Throughout history the iconography of beards in art and literature is pervasive. The popularity of wearing a beard however, has waxed and waned based largely on society’s acceptance of connotations related to proper or improper, good or bad, etc. Everywhere you look these days men are sporting beards and the explanations for this current resurgence seem to run the gamut from fad or trend to just a normal swing in the pendulum of social acceptance. This may be the case in part, but maybe something deeper is going on also.
There seems to be a groundswell of energy pushing movements in social consciousness, sustainability, spirituality and the general desire for a simpler more natural way of living. Beardedness appears to be an outgrowth (pun intended) of these areas of increased awareness. The more elevated our thinking becomes, the more likely it is that we look for ways to express our enlightenment in the activities we choose and the forms of individual expression that resonate with how we feel.
Beards are one of mans oldest, most authentic forms of self expression and individuality. Many men who let their beards grow find that their outward appearance begins to more closely match their inner selves and how they want to relate to others. Growing a beard then becomes a process of slowly exposing your soul to the physical world. An emancipation of sorts.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ignoring societal norms in favor of expressing a personal truth is a form of spiritual growth and inquiry. The beard becomes an open assertion of humility and a submission to something bigger than ourselves.
Living an authentic life requires that we align ourselves with the truth. For men, beards are the truth and each individual expression of one has the power to change a heart or a mind with its unique story.
Tell your story!
BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.