
Leap into the love that terrifies—
you know just what it will do.
It will un-hinge every door in your house.
It will blow in like a hurricane
and re-arrange your furniture.
It will howl like a banshee through your bones
and leave you delightfully hollow.
Without this love you are only playing
at this life– and you are so tired of that!
Turn your wild horses out
into the fields in the morning,
when first light purples the hills.
They are hungry for this earth
under hoof, this thunder of full gallop.
They may trample all the places
you have so carefully tended.
They may leave you in a cloud of dust.
And yet, this is the only way
they will return to you truly,
without a fence to keep them in.
Let the current lift you
out of the churning eddy.
There is only one place where this river flows—
through slot canyons and the eyes of midnight,
through singing valleys and greening glens.
These holy waters will have their way with you.
They are dreaming you into a body of light.
Why fight what you most long for?
— The Story - by Laura Weaver
integration navigation
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Integration Home
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Relationship
Connect deeply with yourself, others and the living world through the continued cultivation of presence, authentic expression and intimacy with the landscapes within and without.
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Reciprocity
Find meaning in your day to day interactions with the world around you through strengthening your acts of reciprocity, whilst celebrating your innate capacity for giving and receiving.