October 24, 2003


The Sublime and the Deviant

"Beauty and The Beast" and "Dorian Gray” have more in common than one would suppose. They are reverse images of themselves. For those who are unfamiliar with either plot, here is a summary: The horrendous monstrous looking beast has a heart of pure sensitivity and kindness which the beauty is able to find and appreciate. The beastly presence is ignored by the Beauty and a wonderful romance ensues. However, Dorian Gray (a 1945 movie rerunning on Classic Turner Movies TV) has the monster’s outer figure as so beguiling and innocent that the beauties become captivated and destroyed by his evilness. Beauty then signifies ones pureness of soul to trust and love unconditionally despite the glaring defects of another person. This quality is sought and lauded among us. We all wish for the freshness of such beauty in our lives. However, it is because of that trust which may cause the floundering and disaster when such a soul experiences the cruelness of the lurking monster that is not evident, disguised as a beauty, but touched by Satan, destroys the heart of a loved one.

Most of society does not love so unconditionally, but for those that do, the heart wrenching pain leaves a large gaping hole in their heart. Friends and relatives struggle with the trusting soul’s disbelief of what has shredded the heart into little pieces. Pieces that must be picked up with case and understanding often by those who, because they lack the spiritual essence to relate to the happenstance, can only offer what little remonstrance of sympathy they have the experience to give.

Since this is a spiritual matter that has ripped the soul asunder, faith in whatever religion or recognition of a creation greater than our humanness is necessary to create a wholeness once again. Whether the tug of war is universal such as Terrorism versus Democracy or Love versus Disharmony, one needs to seek solace beyond the ordinary means of cognition, digging deeply into the significance of life to find the hidden secrets of the universe for love, peace and harmony. Others are unable to recognize this truth which is: that the spiritual self of the wronged one is greater than the reality self; that the spiritual person walks alongside God and suffers the crucifixion as much as Jesus himself. But just as that act was meant to be a personification of the suffering of mankind who wish for world and personal Peace, the anguish must be endured, as tranquillity slowly returns.

Average people often do not wish to equate their lives with a higher power, yet for those who refuse to do so, counselling falls very short of the mark. Counselors are limited in scope, but the universe is not.

However, groups such as: AA, Gamblers Anonymous, etc., successfully mend souls by such a premise with one of the 12 steps which is to recognize and accept that there is a Power Greater than themselves. Therefore counselling and spiritual guidance integrate, and therefore compliment each other to become a great totality.