Contemplating Beauty

[feranaja]

Beauty is, for me, much more than prettiness and in its fullest flowering, a gateway to the mystical. I love that John O'Donohue has called beauty "the true priestess of individuation" as if we all can tap into the wellsprings of Sophia through simple contemplation of whatever we find beautiful in this world. And although human beings havea general if fluid consensus on beauty, at least in the physical sense, in many ways we all bring unique vision to the concept too.

Here's the poet:

"The human soul is hungry for beauty; we seek it everywhere—in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, gardening, companionship, love, religion, and in ourselves. When we experience the Beautiful, there is a wonderful sense of homecoming; we feel fully alive. Our lives become illuminated and we come to glimpse behind the shudder of appearances, the sure form of things. Beauty is the true priestess of individuation. But our times are dominated by anxiety and by what is vulgar, coarse, and artificial. Were Beauty to awaken in the fields of politics, religion, planning, discourse, and seeing, our world would heal and fresh wells of hope would refresh us. Kathleen Raine, the English poet says: “Strangest of all is the ease with which the vision is lost, consciousness contracts, we forget over and over again, until recollection is stirred by some icon of that beauty. Then we remember and wonder why we ever forgot.”

Does beauty really possess this sort of power? What do you find beautiful, and how has your life been uplifted by its presence? I don't of course refer only to the physical - there is great beauty for me in human dignity, in compassion, in gentleness and forgiveness...beauty in sadness, too, as it echoes the depth of our hearts.

What is most beautiful in your life? How has your life been touched by it? Can appreciation of beauty truly midwife awareness or is this a wishful, pleasant but ultimately hollow New Ageism??

feranaja

[Anibis]

The tradition of aesthetics is old, and has from the beggining been connected with the occult. The Aesthetic experience is said to be a sort of 'shock' which takes us out of the world, and allows us to glimpse the timeless. This being said, most esoteric traditions, actually, dare I say ALL esoteric tradition have a more or less defined aesthetic of symbols which the adepts become verse in, and which they draw upon for insight and wisdom. I believe that beauty is less of a state pecieved but more of a sense of being transported by something; being moved. Schopenhauer would have said that aesthetics, more than philosophy even, can draw us our of the world which we encounter in our representations of it into the world as it truly it. It, as you say, can midwife us into a greater awareness... That was at the end of the 18 century. The path of the aesthete is far older than that. If you ever get a chance, I recommend a book called 'The Advaita of Art', by Harsha Dehejia. Ask Nuhad, he knows this guy... Anyways thanks for bringing up the topic...
-Ibisis

[feranaja]

The tradition of aesthetics is old, and has from the beggining been connected with the occult. The Aesthetic experience is said to be a sort of 'shock' which takes us out of the world, and allows us to glimpse the timeless. This being said, most esoteric traditions, actually, dare I say ALL esoteric tradition have a more or less defined aesthetic of symbols which the adepts become verse in, and which they draw upon for insight and wisdom. I believe that beauty is less of a state pecieved but more of a sense of being transported by something; being moved. Schopenhauer would have said that aesthetics, more than philosophy even, can draw us our of the world which we encounter in our representations of it into the world as it truly it. It, as you say, can midwife us into a greater awareness... That was at the end of the 18 century. The path of the aesthete is far older than that. If you ever get a chance, I recommend a book called 'The Advaita of Art', by Harsha Dehejia. Ask Nuhad, he knows this guy... Anyways thanks for bringing up the topic...
-Ibisis

Ibis - I took that course (2nd year Hinduism) with Dehejia...it was lovely and I kept all the lecture tapes...I did my undergrad work at Carleton too, and that was a great course. I havent thought about the course in years, thank you for the reminder - I kept the book, will pull it out and cart up to bed with me.
fera (too tired to tackle Schopenhauer but tomorrow is another day)

[Anibis]

He was a great teacher, but only to certain types of students. He's an adept as well, I'd go as far as saying...
-Ibisis

[Zaii]

Beauty saves my life.

[feranaja]

Beauty saves my life.

How so, zaii? Can you elaborate? What do you find most beautiful? How has it saved you? I think I know what you mean, but I'd like to hear more...
f

[Anibis]

If Beauty is Tipareth, and Tipareth is the Christ Center, than Beauty SAVES!... That can't be too far off can it?
-Ibisis

[Zaii]

How so, zaii? Can you elaborate? What do you find most beautiful? How has it saved you? I think I know what you mean, but I'd like to hear more...
f

I haven't the slightest where this originated but someone once said to me "live young and leave a wake of beauty" and I've held that dear to me ever since.

I don't think there exists such a thing as a value marker on beauty, as each facet may be something totally different from day to day or moment to moment. So, I couldn't tell you what or who I find "most" beautiful, but I can say that it's possible to find the beauty in almost anything. Even anger, destruction, loss, and yes, even arguing over who is going to take the trash out in weather that positively makes your butt cheeks freeze.

It saves me by being my reminder that this life is always worth living, because there's just too much beauty to turn your back on.

