Our Foundational Pathways offer inspiration, guidance, and daily practices that explore the five principles of Grateful Living: Awe, Belonging, Hope, Joy, and Imperfection. These 5-day journeys are delivered as a series of emails. Each day offers a rich and delightful collection of essays, poetry, music, videos, research, and practices — all designed to provide a meaningful grounding in grateful living as an orientation to life.
The impromptu standing ovation at the concert’s closing notes, our collective silence during an eclipse, cradling a newborn, even our brief astonishment at the morning’s sideways light through a window — all experiences of awe that seem to thin the veil between our daily lives and the profound beauty and mystery of life.
Br. David Steindl-Rast writes: “Remember a night when you stood outdoors looking up at the stars, countless in the high, silent dome of the sky, and saw them as if for the first time…For a second you see — For a second there is meaning!” Such peak experiences often arrive unexpectedly and shake us out of the daily into a kind of momentary transcendence. We are, as Br. David says, grabbed by life!
Grateful living offers a guided pathway for the intentional cultivation of awe. It invites us to slow down, to appreciate the extraordinary in both the everyday and the cosmic, to be open to being surprised, to hold joy and sorrow simultaneously — all practices that increase and enhance our experience of awe. According to current research by Dacher Keltner at the Greater Good Science Center, the benefits of awe extend far beyond the experience itself, including reduced stress, a greater sense of belonging, increased generosity, and even a boost to our immune systems.
During this 5-day journey you will discover:
- What awe is and why it matters
- How a grateful living practice leads to more moments of awe
- Practices to experience awe through things like nature, appreciating the ordinary, art, and music
- The ways in which curiosity and openness nourish awe
- How awe can make you feel less alone and deepen your sense of belonging
Key Details
- Series of five daily emails to guide your individual journey
- Reflection questions, poetry, videos, short essays, and research highlights
- A guided practice that builds on the day’s focus and resources
- An invitation to share your reflections
- Continued access to the resources beyond the week
What are all the ways your daily life could be enriched by more moments of awe? Please join us for the exploration.
Register for Awaken to Awe today!
Feature image by Kumiko Shimizu
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