--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The foundation of reverence is this…" description: "\"The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of existence, backwards and forwards, that whole ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png" --- # The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the… ![“The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of existence, backwards and forwards, that whole amplitude of time, which is eternity.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png) > “The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of existence, backwards and forwards, that whole amplitude of time, which is eternity.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The present moment contains the entirety of existence, linking past and future in an eternal continuum. **In simple terms:** Now holds all of time’s totality. Key Takeaway Recognize the timeless significance of the present. Themes philosophy time existence eternity continuity Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - mindfulness practice - historical analysis - future planning - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts process philosophy metaphysics temporal ontology Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing time as a whole affect your decisions? - Can you balance present awareness with future goals? A Different Perspective Viewing the present as eternal may diminish urgency for action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-backwards-5545772/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Foundation Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation-reverence-5545773/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence/) [Reverence Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence-perception-450977/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-eternity/) ## Related quotes > [Reverence is an attitude of honoring life. Reverence automatically brings forth patience. Reverence permits non-judgemental justice. Reverence is a perception of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/reverence-is-an-attitude-of-honoring-life-reverence-automatically/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [Reverence is a perception of the soul. Reverence is a natural aspect of authentic empowerment because the soul reveres all of Life. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/reverence-is-a-perception-of-the-soul-reverence-is-a-natural-aspect/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Hath triumphed over time, which besides it nothing but eternity hath triumphed over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/hath-triumphed-over-time-which-besides-it-nothing-but-eternity-hath/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [the bells of glory that announced to the world the good news that the uncountable time of eternity had come to an end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/the-bells-of-glory-that-announced-to-the-world-the-good-news-that-the/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/for-death-is-no-more-than-a-turning-of-us-over-from-time-to-eternity/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Time is to slow for those who wait, Too swift for those who fear, Too long for those who grieve, Too short for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/time-is-to-slow-for-those-who-wait-too-swift-for-those-who-fear-too/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [We must often draw the comparison between time and eternity. This is the remedy of all our troubles. How small will the present moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ann-seton/we-must-often-draw-the-comparison-between-time-and-eternity-this-is/) [Elizabeth Ann Seton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ann-seton/) > [The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-cross-is-the-central-event-in-time-and-eternity-and-the-answer-to/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The present moment is the only aperture through which the soul can pass out of time into eternity, through which grace can pass out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-present-moment-is-the-only-aperture-through-which-the-soul-can/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The family is the most important unit in time and in eternity and, as such, transcends every other interest in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/the-family-is-the-most-important-unit-in-time-and-in-eternity-and-as/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [“Am I then to believe that the same God Who expends millions of years in slowly fitting this earth for man's habitation, will only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-allin/am-i-then-to-believe-that-the-same-god-who-expends-millions-of-years/) [Thomas Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-allin/) > [Without art we live under the illusion that there is only time, and not eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/without-art-we-live-under-the-illusion-that-there-is-only-time-and/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [ You know, we'll hardly get our feet out of time \[and\] into eternity that we'll bow our heads in shame and humiliation. We'll gaze… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/you-know-we-ll-hardly-get-our-feet-out-of-time-and-into-eternity-that/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“The distance between God and time is eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-distance-between-god-and-time-is-eternity/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) ## More by Alfred North Whitehead > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/philosophy-begins-in-wonder-and-at-the-end-when-philosophic-thought/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The pursuit of mathematics is a divine madness of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-pursuit-of-mathematics-is-a-divine-madness-of-the-human-spirit/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Without adventure all civilization is full of decay. Adventure rarely reaches its predetermined end. Columbus never reached China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/without-adventure-all-civilization-is-full-of-decay-adventure-rarely/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Aristotle discovered all the half-truths which were necessary to the creation of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/aristotle-discovered-all-the-half-truths-which-were-necessary-to-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [On the ostensible exactitude of certain branches of human knowledge, including mathematics. The exactness is a fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/on-the-ostensible-exactitude-of-certain-branches-of-human-knowledge/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [It is this union of passionate interest in the detailed facts with equal devotion to abstract generalisation which forms the novelty in our present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-this-union-of-passionate-interest-in-the-detailed-facts-with/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of infinitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/our-minds-are-finite-and-yet-even-in-these-circumstances-of/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The many become one and are increased by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-many-become-one-and-are-increased-by-one/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/art-is-the-imposing-of-a-pattern-on-experience-and-our-aesthetic/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The future belongs to those who can rise above the confines of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-rise-above-the-confines-of-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Common sense is genius in homespun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/common-sense-is-genius-in-homespun/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Everyone is a philosopher. Not everyone is good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/everyone-is-a-philosopher-not-everyone-is-good-at-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/do-not-teach-too-many-subjects-and-what-you-teach-teach-thoroughly/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Explore all 356 Alfred North Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of existence, backwards and forwards, that whole amplitude of time, which is eternity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred North Whitehead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perception-that-the-present-holds/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backwards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perception-that-the-present-holds/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/alfred-north-whitehead-836_backwards_the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perc_700438.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The foundation of reverence is this perception, that the present holds within itself the complete sum of…” — Alfred North Whitehead", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfred North Whitehead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The foundation of reverence is this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perception-that-the-present-holds/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-foundation-of-reverence-is-this-perception-that-the-present-holds/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```