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Skillfulness & Appreciating Beauty
I have sort of a question here concerning what is and what isn't skillful when it comes to the appreciation of beauty. Sometimes, maybe when going for a walk or just being outside or in any really open area it's just "WOW!" and it feels really beautiful. What sort of teachings are there on how to treat a situation like this?
Is it okay to lose yourself in beauty? When I encounter beauty, there is a sense of stillness, not stillness of thought or anything, there are still thoughts rambling about but they seem smaller. It just feels very peaceful and still and quiet. When the beauty is gone there's sometimes a "oh no, the beauty is gone" but this passes as long as I don't actively try to find more beauty.
Are there any teachings that say becoming immersed in beauty is unskillful? I can understand that clinging to beauty is not skillful, but if when beauty comes and is gone, and there is a nice sense of ease still afterward... is this not skillful? Thoughts?
Is it okay to lose yourself in beauty? When I encounter beauty, there is a sense of stillness, not stillness of thought or anything, there are still thoughts rambling about but they seem smaller. It just feels very peaceful and still and quiet. When the beauty is gone there's sometimes a "oh no, the beauty is gone" but this passes as long as I don't actively try to find more beauty.
Are there any teachings that say becoming immersed in beauty is unskillful? I can understand that clinging to beauty is not skillful, but if when beauty comes and is gone, and there is a nice sense of ease still afterward... is this not skillful? Thoughts?
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When the beauty is gone and the moment takes you elsewhere, then letting those feelings pass is what should be done, staying present, true and in tune with what's happening here and now.
You said you're aware that clinging to beauty or any other aspect of reality is unskilfull, so this is in itself a good reminder to you for what needs to be done in a moment to moment basis.
But let's look at it some more....
- If beauty arises, then enjoy that beauty. [o/k]
- If ugliness arises, then <----> that ugliness.
What would be an appropriate word (or words) to fill <----> ?The opposite of enjoy is dislike, but if I dislike something, is that not showing aversion?
I would consider that beauty as well, and then what happens when it goes? What exactly is it about the new, non-beautiful sight that makes it disrupt your peace?
When we look at meditation and the stillness that arises from it, the practice then becomes to bring that awareness to situations off the cushion. Perhaps you could start bringing the feeling of beauty to views you had not yet considered beautiful? Remember, the feeling is inside you, not inside the beauty.
With warmth,
Matt
Beauty can be appreciated as long as one accepts that this is an impermanent state like a fresh flower.
A flower falls,
even though we love it;
and a weed grows,
even though we do not love it.
That is a good question
I can't answer from experience per se because for me pretty much invariably disliking something is going to lead to aversion, in that it will throw me into a sort of disarray or uncomfortable state.
But from what I've heard from some teachers is that it's possible to dislike something without having aversion. Is that true? As in: disliking something is an activity of the mind, but as long as you're not caught by that activity, or you don't get involved with it, then it is not aversion?
This is a good idea, I have tried this recently. I suppose it just doesn't come as naturally as it does with things I do consider beautiful, it sounds like a good thing to practice
Okay excellent yeah that is exactly what I would like to do, and do try but it is difficult sometimes
Thank you all for your replies and advice:)
Oh trust me! I know what you mean when you say it's difficult. I have only just begun my journey into Buddhism and meditation and it's not easy to bring awareness into your daily life when you've been half asleep for so long.
As long as the intention is there to be awake and aware in a moment to moment basis, then all should be good. It's easier said than done, but this is why it's called "practice". It takes time and effort.