Elegance

 

I've been reading Paulo Coelho's books for such a long time now. I think I read my first Paulo book when I was about 21. In this piece he describes elegance so beautifully.. Before taking life's most important steps "we must be both serene and elegant" I do what I do because I believe wholeheartedly that we are transforming and changing constantly. We are forever in a process of change, so to honor ourselves we try our best to leave a piece of elegance behind.

On elegance by Paulo Coelho that leaves me inspired..

"Sometimes, I find myself sitting or standing with my shoulders hunched.  Whenever that happens, I am sure there is something that is not quite right.  At that moment, before even trying to find out why I'm feeling uncomfortable, I try to change my posture, to make it more elegant.  When I draw myself up again, I realize that this simple movement has helped me to feel more confident about what I'm doing.

Elegance is usually confused with superficiality and fashion.  That is a grave mistake.  Human beings should be elegant in their actions and their posture, because the word is synonymous with good taste, graciousness, balance, and harmony.

Before taking life's most important steps, we must be both serene and elegant.  We must not, of course, become obsessed, worrying all the time about how we move our hands, sit down, smile, look around; but it is good to know that our body is speaking a language, and that the other person -- even if only unconsciously -- is understanding what we are saying beyond our words.

Serenity comes from the heart.  Although often tormented by thoughts of insecurity, the heart knows that, through correct posture, it can regain its equilibrium.  The physical elegance I'm talking about comes from the body and is not a superficial thing, but our way of honouring how we place our two feet on the ground.  That is why, whenever you feel uncomfortable in that correct posture, you should not think that it is false or artificial.  It is true because it is difficult.  It makes the path feel honoured by the dignity of the pilgrim.

And please do not confuse it with arrogance or snobbery.  Elegance is the right posture to make our every gesture perfect, our steps firm, and to give due respect to our fellow men and women.

Elegance is achieved when all superfluous things have been discarded and the human being discovers simplicity and concentration.  The simpler and more sober the posture, the more beautiful it will be.

Snow is beautiful because it has only one colour; the sea is beautiful because it seems to be a flat surface.  But both the sea and the snow are deep, and know their own qualities.

Walk joyfully and with a firm step, without fear of stumbling.  Your every step is being accompanied by your allies, who will help you if necessary.  But do not forget that your adversary is watching too, and that he knows the difference between a firm hand and a tremulous one.  Therefore, if you feel tense, breathe deeply and believe that you feel calm, and through one of those inexplicable miracles, you will be filled with tranquility.

When you make a decision, and set it in motion, try to review mentally each stage that led you to take that step, but do so without tension, because it is impossible to hold all the rules in your head.  With your spirit free, as you review each step, you will become aware of which were the most difficult moments, and how you overcame them.  This will be reflected in your body, so pay attention!

To make an analogy with archery, many archers complain that, despite many years of practice, they still feel their heart beating anxiously, their hand trembling, their aim faltering.  Archery makes our mistakes more obvious.

On days when you feel out of love with life, your aim will be confused, complicated.  You will find that you lack sufficient strength to draw the bow, that you cannot make the bow bend as it should.  And when, on that morning, you see that your aim is bad, try to discover the cause of such imprecision.  This will force you to confront the problem that is troubling you, but which had been hidden up until then.

You discovered the problem because your body was feeling older and less elegant.  Change your posture, relax your head, stretch your spine, face the world with an open chest.  When you think about your body, you are also thinking about your soul, and one will help the other."