We have all heard the expression, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” To me, what this says is that each of us has our own unique way of experiencing pleasure, joy and inspiration through the senses, mind and spirit. When we recognize and admit the experience of beauty consciously, we honor a part of our soul, and sometimes the soul of another.
There can be many kinds of beauty— simple, terrible, awe-inspiring, heartwarming to name a few, and each can reflect a unique part of our constantly growing soul capacities for consciousness, connection and creativity.
The great philosopher and mystic Meister Eckhart said, “When the Soul wants to experience something she throws out an image in front of her and then steps into it.”
I believe what I do, when I bring my stories and puppets to the children, is to model this vital working relationship between the soul and the imagery of beauty. When I create my story aprons, my backdrops and my puppets, these are images of beauty from my soul that I place before their souls. These images reflect a reverence for the natural world and a respect for the beings that make their homes here. My stories create word images of kindness, helpfulness, courage and reassurance that the world is good.
This journey of the soul to know, discover and value itself, and to then to extend this experience to others and the world is the truest task of life, for this is how we can create lives of warmth, trust and love for ourselves, our children and our planet. Share some beauty today!
Madrone D’Ardenne is a puppeteer and storyteller in Santa Cruz, CA, performing in local schools there, as well as in performances open to the public and at private events. Her company, Tiny House Theater, also offers classes for children and adults, teacher trainings and parent evenings. You can learn more on her website, tinyhousetheater.com