Geisha – this word made it from Japanese into all languages in the world. It became a phenomenon as are the bearers of this name.
First of all in connection with geisha I must mention that they are all highly educated artists. And highly disciplined. Discipline is essential for them to constantly improve their skills to sing, dance and play shamisen. This would, however, not be enough to entertain at various ocassions, they have to be knowledgeable about many other things. They can perform tea ceremony, make flower arrangements and they are masters of etiquette and accomplished conversationalists – to mention just some of their accomplishments.
For their work they are well paid. Large amount of their income is in turn spent on their lavish top notch kimonos. They always have to turn up immaculate. It is their duty. Why, how would it be, if a hired INSTITUTION GEISHA would arrive for an event, looking less than spectacular?!
Hand in hand with high expectations from these artists goes time demand for their preparation and for upkeep of high level of their accomplishment. They are paying teachers of dancing or other arts, as not to lose perfection and to fine-tune constantly. Geishas do not marry. They stay single if they are to work as geishas.
Some geisha are not beautiful in the sense of beauty as some people understand it. But above this superficial quality their luminous personality is shimmering. This is their spell and it gives them beauty we associate with geisha. And here comes the lesson: Beauty is nice. But we can be beautiful even without looking as classic beauty.
Geisha do not necessarily have to be young. Some of them are outright old. Geisha above 70 is no exception and even at the age of 93 geisha can be working and appreciated. In this age of the cult of eternal youth this is an encouraging news for all of us ladies, who came into certain age and watch accumulating wrinkles in the mirror.
Education and freedom have always their value. We can achieve beauty, and education, too. Our beauty and education can grow proportionally with our increasing age. I have never heard of somebody´s education deteriorating over time. And education helps us to be free. It is valuable at all times.
And it gets even better – when something is valuable, it does not have to be young. Remember – to ripen as wine…
We should not be afraid from something as natural a aging. We should just carry on an enjoy. This is in my opinion something we should definitely learn from geishas. Isn´t it encouraging, dear ladies?
In my opinion this photo holds a hint of interesting symbolism:
Michelangelo´s Dying Slave – the marble original being in the Louvre – is attached to a rock and strives to free himself – i.e. to detach himself from worldly kingdom and almost trancelike wanting to be with god
Geisha – originals are in Japan 😀 – in many aspects is an image of such liberation 🙂
