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Beards are statements of humility and demonstrate a willful submission to forces greater than ourselves. They are simply the natural condition of a mans face and the opposite of any ego driven act of pretense. A man who allows his beard to grow, who thereby presents himself in a humble and genuine way, and who lives a life of compassion and kindness, is the very essence of ‘a ministry of beardedness’.

Personal ministries typically begin like small pebbles thrown into a still pond. A small and quiet act on the surface, but with ripples that can have profound effects. The example set by a genuine man, living a good life, can inspire an unknowable number of people to pursue the better version of their nature too. And so on…and so on….

The ripple effects, created by the simple expression of humility and authenticity, are important cornerstones of an impactful life and a meaningful legacy.

Start a ripple!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

 

 

 

 

Do you ever notice how easy it is to evaluate someone’s social and intellectual evolution by what they choose to talk about? More evolved minds think about ideas and have a vision. Less evolved minds think about events and places. The least enlightened minds think about people and tend to judge appearances. If someone encounters a bearded man and makes derogatory remarks, as opposed to being neutral or speaking favorably toward him, he should consider the source.

People with limited perspectives tend to embrace conformity and homogeneity as comfortable touchstones that don’t challenge their ingrained mindsets. Men who let their beards grow are generally nonconformists seeking to align themselves with authenticity and diversity. As such, they challenge the status quo in a way that make some people uncomfortable.

Maybe men who choose to let their beards grow are inadvertently involved in a ministry to raise social consciousness and elevate intellectual awareness. Just by wearing their beards proudly and living a compassionate, meaningful life they can create opportunities to change someone’s heart or mind.

Inspire evolution!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

Mankind is a term often used to describe human beings collectively, but it’s also a term used to distinguish between male and female. Men and women were created to be unique compliments to one another so that the union of the two is a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Women shouldn’t try to be like men and men shouldn’t try to be like women. Both parts of the whole should respect the unique way they were created and just be the most authentic versions of themselves possible.

Men who try to remove or conceal their beards are choosing to appear more feminine and as a consequence are disruptive to the binary system in nature. Women are more attracted to men who embrace their masculinity and men gravitate toward women who exude femininity for a reason. Propagation of the species depends on it.

Human beings collectively are better served when they pay less attention to the forces calling for homogeneity and conformity and instead embrace their uniqueness and diversity.

Stand Up For Manhood!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

Stop for a moment and think about everything that transpires over the course of a year. How do we measure and reflect on the changes that take place over a period of time like that? Trees have growth rings that mark the passage of time and tell their story. Likewise, men have the opportunity to display the growth and evolution in their lives by growing a ‘yeard’.

‘Yeard’s are a milepost of sorts for a mans life over the course of time.  Everything that impacts us and affects our development as a human being is reflected in our beards. They become a visible chronicle of our experiences and our inner spiritual disposition.

Long beards don’t represent an ‘I don’t care’ attitude, but rather are an expression of true freedom and authenticity. They show an orientation toward life that is egoless and without the taint of human arrogance. The unique plumage of a man’s beard is a sign of disdain for conformity, homogeneity and intolerance.

Get your ‘yeard’ on!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

 

Thou shalt not exalt any other beard before thine

Thou shalt not worship any beardless image

Thou shalt not demean or speak of any beard in vain

Thou shalt care for thy beard and keep it holy

Thou shalt honor thy beard

Thou shalt not commit beardlessness

Thou shalt not adulterate thy beard

Thou shalt not shave thy beard to bear false witness

Thou shalt not cause the removal of another’s beard

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors beard

 

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

I always find this to be an interesting question. It’s like asking if trees should have leaves. The query has already been decided, they do. Just like the issue surrounding men and beards, they exist. Nature has adjudicated these choices for us. Our only decision is whether we accept and appreciate them, or try in vain to change what’s already a physical reality.

Men who choose to make their beard invisible by shaving regularly, are not changing the fact that they have one. They’re merely trying to bury the evidence and probably for some ego driven reason. Engaging in that process seems to demonstrates a lack of understanding about a mans authentic nature.

