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Often times, elegance is conflated with extravagance or opulence. There is a relationship insofar as all three involve style, but those other two are meretricious whereas elegance is actually something akin to their inverse.
In elegance, the outward style is simple but behind the appearance lies something powerful and substantive.
In nature, think of the uncomplicated beauty of falling snow. At a glance, it is quite plain in form and color and yet upon closer inspection, one finds countless unique snowflake designs containing exquisite symmetrical patterns. The same can be true of a forest from afar or the ocean or the desert - and the depth of life and meaning within.
Seeking elegance is not synonymous with seeking luxury.
Encounters with elegance can be difficult to put into words. In other disciplines like physics, great scientists have merely suggested "you know it when you see it" like in famous equations E=mc2 or F=MA. A few common letters point to far-reaching theories of special relativity and the laws of motion.
fMRI studies of the brains of mathematicians reveal activation in the same regions associated with the pleasure of viewing a beautiful painting, when their eyes are shown formulas that are simple but powerful and self-reported as elegant.
In life, perhaps "you know it when you feel it."
This episode explores the way of elegance as it relates to the art of choice and leading a life of inner goodness.
Music “Eight Hours” by Bing Satellites; episode artwork on website is by Emily Dawn; podcast logo by Jon Marro.
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