17 Apr Is Your Life The Beauty or The Beast?
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
We finally got around to seeing Disney’s latest version of The Beauty And The Beast, an accurate representation of the original tale, acted by real people rather than the older, animated film.
The simple message is that on the deepest level, life is about transforming our nature from a self centered, self serving ego—a beast—to opening the heart in loving kindness for all of life.
The plot is familiar and simple, but elegant in its presentation.
On the eve of a terrible storm, a supernatural wise woman visits a selfish prince. She offers a rose in exchange for shelter from the raging wind and rain. She prince laughs and turns her out. The woman sees that the prince possesses no love in his heart. She changes into her true spiritual form and transforms the prince into a hideous beast, and the servants into household items such as a teapot and candelabra. The castle and the grounds become dark and forbidding. Unless the beast learns to truly love another…and the other loves him in return, he will remain a beast. Also there’s a time limit. The enchanted rose that she originally offered serves as an hour glass. When the last petal falls, the curse will be permanent.
The metaphor is brilliant: To live in selfishness is to exist on the level of a beast. Until we awaken and open the heart in true loving kindness, we will remain in our separate self centered ego. Our lives have no meaning, they become ugly and small. Love is life’s purpose: awaken to your true nature, open your heart before the short time of your life is over. The rose is your lifespan…the last petal falls at death. If you fail to open the heart, you will have missed the purpose of life.
I highly recommend this film.
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