Discover Beauty
An Exploration of Beauty, Aphrodite and the Divine Feminine
The Birth of Venus: Sandro Botticelli. Uffizi Gallery
I’m an author, researcher, and psychologist. As a writer and researcher, I focus on the topics of personal and spiritual development, Divine Feminine consciousness, the transformative powers of love and beauty, and mind/body healing. As a psychologist, I take an integrative approach, based on knowledge from contemporary research, as well as long-term studies of Jungian psychology, and a variety of esoteric and health-related subjects.
This column is devoted to exploring how and in what ways beauty can heal us and transform our lives.
I recently published a book, Awakening to Aphrodite’s Light: Love, Beauty & the Divine Feminine, that explores beauty as a spiritual path and a powerful expression of Divine Feminine consciousness. In it, I examine the myth of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty, and weave together her story and its teachings with more general reflections on the Divine Feminine (of which Aphrodite or Venus, her Roman counterpart, is but one manifestation), beauty, love, eroticism, sacred sexuality, and personal and spiritual development.
In that book, I propose a vision that values beauty not just as a means of enjoyment or a luxury, but as a necessity for our full, open-hearted, and sensual participation in the world. The experience of true beauty is never frivolous—it can be sacred and transformative.
My book and this column arise from my lifelong quest to search for beauty in all its forms. That quest has taken me further than the discovery and appreciation of beauty in art, decoration, music, writing, and other man-made creations, and beyond the awareness of beauty’s infinite presence in the natural world. It’s also led me to contemplate the ineffable dimension of beauty that elevates our spirits and nourishes and soothes our souls.
We’re living in a time of tremendous change in almost all aspects of our lives. I believe (at least most of the time) that the chaos we’re experiencing is evidence of a profound shift in consciousness that is ultimately for the good of us all. But the experience of that shift can feel harsh, confusing, frightening, and overwhelming. That can be the case even for those who are living through it relatively comfortably on a physical or financial level. Making space for beauty (mentally and/or physically in our environments) can help uplift and nourish us during the current tumult of change. The goal of creating such a space isn’t to bypass our individual or the world’s pain, but to help us meet that pain with more presence, courage, and joy.
When we discover beauty and then consciously attend to it, beauty offers us not only experiences of pleasure and enlivenment, but also of solace and spiritual sustenance. Beauty can help you feel more exquisitely alive—even when feeling life intensely is very hard. That experience is often sorely needed during the challenging and unprecedented times we’re living through.
Throughout my life I’ve been devoted to what I’ve called a Beauty Path. I gave it that name long before I learned that others were walking that same path in their own ways and had given it the same or a similar name. It’s been wonderful to get to know some of those sympatico souls, and our shared commitment to that path has become a strong bond in many precious relationships.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey and also walk a Beauty Path with me. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and discoveries along the way.
Until next time, wishing you love and beauty,
Geraldine
Please visit my author website where you can sign up to receive a free guide:
Seven Sensuous Steps to Invite the Goddess of Love and Beauty into Your Home.
Awakening to Aphrodite’s Light: Love, Beauty & the Divine Feminine is available through bookstores and major online book retailers.
This post was originally published on Substack.