Posted February 16, 2011 in Blog, Philosophy 101, Uncategorized
“Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?” Groucho Marx
While minding my own business this morning in a stationary bicycling (spinning) class, the woman in front of me removed her sweatshirt revealing a beautifully done tatoo on her mid, lower back. The tattoo was an artful rendition of a religious icon, the khamsa, a palm shaped amulet (or hand) popular throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. The khamsais often incorporated in jewelry and wall hangings, as a superstitous defense against the evil eye. Many Jews believe that the five fingers of the hamsa hand remind its wearer to use their five senses to praise God.
Why is it that our eyes so quickly, within a blink, can determine that a face looks disproportionately “funny”. Just as we recognize beauty when it is in da Vinci’s classic ratios, “cheeks and lips on a stick” poor facial augmentation is bothersome to our senses. This is because the disproportion distracts us away from the awful plastic surgical victim’s eyes. We are distracted from the divinity that lies within their eyes.
“The eyes are the mirror of the soul”, Old Yiddish Proverb.
A beautiful nose gets out of the way of the eyes, allowing the focus of the face to be on the eyes. The eyes trump all other facial features. Why? Because through our eyes others can see and feel the divine holy goodness that lives deep within our souls.
“I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart.” Pope John XXIII
In Judaism, tattoos are forbidden. The epiphany (i.e. light bulb in cartoon bubble clicking on) that hit this facial plastic surgeon while spinning to Bruno Mars’, “(You Are Beautiful) Just the Way You Are”, initiated by the khamsa tattoo riding in the bike seat in front of me, thinking of patients asking why so many public faces are overdone and obviously plastic, and appreciating the goodness within all of us, was the answer to why tattoos are prohibited in the Old Testament. Tattoos are a permanent label on the divine body, distracting others from being unbiased in seeing the divine within. Tattoos are like a piece of art, a billboard advertisement, or a flashing sign, screaming, “Look at this!” distracting away from the true soul. The same can be said for obvious plastic surgery. They both distort the body, many times in alarmingly distracting ways.
We consult with many patients who wish to have their tattoos removed. The best treatment for tattoo removal is to not have them put on in the first place. Make sure that you carefully make the decision to have a tattoo. The second best treatment is laser removal. I refer my patients to the cleverly named, Dr. Tattoff.
In all walks of life, as well as in facial plastic surgery, the eyes are truly divine!
Be well, be good to others, and by all means be careful who you decide to exercise behind for it may open your eyes to new insights.
Dr. P
Dr Michael Persky is located in Encino, California but services all of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Including, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Malibu, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills and more
