A Definition of Beauty

Diane Keaton was on Dr. Oz a few days ago.  She was talking about how important it is to recognize beauty. Ironically, she also spoke about her challenges with bulimia.  To suffer from an eating disorder, one would have a distorted sense of beauty, would they not? Regardless, the definition she gave Dr. Oz about her idea of beauty was, to me, worthy of hitting pause and grabbing a piece of paper.

She said, "I think beauty is a feeling. I hate that people put beauty on a pedestal and try to remove it from the ordinary experience of life.  It's from moment to moment- like me noticing your eyes.  If you say you only like yellow flowers and that's it, you are kind of done with beauty.  It's all encompassing."

I love the part where she says people try 'to remove it from the ordinary experience of life.'  I did an entire theme yesterday on how much I like dandelions.  Are they not beautiful just because they don't have a cost attached to them like roses?  Are celebrities deemed beautiful because they are famous?  Celebrities are put on a beauty pedestal yet, I stand in front of a room of beautiful yogis and their beauty is outside and in.

Diane talks about beauty being moment to moment. Are you present enough to notice the amazing things around you; the amazing people around you?  Would you notice the color of someone's eyes? Would you see the dandelions as beautiful rather than a nuisance?  Do you notice the clouds, hear the birds, taste the rain?

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."   Confucius

Pause a moment and make a list of things you find beautiful. And when you think you are done, add ten more.

Jodi Hills writes, "I want to see the beauty in all. Possibly even me." That's sad, right? For someone not to know their inner beauty.  Let me come back to that in a moment.  When Diane says if you only like one color of flower you are done with beauty, isn't she reminding us not to judge?  Don't judge the red flowers and the orange flowers and the blue just because you seem to prefer the yellow; see the beauty in all of them.  So if you can relate to Jodi Hills' statement on any level, I would point out that judging yourself, limiting your own view of your amazingness, is really harsh. 

Jodi Hills has another quote that I think would make a great mantra:

 "Today will be what it is. I will be who I am . And there will be beauty in both."

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