'The Rose is without why
She blooms because she blooms
She does not care for herself
Asks not if she is seen.'
(Angelus Silesius)
Father O'Donohue suggests that to participate in beauty is to come into the presence of the Holy - that everything we feel, think and do is already happening within the divine shelter. He concludes that to know this is to know one's real beauty.
So I guess we have a pretty fucked up understanding of what real beauty is and looks like - i reckon it's about divine identity - the freedom and clarity of simply being yourself. Nothing else is needed.
Pip is right, no-one is ugly, just beautifully imperfect...
11 comments:
Another great post. I wrote about beauty today too on one blog and on the other just shared some sad news.
This is such a great photo of a rose...i could almost smell it :)
Barbara
Cool!!! Welcome back! too late and my minds too blurred to make any further comment....
Julie x
and to think i went looking for it today.........instead, i just needed to be.........
the photo reminds me of a flamenco dancer.........
barabara
i read your posts and left a few words - am sorry i didn't have anything helpful to say - i guess someone else's nightmare does put our own struggles into perspective sometimes
The photo is beautiful - can't take credit for this one - nicked it from a google search
julie
glad to be back - no worries, blurred comments are welcome too - most of my posts are
dana
i guess it's like most things - you rarely find anything whilst you're looking...
ah, feels like spain, tapas and rioja!
I think it is incredibly interesting that beauty is so subjective with a different criteria for everyone. In other words, beauty is universal and simultaneously strictly personal...
GREAT pic.
There is freedom in what you wrote. Thanks for reminding us. And to quote Kevin Max from his song "Be":
"Be, be yourself
There's no one who does it quite like you
Be, no one else
Cause if you don't then who is going to
You're a tribute to the best of us"
Arlen
I agree, i find it interesting that people can see beauty in things i cannot and am flabbergasted (great british word) when sometimes people don't get what/who i think is beautiful
i guess it would be a dull world though if we all felt and thought the same
society
i never came across that max quote, but i think it to be very true, and yes there is something very liberating when we recognise that god doesn't make mistakes...
I think it's true, that the essence of everyone is beautiful, it just gets masked by hurt and pride and 101 other things that stop it shining so brightly.... or stop us from seeing, lovely picture and quote
masks and shadows.....hmmmm
thanks rd
real beauty's nemesis? shame and guilt.....we don't believe we deserve to shine as ourselves....or that we are loved by God because we screwed up our chances......a fear of reprisal perhaps......so, as Katie mentions, we hide behind a mask that superficially covers our beautiful imperfections.
We have a fucked up understanding of beauty........we also have a fucked up understanding of unconditional love and forgiveness......
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