Kristin Armstrong Reveals the Way to Unlock Life’s Unlimited Supply of Beauty
"We have to be willing to keep our hearts open, no matter what"
If beauty is an art, which I believe it is, then I can understand it on a deeper level when I consider the symbolism of sculpture. Meaning, it isn’t about what we put on (clothes, makeup or even a façade) but more about what is chiseled away.
Like a master starting with a block of marble, the art is revealed as the unnecessary is taken away. Chip by chip, smoothing sharp edges, until the beauty of the creation emerges.
I think people are a lot like that, and life is the master sculptor.
People who have weathered life’s storms or been through a refining season (Firewalkers, I like to call them) know what it is to have spent time in the master’s studio. People who have walked through a season of challenge — illness, loss, divorce, grief, trauma, caretaking, etc. — have been forced to stand very still while the master works on them, chiseling away anything that is no longer needed and revealing the art and sinew of the new shape. There is a glow beneath the surface of a Firewalker, like a Phoenix unfurling its wings and shaking off the ash, reborn in the fire.
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To me there is no greater, purer beauty. Beauty like this cannot be made up or put on, it has to be revealed. Edges, possibly once sharp, become polished curves. Superfluous nature is chipped away, things like ego, false pretense, striving and comparison. Firewalkers know the essence and value of the present moment, because they have seen how quickly life can change. They are no longer willing to waste time on anything that is not authentic. Living at this level of presence yields a radiance like no other.
Why do some Firewalkers reflect this glorious light while others are just … charred?
I think the difference is willingness. As the medium, we have to cooperate or yield to the master. We have to be willing to be worked over, willing to be transformed, willing to be open to becoming a new creation. We have to be willing to keep our hearts open, no matter what, because an open heart is the portal for the light.
“Beauty like this cannot be made up or put on, it has to be revealed.
Beautiful people transformed in this way have superpowers. They can smile at you and it lifts your spirits. They can look at you without saying a single word and their steadiness will steady you. They can tell you that you can do this, whatever this may be, and you believe them. They can hug you or put a hand on your shoulder and their strength infuses your fatigue with new energy. They can be gorgeous at any age, and extend that beauty to you as an invitation to cultivate and express your own. They never play small or feel the need to dim their light under the misconception that shrinking makes other people more comfortable — because what makes other people actually feel comfortable is the presence of someone who is truly comfortable in their own skin. They prefer to rise and radiate, and light the way for others to join them.
The understanding of beauty as an art removes the potential for judgment and scarcity. One beautiful piece of art does not diminish the beauty of another. There is a limitless supply of beauty to go around. One form or expression is not better than another because they are each a unique creation, so comparison is nullified. All forms of beauty are intended to be appreciated. Age becomes irrelevant because masterpieces stand the test of time. There is nothing lost over time; in fact, value increases.
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If we can change our perspective of firewalking, shift it from something to be endured to something to be celebrated, it is possible to elevate our entire experience.
Likewise, so much would change if we could shift our definition of beauty — from something to be put on or acquired from outside, to something that is revealed from inside. From something that some have and some don’t, to the truth that beauty can be expressed in everyone because it is proportional to how we love. From something that can be lost or tarnished over time, to something inherent radiating from our core.
Let us be willing.