Throughout history, philosophers have asserted that “the fundamental nature of the world is aesthetic.” Thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, Gregory Bateson, James Hillman, Martin Foss, and Donald Winnicott all emphasized the profound connection between aesthetics and how we perceive the world. Interestingly, the word aesthetics comes from the Greek aisthanesthai, meaning “the ability to perceive.”…
“Recent discoveries in Western science now add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that beauty is a transformative power…beauty is an experience…Through our experience of beauty, we’re given the power to change the feelings that we have in our bodies. Our feelings, in turn, are directly linked to the world beyond our bodies. The…
The thing about art is that it pulls us into the exact present moment of our life. Whether we’re creating or simply appreciating, art demands our full attention. It invites us to let go of distractions and immerse ourselves in what is—right here, right now. And in that stillness, it does something extraordinary: it captures…
“Beauty is the experience that gives us a sense of joy and a sense of peace simultaneously. Other happenings give us joy and afterwards a peace, but in beauty these are the same experience. Beauty is serene and at the same time exhilarating; it increases one’s sense of being alive…Beauty is the mystery which enchants…
Thomas Aquinas once wrote, “To know a thing is to awaken to its depth, complexity, and presence.” According to Aquinas, everything—and everyone—secretly and profoundly desires to be known. Teaching and learning have always been my passions, and Aquinas’ insight illuminates how central beauty is to both. Beauty, in this sense, is about depth—the depth at…
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