Some people tell others, “You have a beautiful soul.”
But what does that really mean? We know what it means to be beautiful on the outside.
When someone says that a person has a beautiful soul, typically they’re referring to someone with a kind, giving nature—someone confident, genuine, balanced, and understanding. People with beautiful souls make others feel safe and at peace.
As you can tell, this is very subjective and might mean something different to different people. So let’s explore some ideas about beauty and the human spirit, as well as what some of the world’s great writers have to say about beautiful souls.
Related: How to Nourish Your Soul
What is beauty?
According to Wikipedia, beauty is:
“the ascription of a property or characteristic to (a)… person that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure or satisfaction…. Ugliness is the opposite of beauty. The experience of “beauty” often involves an interpretation of some entity as being in balance and harmony with nature, which may lead to feelings of attraction and emotional well-being.”
Wikipedia
This description is PERFECT for describing how souls can be beautiful!
To summarize:
Beauty is positive, balanced, and harmonious, and it creates feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and emotional well-being.
RELATED:
What Do You Need Right Now? 5 Steps to Find Out
What is the soul?
In spirituality, the soul is:
is the incorporeal essence of a living being.
Wikipedia
In another way of looking at it, we can look at spirit, because they are very similar. Spirit is:
the vital principle or animating force within all living things.
Wikipedia
(“Having a beautiful soul” and “having a beautiful spirit” are synonyms, or it’s another word or term for beautiful soul.)
Typically the soul and spirit are thought to be immortal, extending beyond our world.
This essence, or life force, is our soul.
Our life force is embodied in our energy, our thoughts and feelings, our behavior toward others, our choices… how we listen and interact, how we pray or meditate, how we learn, and how we love.
RELATED:
How to Embrace the Simple Joys of Life!
Beautiful Soul Meaning
When you’re with someone who has a beautiful soul, you feel at peace. They are positive, gentle and helpful with their guidance, never forceful. They are giving and understanding. Their energy is absolutely radiant and completely contagious.
This person is spiritually enlightened, non-judgmental, and is surrounded by unconditional love and gratitude.
You will know when you’re touched by a beautiful soul!
Words to Describe a Beautiful Soul
If someone tells you that you’re an amazing soul, here are some traits and other words to describe you:
- heart of gold, heart of light
- open heart, ready to receive and give love
- radiant
- building others up
- intriguing
- enlightened
- encouraging
- like to see others succeed
- gentle
- kind to all living things
- confident
- possessing inner peace
- living in joy regardless of external conditions
- appreciative
- have integrity
- act from a place of objectiveness and love
- healthy interactions with others
Sometimes, but not always, a beautiful soul is also an old soul, or a spirit that has lived many lives, and has, presumably seen pain and suffering, but has moved through it to find peace on the other side.
READ MORE:
The Importance of Inner Peace
The Opposite of Having a Beautiful Soul
As mentioned above, the opposite of beauty is ugliness. This kind of “ugliness” of soul is caused by that same pain and suffering. But instead of processing it, the trauma from childhood causes blocks, walls and barriers, and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Here are some things that are the opposite of having a beautiful soul:
- selfish or petty
- angry
- driven by ego or materialistic things
- narcissistic
- negative
- discouraging to others
- judgmental
- like to see others fail
- gluttonous
- imbalanced
- obsessive
- possessive
- act from a place of pain and suffering
- self-centered
- don’t care about the wellbeing of others
- deeply fearful
Thankfully, this harmful, deeply pained soul is not permanent. People CAN change! Practice some self-love affirmations to help yourself practice unconditional love on yourself.
“You have a beautiful soul” quotes
Great writers and even celebrities have a lot to say about how the beauty of souls is so much more important than outer beauty.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
“She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.”
Maya Angelou
“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, of just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
R.M. Broderick
“It’s that heart of gold & stardust soul that make you beautiful.”
Billy Chapata
“Outer beauty has expiration dates. Invest in beautiful minds and beautiful souls, and the intrigue will never fade away.”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist Monk
“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. … True happiness and true power lie in understanding yourself, accepting yourself, having confidence in yourself.”
Sophia Loren
“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.”
Kahlil Gibran
“Beauty is not in the face; Beauty is a light in the heart.”
Panache Desai
“The soul is an infinite ocean of just beautiful energy and presence made manifest in human form.”
RELATED:
Affirmations for Finding Love
How to Live in the Present Moment
Have you ever met someone with a beautiful soul?
Do you have anything to add to what it means to have a beautiful soul?
