On the Depth of Beauty

Material Girl, Jacob Reischel

Our definitions and the meanings we attribute to words is what gives them cultural movement. The idea that beauty is shallow, superficial and can be bought is the driver behind a lot of pain and insecurity in culture. It is also an idea behind many great businesses. Who gave it that meaning? Humans did. The idea that beauty is internal, found through acts of love, kindness and generosity — also humans. What we focus on expands. What we focus on collectively is what lives on, often for generations as a collective belief, either leading more towards fear or more towards love.

True beauty at its core is about love. Nothing more. Nothing less. Beauty is about peace, its about order, its about healing, its about balance. Nature is beautiful. Kindness is beautiful. When there is beauty, there is often peace, cleanliness, a space that is neither too noisy or too quiet; it is safe, secure, welcoming; beauty is warm, it has open arms; beauty is inclusive not exclusive; beauty is intelligent without being arrogant; beauty is in sharing not in hoarding

The idea of beauty is often reserved for specific sectors, particularly the luxury goods. And though beauty has often been used by these business, it is not owned by them. Beauty has a much space in a education as it does in luxury cars. Beauty is healing. A hospital that has cleanliness, beauty and order is a more nourishing environment.

Perhaps we can move to a more open, universal presence of beauty. Perhaps a school that has beautiful textbooks that are appealing to the eye, will see more success with their students. Perhaps a hospital with beautiful mural in each room will add some joy to the lives of their patients. And perhaps we can learn to share whatever is beautiful in our lives, perhaps then beauty can thrive in health in our society.

Words by Natasha Jane Hussein