Finding Beauty: what is beauty? Is it on the inside or outside?

Reading Time: < 1 minuteBeauty is more than just skin-deep, it is that which delights the soul, and we often feel joy, happiness, contentment and even awe in the presence of beauty. Some say that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, which suggests that what attracts one person may not appeal to another. But underpinning all the different perceptions of what we find attractive, is a universal idea of beauty, common to all. Western culture puts a lot of emphasis on the beauty of the body, but meditating on beauty leads us beyond the surface of things. Wise philosophers have taught that outer beauty is just a starting point. There are inner and more refined forms of beauty, which are more lasting and elevating, such as the beauty of kindness, of ideas, of wisdom and love. The heart’s aspiration for the beauty of goodness and truth is a potent driver of human progress – without it we regress.