Dear Pogue,

Recently someone commented that beauty was not something that resided in looks, but rather, in their opinion, it was a quality found in the spirit or soul of a person. Not something superficial but a deep rooted quality. That said, I want to put it out there that we are all, initially, temporarily attracted to a person with exceptional looks or a ripped physique. I mean, what’s not to like. But have you ever delayed in the presence of that “beautiful” person to discover that beauty really is “only skin deep”? That, as a friend of mine would say, “there’s no substance there”, and actually there isn’t, the husk was empty or was bitter tasting.

Does that sound very judgemental? It’s not intended to be but rather to bring us to the point where we agree that real beauty, lasting beauty rests within the soul, not in a veneer of diminishing looks.

But what is a beautiful soul?

There is a beautiful thing inside you that is a thousand years old.

Too old to be captured in poems. To old to be loved by everyone. But loved so deeply by a chosen few.

Nikita Gill

I have sat thinking about this for an overly long time. It’s not an easy one to answer. Is it someone who is gentle? We say that someone has a gentle spirit. Is it someone who gives selflessly? Someone invested with wisdom? I want to say yes to all these and I want to say no to all these. So I have found myself musing over whether I have ever known a beautiful soul? Have you?

I can think of only one person in my life who was that person. And, as I remember them I recall how I just liked spending time in their presence and that not only was there a feeling of peace when I was with them but a sense of completeness. Let me explain. I didn’t feel the need to be or prove anything. That all that I was in that day was fine. I was totally accepted and could just be. No judgement here. Without words they could encourage the very best of a person to come to the surface.

I know a beautiful soul when I feel one. The empathy in me honours the authentic in you.

Melody Lee

Is such a soul beautiful in the eyes of all? In answer I would suggest that if a person fails to spot such a soul, fails to sense or feel such a presence, then that is a comment on their character, the current state of the person. Why? Well a soul of such magnitude is shining forth not something it possesses of itself but rather it is a window to the Divine, a conduit for the Universe. It is a soul that has experienced life in many ways, the pleasures and the pains. And having tasted what life has to offer, it has declined to dwell on the pleasures, and quietly moved on in a search for something more lasting.

It has incurred karmic debts and has now redeemed these through effort, toil and sacrifice. All this enables an empathetic grasp of the situation of those it meets without the need for judgement.

A beautiful soul is an old soul that has learnt of the world and, maybe, found the experiences and lessons wanting, thus returning to its source. But whereas when it journeyed into the world seeking a non-spiritual experience, something it knew nothing about, now it craves the spiritual, the healing that this will bring and it wishes to bring this healing to others. Hence the aura of peace, the knowledge of acceptance we feel if we find such a one. Here is a force for good if we will allow it to be, an expression of God.

Being an old soul is difficult. Because you are not here for greed, lust, inflations, quantity, comparison, competition nor constant experiences. You are here for solitary, peace, tranquility, soul, wisdom, deepness, love and empathy.

The MindsJournal

Have I captured the essence of what I have being struggling to show you? I don’t know. I think it is only truly understood when we come into the company of such a person. How do we know? Well, we just know. I can’t tell you anything else. Sometimes not immediately because we need to calm ourselves, to come to a place of reception, to tune in.

I told you I can only think of one person who I’ve known who I would say is such and I would have to tell you they were taken from this world too young. There are few people I miss, callous person that I am, but I miss this person. I miss the conversation, the gentle, guileless spirit, the none offensive humour and the deep sense of care and concern that pervaded their life.

I hope I meet another such person for I will be richer for it.

Yours, remembering and longing,

Wic.