Aesthetics and Longing: Why Our Preferences May Reflect the Soul

Are our aesthetic preferences shallow? Or are they perhaps what we are pulled to, thanks to our soul? Our soul that communicates through ancient forms: images, symbols, whispers in the wind.

There is a depth in attraction, a reason for feeling pulled, which is often dismissed. Longing is not random. It’s a powerful form of communication our soul chooses to harness. When we feel drawn to a vision, a form, an ambiance—frankly, when we are drawn to anything—it’s as if our soul is saying, “Hey, hold on a minute. There’s something here. Stay for a minute. Explore.”

Of course, we could argue that our longings can be fleeting. And while that can, on occasion, be true, that doesn’t mean they are insignificant. Relationships can be brief and still change us. Even the shortest among them can teach us something about ourselves, others, and the shape of our inner world. So too can our desires and fascinations.

So, if we are called toward a particular dream, perhaps it is because it is meant to unfold over the course of our lives. Or perhaps it is only meant to briefly illuminate something within us before passing. Regardless, it holds meaning.

Beyond this, so many of our dreams and desires are not fleeting. So many remain with us throughout the course of our lives because they are woven into the fabric of who we are. Hence why it feels so nourishing when we carve out time to tend to them.

In a day and age in which the word “aesthetic” is often sneered at, I think we deserve to pause on the judgment and actually take a moment to consider why certain images, places, textures, eras, or atmospheres feel so charged to us. Why we feel compelled to identify with particular imagery.

Sure, we can be drawn into things for superficial or trend-related reasons. But if, over the course of your lifetime, you find yourself continuously drawn toward particular settings, moods, or forms, it’s absolutely worth paying attention to. I’d venture to say there’s something there you’re being called to explore.

It’s likely awakening something essential within you: a certain energy, a way of thinking, inspiration, fuel for creation, fuel for what you’re meant to bring to this world.

(Which could be a product, or simply your own essence.)

So, no, our aesthetic preferences are not shallow. Far from it. Tending to our own peculiar visions of beauty can serve as a bridge between the visible world and the inner one, between who we are and who we feel called to become.