Beauty is something we feel. It’s pleasure, joy, a sense of harmony and aliveness, and most importantly, a deep connection to the present moment.
When we experience beauty—whether it’s the unique dappling of sunlight through leaves, the graceful, tender curve of a lily petal, or the generous glow of a passerby's smile—it isn’t just our eyes that notice it. Our entire body responds. This practice of noticing beauty in the world and its correlating sensation in our body, this connection, is profoundly grounding and healing.
Through the lens of Somatic Experiencing, a therapeutic approach that helps the body release survival stress and trauma, feeling beauty can be a nervous system regulation practice — connecting us with a sense of ease, wholeness, pleasure, and belonging that lives in our bodies. This concept invites us to shift from merely looking at beauty to embodying it and feeling beauty in your body.
The Sensation of Beauty
Marion Woodman, a depth psychologist, observed that beauty is not just about physical appearance but a sensorial experience that connects us to something deeper. When we allow ourselves to fully feel beauty—to take a deep breath and soak in the colors, textures, and emotions it stirs—we tap into an innate resource within us. This resource can soothe our nervous systems, nourish our spirits, and remind us of our connection to the world around us.
In this way, beauty becomes more than something “pleasing to the eye.” It becomes an anchor, a tap root, a way to feel present and at home in our bodies.
Beauty as Belonging
Architect and design theorist Christopher Alexander describes beauty as “living structure.” It’s the resonance we feel when something—a space, an object, a landscape—aligns with the natural patterns of the world. This resonance is why a beautiful room feels inviting or why a walk in nature can feel like coming home. These experiences remind us of our innate need for harmony and connection.
When we cultivate beauty in our environments—whether through creating a serene space in our homes or choosing a skincare ritual that feels luxurious and intentional—we nourish this sense of belonging and inner ease. These acts of noticing and cultivating beauty are deeply somatic, engaging our all of our senses, and inviting us to blissfully inhabit the present moment filled with beauty. The world is bouquet after bouquet of beauty to notice and feel.
Beauty and the Body
Somatic Experiencing teaches us that our bodies hold the stories of our lives—the joy, the stress, and everything in between. Beauty, when experienced fully, offers a way to gently reconnect with our bodies and release what no longer serves us. It’s not about perfection or striving but about presence and curiosity and realizing our lives may be shaped by the stories we tell ourselves but our essence, our truest inner most self, transcends all the stories. It's this essential aspect of who we are that we are nurturing and connecting with.
For example, consider the ritual of applying a luxurious face oil. As your fingers glide over your skin, you’re not just caring for your complexion; you’re offering yourself a moment of calm, a pause to feel and appreciate your body. These moments are acts of self-love and reminders of your own innate beauty which includes and transcends your physical body.
Simple Daily Practices of Beauty
Beauty is available to us in every moment if we choose to notice it. Start by inviting small practices into your day:
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Pause and Observe: Take a moment to notice the beauty around you. This could be the vibrant hues of a blooming flower, the intricate patterns of frost on a window, or the way sunlight dances across a room. Allow your observation to be a moment of presence.
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Engage Your Senses: When you touch a soft fabric, smell a fragrant oil, or taste something exquisite, allow yourself to fully savor the experience. Feel the effervescent delight that comes with immersing yourself in the moment.
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Notice Your Own Beauty: Appreciate your own beauty, not just in the mirror but in the way you move, express yourself, or extend kindness. It could be the effervescent delight you feel when you’re excited, the warm vibration of laughter in your body, the strength and care in your hands, or your devotion to waking early in the morning to make your life. Notice how appreciating your myriad aspects of beauty resonates within you.
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See the Beauty in Others: Observe the beauty in the people around you. It could be the warmth of a generous smile, a kind gesture like the tender touch of a parent comforting their child, or the dedication someone shows in their work, whether they’re baking bread, building a structure, or organizing files with care and precision.
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Create Beauty: Arrange your space lovingly, care for your skin with gentle hands, loving eyes, and intention, or dress in a way that feels meaningful and pleasurable to you. Extend this sense of beauty into the way you grocery shop, organize your finances, or help a friend. Lavish beauty into your daily actions, whether through thoughtful listening, consistent presence, or acts of generosity.
In noticing and creating beauty, we restore connection to ourselves and the world. Beauty isn’t something external or vain; it is a devotional practice that creates inner peace and pleasure. Beauty can be your guide to presence, curiosity, equanimity, and cultivating a life and world to which we each feel we belong.