[feranaja]

Just tonight I was driving through the nearest village to me - a beautiful place often referred to as "the jewel of the gatineau" and I was struck by the importance of the beautiful in my own life. I was just picking up a few things for supper, but the drive in was as if I'd never seen it before - all the little shops and bistros were lit up with gorgeous light displays, the houses off in the distance fairly glowed in the hills, there was an atmosphere of sweetness and innocence I find particularly beautiful. I came home with this feeling of wellness and inner clam, it was lovely..

My entire mood lifted when I drove through and looked at it all.

This is just a small and obvious example of beauty's power...

[Anibis]

Wakefield?
-Ibisis
God, I do miss the Gatineau...

[feranaja]

Wakefield?
-Ibisis
God, I do miss the Gatineau...

Oh, yes. :)

http://www.pbase.com/sdwinsor/wakefield

Canada is full of magickal places, but nothing I've seen has the quality of this area...could it be the ancient rock? Gotta say though - the East Coast is my second choice. You live in a very beautiful place too. I miss Nova Scotia all the time.

I rarely disagree with zaii's viewpoint but I might add here that youth isn't the only sort of beauty. There is a beauty of the soul in old people who have lived well, that is so unique and magickal...few things are as beautiful to me on this earth as my old dog's greying muzzle, all the years of love struggle and life we've shared seem present in her eyes and lovely old face... it's just a different beauty, is it not? Or am I misunderstanding you here?

[Amur]

Try looking into the Star of Eternal Perfection.

I think She is coming Home.

I like Tiphareth to be at beauty, as beautiful ones are often empowered with self-confidence. At the base security is important to get a flowering. A plant which is shocked doesn't yield though it can make the base plant spirit stronger. Not sure about the latter though.

In a sense the human face is tied to some archetypes also. A beautiful life is something tied to how one behaves also, which in turn is reflected on the face, which in turn can be Beauty or demonic. Demonic isn't by nature as beautiful. But then again demonic things are what is naturally not good for oneself. A bit like straying of ones own path. Now if everyone becomes Beautiful at a point of Death. Should'nt everyone just Die? Everyone has the blueprint for True Beauty, inside.

Balance is a natural thing for Beauty.

Ironical that I write this at a point of being like Gollum(physically tense)

[Anibis]

Newfoundland is truly it's own place. It is amazing to me when people think, Oh, I'm in Halifax, maybe I'll drop by... heh heh, that's a two day journey, my friends... Newfoundland is interesting because it's the oldest European Settlement in North America, and because it is truly a nation of its own which was lost to political machinations... Heartbreaking... I find age very beautiful, too. I am lucky to have very strong and lucid Elders in my life, always have... It's funny. Comparing 'the Rock' to Brittish Collumbia, for example... We have here, very old mountains... hills, almost, whereas in BC, you've got such a wild dramatic landscape... Have you been here, Fera? Not just Nova Scotia, but Newfoundland? It will knock your socks off, it always does... Especially if you like barren beauty...

What I miss most about the Gatineau, and about the Ottawa valley, is its 'Wovenness', like you really are connected with everyone else on the mainland. And damn, if Wakefield is not just the funkiest place in the world... gotta hand it to the French... When I am in town next I propose a coffee at Chez Erics... heh. I do miss the valley. NL is a touch isolated. Then there's the Labrador... and that's another post. Already I should be cross referencing this (http://forums.abrahadabra.com/showpost.php?p=7106&postcount=32) one here. Heh heh...
CHeers;
-Ibisis

[feranaja]

Coffee at Chez Eric for sure and you will need to see the funky new places in the village - one of my favourites is Khewa...
http://www.khewa.com/

and let's not forget to do a major park hike and then dinner at the Train Station with Nuhad and Mike...when you coming this way?? It'll be fun...
And NO i have not been to the rockl! Born in NB, and lived in NS, I just havent made it to NFLD and you know, part of my soul relaly badly wants to go there, I think I might settle down buy my property in the East. Can I come visit you? I'll have at least 2 dogs with me... but exceedingly well behaved ones.

So to keep this on topic - the beauty of a place is very important to me, I love the barren ruggedness of the North Atlantic, but there is almost nothing like the forests here at dawn in winter - breathtaking...
fera

[Anibis]

Well, here is a view from atop the mountain (Grosse Morne) on my second Journey up it.

http://Ibisis.zoints.com/image/47390-GrosseMorne

If you visit, you have a place to stay. Mike was here not so long ago.

As for Beauty, there is the Beauty of nature, and the beauty of Math and proportion... different beauties, but they play off one another, no?
-Ibisis
P.S. I have a cat. Heck, I might as well BE a cat... but yes, the dogs are welcome... My partner LOVES dogs...

[feranaja]

YOur partner will love my two. They're totally different but both so beautiful. Here's my boy now, as he starts to grow from cuddly pup to young man - he's 18 weeks tomorrow and in my eyes, beauty incarnate:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a33/feranaja/danny1174.jpg

[Anibis]

She would be in love. They were breeders when she grew up. Golden Retrievers...
-Ib
Okay, back to Beauty...

[feranaja]

Oh its so sad whats happened to Goldens. :(

If things go well and I get to go out East to visit this year? I'd love to stop in. BUt PM me for now!!

I'm listening to Angela Hewitt play Bach - doesn't get much more beautiful that that...