The interconnection of learning, creativity, and beauty
“To create is always to learn, to begin over, to begin at zero.”
– Matthew Fox
In The Invisible Embrace of Beauty, John O’Donohue explores the profound connection between learning, creativity, and beauty. He references St. Thomas Aquinas, who believed that beauty was the perfection of a thing. Aquinas wrote:
“To know a thing is to awaken to its depth, complexity, and presence.”
According to Aquinas, everything secretly and profoundly desires to be known. This idea resonates deeply with my work, where I see how creativity, learning, and beauty weave together into a rich tapestry that supports human growth and transformation.
Learning, Creativity, and Beauty Are Inseparable
My Ph.D. is firmly rooted in the area of learning, yet I can’t separate it from beauty and creativity. To truly learn, we must open our hearts, and beauty is what creates the conditions for that openness. Being in a nurturing, beautiful environment isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential for deep, transformative learning.
When our hearts are open, we become receptive. We engage with the world in a way that allows us to not only understand but also connect with the deeper essence of what we’re studying or creating. True learning isn’t just about acquiring knowledge—it’s about moving closer to wholeness. And in that movement toward wholeness, we give birth to more beauty.
A Call for Beautiful Spaces
As much as I believe in this interconnected process, I’m reminded of how often our schools, corporations, and city buildings fall short of fostering these qualities. Ugly, sterile environments close us off, making it harder to engage with creativity or experience the fullness of learning.
Imagine what might shift if we prioritized beauty in our spaces for learning and work—if schools and offices became places that inspired awe and creativity. Beautiful environments nurture the soul and create fertile ground for learning and creativity to flourish.
Awakening to Depth and Presence
As O’Donohue writes, beauty helps us “awaken to the depth, complexity, and presence” of the world around us. When we embrace this, we not only expand our capacity to learn but also deepen our connection to life itself. Creativity becomes an act of learning, and learning becomes an act of creation.
