“Reverence is the way of radical respect. It recognizes and honors the presence of the sacred in everything — our bodies, other people, animals, plants, rocks, the earth, and the waters. It is even an appropriate attitude to bring to our material things since they are the co-creations of humans and the Creator.
Nothing is too trivial or second-class for reverence. But it has to be demonstrated with concrete actions. Don’t abuse your body — eat right, exercise, and get enough rest. Don’t abuse the earth by being wasteful of its gifts. Protect the environment for your neighbors and future generations.
Reverence is also a kind of radical amazement, a deep feeling tinged with both mystery and wonder. Approaching the world with reverence, we are likely to experience its sister — awe. Allow yourself to be moved beyond words.
There is one unmistakable message in the spiritual practice of reverence: because everything is touched by the sacred, everything has worth. This practice, then, builds self-esteem.
Its opposite is irreverence, the ‘dissing’ of the Creation. Examples aren’t hard to come by: pollution, wasteful consumption, cruelty to animals, exploitation of forests, and overuse of the land. On a personal level, irreverence may manifest as ennui, a kind of world-weariness. Or it may take the form of a defiant disregard for the feelings of others and a reckless, devil-may-care, use of resources.”
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