Awaken Your Senses: Exercises for Exploring the Wonder of God by J. Brent Bill and Beth Booram awakens the senses to explore the plenitude of wonders God has created. This excerpt speaks of the humbling power of wonder.
Awe: The Delights and Dangers of Our Eleventh Emotion by Paul Pearsall is a pioneering examination of this spiritual quality. In this passage he identifies eight common characteristics which help us detect awe, including the experience of vastness, a diminished sense of self, an altered state of consciousness, and intensified caring for others.
Bow to Life: 365 Secrets from the Martial Arts for Daily Life by Joseph Cardillo is a daybook presenting spiritual wisdom and practical exercises from the martial arts that have been passed down through the generations. Here is an excerpt on the spiritual practice of reverence in bowing.
The Dove in the Stone: Finding the Sacred in the Commonplace by Alice O. Howell makes a good case for always being on the lookout for the Divine Guest in our everyday activities. In this reading, Howell's reverence is spiked by the realization that every moment of her life can be seen as precious and sacred.
Entering the Sacred Mountain by David Cooper tells of the author's experience of reverence on a retreat. In this reading, he shares what happened to his body and mind during amystical experience.
Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar by Alan Morinis reflects on a variety of interpretations of awe by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Luzatto, and then shifts to thoughts by poet Walt Whitman. In this passage you will find perceptions of awe as a way of being, a gateway to wisdom, and savoring God's glory as filling the world.
Hildegard of Bingen: A Saint for Our Times, Unleashing Her Power in the 21st Century by Matthew Fox pays tribute to the extraordinary talents and accomplishments of this Catholic saint with many visions. In this excerpt, Fox is mesmerized by her shining presence.
Local Wonders: Seasons in the Bohemian Alps by Ted Kooser shares his wonderful journey through the four seasons in Nebraska. Kooser proves himself to be a connoisseur of the commonplace. Here is an excerpt on what happens when we lose respect for the things we have accumulated.
The Lost Sutras of Jesus: Unlocking the Ancient Wisdom of the Xian Monks (edited by Ray Riegert and Thomas Moore) presents the Greek ideal of studying the ways of other spiritual communities to find new practices. Here we are challenged to move from tolerance to reverence and more multifaith adventures.
Marrying and Burying: Rites of Passage in a Man's Life by Ronald L Grimes looks at expressions of awe through rituals, believing that anything, absolutely anything, can be done ritually. Best to start with simple ones like after-dinner walks and doing the wash, he asserts here, before moving on to larger ones such as initiation into middle-age.
Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity: Essays by Abraham Joshua Heschel (edited by Susannah Heschel) includes "An Analysis of Piety," an essay in which this ecumenical Jewish rabbi defines reverence as "a specific attitude toward something that is precious and valuable, toward someone who is superior. It is a salute of a soul."
The Painted Word: A Treasure Chest of Remarkable Words and Their Origins by Phil Cousineau tracks down the origins of the word "fascination," which in medieval times meant bewitch or enchant. The word is linked to awe and wonder.
Seven Thousand Ways to Listen by Mark Nepo is a masterwork on the importance of the timely spiritual practice of listening. In this passage, Nepo touches upon what it means to honor ourselves, honor God, and to make a commitment to be touched by the life-force in all things.
Spiritual Passages: Embracing Life's Sacred Journey by Drew Leder taps into the wisdom of the world's religions, probing the age-related stages of a spiritual journey. Here he shares the story of a family departing from their homestead. They acknowledge this transition with a ceremony based on the spirit and rituals of Native American Potlatch give-aways.
Walking in This World by Julia Cameron presents exercises and practices for those who are curious about ways in which they can express their creative sides. Here is an excerpt on drawing out your inner capacity for the art of marveling.
When in Doubt Sing: Prayer in Daily Life by Jane Redmont gives a heart-felt account of performing Mozart's Requiem with the Oberlin College Choir in Washington D.C. after a massive antiwar rally in 1970. Singing with others, Redmont transcends herself in a mystical moment which can only be seen as the essence of reverence.