Aesthetics vs. Anesthetics: Healing Begins When We Stop Numbing

The Greek word?aesthesis?means?perception. It’s also the root of the term “aesthetics” as the ability to appreciate beauty. Surprisingly, the term?“anesthetic,”?which is the opposite of aesthetics, means?imperception. Aesthetics and anesthetics are opposites.

Aesthetics is our perception of beauty. Anesthetics is when we stop ourselves from perceiving beauty. Our ability to perceive beauty is directly proportionate to the level of inner sensitivity. Beauty doesn’t strike me when I am anesthetized. The more I numb myself, the more I lose the ability to respond to beauty. Beauty doesn’t move me anymore.

It is somewhat uncanny that etymologically, these two terms are related. It means, first of all, that there’s ultimately only one thing that can bring us back to our senses from the state of perpetual self-anesthetization — beauty.

Aesthetics only happens in someone who has enough?aesthesis —?perception. Our ability to perceive beauty is directly related to our readiness not to turn away from pain. Beauty is directly related to our readiness to allow pain. It often comes through pain. If we refuse to feel pain, we won’t perceive beauty either.

Anesthetics are good and useful in many situations but not when we anesthetize ourselves 24/7 through modern anesthetics — phones, social media, Netflix, video games, shopping, etc. When we incessantly numb ourselves, we can’t perceive beauty. To feel beauty, one must be open to pain. To be wounded by beauty one must become open to the possibility of being wounded.

Beauty pierces the heart with a delectable wound. No wonder the Greeks portrayed Cupid with a bow and arrows. To love is to be pierced. Pierced to the point of becoming totally open to being smitten by beauty. Instinctively, we know that only beauty can mend us. Anesthetics can’t heal. It is aesthetics that heals the soul and makes us whole.

Anesthetics deepen the fragmentation of the soul.?When we anesthetize, we don’t heal the pain. We shut ourselves off from feeling and from healing. As Jordan Petersen says, “In terms of therapeutic transformation, insofar as people are willing to face what terrifies them voluntarily, they get stronger.”

Aesthetics heals because it makes us sensitive — it brings us back to our senses. Anesthetics dull our senses and eventually drive us to madness.?Aesthetics is both the starting point and the culmination of all true healing.?When we dare to open ourselves up, we are flooded by painful emotions, but through that hole, beauty can enter and make us whole.

The wound becomes delectable when it?allows the healing power of beauty to come in and transform us.?Aesthetics transforms us because it allows us to live in response. We become responsive — we sense the beauty — and respond. As Madame Guyon said,

“Our activity should consist in placing ourselves in a state of susceptibility to Divine impressions, and pliability to all the operations of the Eternal Word.”

All human activity starts with passivity — placing ourselves in a state of susceptibility to Divine impressions.?When we are touched by Beauty, we start moving.?Beauty moves. Our ability to be moved is directly proportionate to our ability to feel.

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