Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Beauty in Non Beauty

These past few months I have been analyzing what I want to bring to the table during my services be it a haircut, color, highlight, etc. I have been pulled into the strange and wonderful world of Wabi-Sabi and I find that I have so much to explore in this design concept.

One of the fundamental concepts that has struck a cord with me is found in the core philosophical principles therein. Beauty can be coaxed out of non beauty. In today's society, especially, there is an overwhelming draw and need to become perfect.  It is the very essence of this need that drives many to a quest that will never be fulfilled as it is an impossibility. Our very natures are always fluid, changeable. Wabi-Sabi embraces imperfection and asks us to find beauty in non beauty.

"Wabi-Sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else. Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view. Beauty is thus an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace."

-Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren

Given that this observation is accepted as truth then we must proceed to understand that all beings, events, and things are beautiful we must simply observe them in context. A hummingbird cannot be compared to a butterfly but both hold their own unique wonder. Much like a photo shopped image cannot be compared to our real existence. Within each context there is a truth and imperfection that must be viewed with honesty.

I challenge our honesty and our perception. Many times I find that our societal point of view on beauty is skewed and does not give enough room for the miracle of beauty to occur.  Too often we shove ourselves and others into these tiny constructs and break ourselves of our acceptance and kindness--the very place where beauty lies.  We damage ourselves because we cannot find the grace to truly see the beauty of ourselves or others.

It is my open discipline to uncover these moments of beauty.  I challenge that imperfection is the only state of beauty. For what is more beautiful than the fleeting moments that glimmer before our eyes and fade away to the next moment. In each breath and gesture there is the truth of an organic being, the substance of creation, that makes us and others beautiful by the very nature of transformation.

Yes, I am a Stylist. Yes, it would be easier for me to stand here and say what society says. But I challenge you to stand and look at your reflection and find your beauty.  Not in a new age hippie dippie sort of way but to gaze upon you as you are without mask, or avoidance, to really see the vast beauty that is within you.  Once you see that glimmer that makes your unique composition beautiful any style or change in appearance will only magnify that self acceptance which is the truest value of beauty.

I have included a short film instead of music to explore Wabi-Sabi as a concept.  I understand that I myself am only beginning in it's practice but I know in my heart that this is why I became a stylist. I am here to show as many people as possible the beauty is transition. Imperfection is beautiful, organic. It is the core self that is beyond the chase after perfection that reflects our beauty. It is our preconceived non beauty that must be examined with a loving heart. It is this path that will uncover our honest form, our value, our self worth will shift to uncover something deeper than a superficial layer. We will uncover our imperfections and finally see that we indeed are whole. Indeed we are beautiful.