Embody Real BeautySHANNON IRIS

All right lovlies, let us get down to the nitty gritty of Human Beauty, now that we have spent some time in previous posts connecting to the essential nature of Beauty.

Human beauty is present and identifiable in two forms:

1. Physical outer form
2. Inner radiant form

Physical outer forms of beauty are recognized at a universal level, cultural level and by individual preference.

Universally, physical beauty can be sized up in geometrical, mathematical models of perfection.  Features are set in a mask of flawlessness and are perfectly positioned :  features are symmetrical, the distance between the eyes equals one eye-width or one nose-width; the tip of the nose is about half the way from chin to eyebrows, etc.  At the universal level, research suggests that we all share the same ideal of beauty, across age and culture.  Universal beauty is homogenized and static, while technically perfect, it is almost in-human, angelic and unachievable by any one person, let alone the masses – save for the reign of plastic surgery of course.  Careful with this one…try, try, try as one might only to end up like a plastic replica.

Culturally, physical beauty is much more subjective.  At the level of culture, common core beliefs and values are expressed through a kaleidoscopic display of images considered beautiful.  Traditional garb flows through theatres of Japan, trendy fashion statements flash across the covers of magazines dominating the newsstands of New York, LA, Paris, body modifications pierce, scar and color the flesh of our outrageously beautiful sisters in parts of Africa, and so on, and so on, and so on… At the level of culture, physical beauty is diverse, flavored and irregular.  Keeping in mind, of course, that the US cultural landscape of beauty is based tightly on the universal model of perfection.

At the individual level, universal and cultural standards of beauty are acknowledged, as well as an even more subjective blend of qualities based on personal preference, biases, memories, genetic composition, pheromones, hormones… etc.  As individuals, we are set on fire by other individuals, sometimes without rhyme or reason.

It is only at the personal or individual level that Inner Radiant Forms come into play.  We will explore the importance of that in the next post.

In previous posts, we explored the broad scope of Beauty, Beauty with a capital B.  The purpose of that exploration was to re-connect with the essential experience of beauty before jumping into a conversation of human beauty.  Why?  Because human beauty, or more specifically, a woman’s beauty, is informed heavily by cultural standards and ideals of perfection, and we want to work our way around barriers created by limiting concepts.