Why are some flowers red and others yellow…some with strong fragrances and others without…some with thorns and others not? Every form of life has its own nature and purpose, including human beings. Almost everything exists naturally without the interference of ego. Mankind would be well served to heed natures lesson of genuineness, diversity and coexistence.

Shaving is a form of ego identification. Reality is simply the loss of ego. Let go of ego and just be the way you were intended to be!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

 

 

 

 

Man is a part of nature, but often acts in quite unnatural ways. Other aspects of nature exist harmoniously within the tapestry of life without trying to be something they weren’t intended to be. Humans, however, attempt to change not only themselves, but actively work to alter the course of other lives as well.

Perhaps because of our higher level of consciousness, we feel uniquely endowed with the right to exercise free will in an attempt to change things in a way that aligns with how we think they should be, instead of allowing nature to manifest as it was intended. Obviously not all of our interference is for the worse, but how much better might the world be if we tempered our attempts to realign natures design with a little more social consciousness and humility.

Putting aside the larger issues of manmade contributions to habitat destruction, species extinction, global warming, etc., how might we begin to raise awareness of our connection to nature in a smaller, more personal context? I think we start by choosing to be the most natural, authentic version of ourselves that we can be, and then letting those choices build upon one another until we’ve reached a level of greater sensitivity toward life in general.

One way men can initiate this process of growth in their personal lives is by embracing the natural design of their own bodies. Nature intended for men to have facial hair and for it to be a distinguishing characteristic of their being. Those of us who choose to shave day after day should be getting the message that we’re working against the naturally intended manifestation of our physical existence.

Let it grow, and begin to understand the unique, individual role that we have to play and how it connects us to everything else.

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As sentient, human beings we’ve been given the gift of ‘free’ will. The catch is, it’s not really free. Every choice we make has ramifications for better or worse. The abuse of ‘free’ will begets more instability not less, more uncertainty not less and more chaos not less.

I think it’s fair to observe that the world we live in today seems more chaotic than at any other time in human history. When we make choices that move us away from being aligned with the natural order of things, we’re not only setting the table for more instability, uncertainty and chaos, but we’re also creating less opportunity for creative, diverse human experiences and connections.

How much less beautiful would the world be if we planted flowers only to cut off their blossoms just when they start to bloom. Not only would the flower be denied the opportunity to be the fullest version of what it was intended to be, but the richness of our physical existence would be immeasurable muted.

Likewise when men choose to shave their beards, which they are free to do, they’re choosing to be a less authentic, less complete version of themselves than nature intended them to be. Maybe the fabric of humanity becomes a little less richly textured and complete as well.

Choose wisely!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

There’s a saying that goes ‘You’ll see it when you believe it’. The bearded colalary is ‘You don’t know until you grow’. When a man allows his beard to grow, the process teaches many lessons about life, about society and most importantly about self.

Having a big beard in today’s world, while becoming more acceptable, still engenders a fair amount of criticism and societal shunning. Learning how to deal with that negative energy and being able to persevere in attaining your own vision of self, is an important character building exercise. Likewise, the patience and commitment necessary to stay the course through all the stages of beard growth, helps create greater self awareness and a more focused clarity of purpose. The overall journey truly becomes one of personal discovery.

Getting in touch with the essence of our true nature and then acting in alignment with those core values, is a powerful life statement. Make your statement.

Grow and know!

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.

With the globalized, technologically centric world we live in today, and the attendant ills that accompany such a life, there’s a lot of interest in restoring family values into our societal fabric. Much can be learned in this regard by studying the Amish way of life.

The Amish people are devout in their faith and protective of their families. The simple, peaceful lifestyle they lead results in strong communities centered around honesty and personal integrity. Some would describe this way of life as backwards, but their culture is not only surviving, they’re coexisting and thriving in the twenty first century. Positive values endure and never go out of style.

Humility, integrity, honesty, authenticity, kindness, gentleness…those are character traits worth emulating. Add in patience and commitment and you get the perfect profile of a bearded man living a bearded life. The kind of life that promotes self sacrifice for the greater good…the kind of life that embraces simplicity instead of complication and self indulgence…the kind of life that seeks meaning and purpose. That’s the type of legacy we should all be interested in building.

BE HUMBLE…BE KIND…BE BEARDED.