by Mary Scifres
3.THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF PERCEPTION
Opening Our Minds to New Possibilities
As we open our minds more broadly, we are able to perceive more widely, giving transformative power to the gift of perception. As we expand our awareness with intentional mindfulness and attentiveness, we discover new perceptions, notice additional information, and experience situations differently. Alone and frightened after Beast imprisons her in the castle dungeon, Belle cannot imagine being invited to reside in a luxurious guest room. The servants-turned-household objects initially frighten her, then spark her curiosity, and eventually become her friends and companions. As her perspective on the castle moves from fear to curiosity, Belle soon realizes the castle is more enchanted than haunted, and her castle companions are more friendly than frightening.
Mindful perceptions and expansive perspectives offer us a path toward change, growth, and powerful transformation. At the same time, unexamined perceptions and blindly held perspectives have the power to imprison us in old assumptions, paradigms, and patterns of behavior. Trapped in the assumption that he will remain a beast forever, Beast succumbs to familiar patterns of temper tantrums, judgmental stereotypes, and self-absorption. Until he expands his perspective to include a hopeful outlook, Beast fails to perceive the opportunities for growth and change hidden within the spell. Despair blinds him to the wonders all around him: a castle full of books he has not read, an estate filled with servants who can provide friendship and wisdom, and a winter kingdom glistening with beauty unseen. Belle reveals these wonders to Beast, but they have been there for the discovery all along.
Perception’s Dual Role
Perception plays a dual role in our lives. Perception is not only the act of seeing, hearing, and becoming aware of the world around us through our physical senses and mental awareness; perception is also the evaluation or judgment of this seeing, hearing, and awareness based upon our perspective. It is how we understand and interpret what we are physically and mentally perceiving. In perception’s first role, Beast sees a man imposing on his castle and plucking a rose from his garden. In perception’s second role, Beast judges the man to be a thief—a thief who responds to hospitality with indifference and burglary. Any transformative gifts Maurice could bring to Beast are invisible to Beast, who perceives nothing beyond an invasive thief. Similarly, in perception’s first role, Belle sees her beloved father held captive in a castle tower by a frightening creature. In perception’s second role, Belle knows that her father is guilty of no worse than seeking shelter from a storm (1991) or picking a rose from the castle grounds to bring a gift back to his daughter (2017). Such actions can hardly be considered criminal, much less warrant a sentence of life imprisonment! With Belle’s perception of Beast as a monster now firmly established in her mind, this perception can only change if Belle is prepared to see and perceive with fresh eyes. Our religious and philosophical teachers would say that Belle is not truly awake, for she has closed her mind to the possibility that Beast can be more than he appears. Until she reawakens her mind with openness to new possibilities, she is unable to look beyond appearances and see the prince within the beast.
Perception and perspective have the power to fuel a journey toward transformation or to halt this journey in its tracks. Optimism invites hope and encouragement, whereas pessimism invites fear and fatalism. A clear-eyed perception coupled with an open-mind invites imagination, creativity, and new learning; while a clouded perception coupled with a closed mind discourages new possibilities.
This contrast in perception is evident throughout the story of Beauty and the Beast. Even as some characters personify one more strongly than another, each character brings varying levels of perception and contrasting perspectives into their individual experiences, as most people do. On my best days, I am open to new ideas; I am filled with new possibilities and dreams; and I am aware of God’s infinitely creative power. At my very best, like the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, “I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”[32] On other days, old paradigms kick in and I bring a more limiting perspective, failing to perceive the miraculous possibilities inviting me onward. Where we place our focus, and how we interpret what we perceive impacts how we behave, react, and interact with the world around us.
Perception Determines Our Direction
Beauty and the Beast opens with not just a limited perspective, but also a mistaken perception. A woman appears at the castle’s door, seeking shelter for the night. A young prince opens the door to meet this woman. To the prince, the woman appears to be old and ugly, reminiscent of evil hags so prominent in fairy tales he has heard as a child. He perceives nothing of worth in this woman’s visit.
In the 2017 film, when the prince refuses the woman’s request for lodging, his haughty, self-absorbed guests approve of his dismissal of the old woman, deeming the prince’s actions both justified and wise. Yet, it’s hard to imagine that the prince fails to perceive the woman’s need for assistance, poor and helpless as she seems. Wise rulers, in both fairy tales and in real life, heed the pleas for help and hospitality from those in need. But our young prince is not a wise ruler—he is a foolish young man who rejects the obligations of duty and honor, a young man who has shut his heart, a young man in need of transformation.
How did the prince come to perceive this old woman as being beneath his concern? Did her physical appearance shroud the lessons of chivalry he certainly learned growing up? Even when the old woman warns him not to be deceived by what his eyes show him, the prince still sees only poverty and ugliness before him. Even with signs that this woman is more than she appears and that magical forces might be at work—the candelabras blowing out, the foreboding silence that fills the castle as the castle doors fly open at her arrival—the prince cannot shift his perception of the old woman. Focusing on her outward appearance, he turns her away, demanding she leave without shelter or assistance. The prince’s callousness becomes a missed opportunity to open his heart, but it also begins a journey he would never have imagined, much less asked for—a journey easily sidetracked by a mistaken perception.
It Is Only with the Heart that One Can See Rightly
Jesus spends much time teaching his followers to see with the eyes of their hearts, because he knows that perception helps determine the path we follow. Jesus teaches his followers to see beneath the surface, to look beyond the letter of the law and the rules of their faith, to discover the spirit of God’s teachings. Jesus notices people, notices their possibilities, and notices when those possibilities are being squelched; then he creates opportunities for people to transform those possibilities into realities. Jesus sees with enlightened eyes and invites others to do the same, offering hope in the face of despair. He opens up worlds of opportunity where none seemed to exist before, living this prayer of the writer of Ephesians: “With wisdom and revelation, may your heart’s eyes be enlightened so you discover the hope to which you are called.”[33]
Perhaps this is why the prince has no hope after the spell. He clearly lacks the wisdom and revelation to have the eyes of his heart enlightened. He cannot see beyond appearances and refuses to heed any advice to look more deeply. Is the prince’s perception based on selfishness and cruelty because of a loveless heart, as the enchantress diagnosed? Or, is he only able to see with his physical eyes because the eyes of his heart are not enlightened—a condition so dire that the prince cannot even see the beauty and worth in the rose the enchantress offers?
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,” writes Antoine Saint-Exupéry in The Little Prince, “what is essential is invisible to the eye.”[34] The young prince of Beauty and the Beast is blind to this heart-centered seeing. Without the ability to see with the eyes of love, the prince misses the truth before him. He perceives no beauty, no possibility, and no purpose to this old woman’s visit. In so doing, he misses an opportunity to serve, an opportunity to offer compassion, and an opportunity to grow. In these
mistaken perceptions and missed opportunities, the young prince cannot embrace the gifts, blessings, and transformation this powerful enchantress offered. All too soon, his mistaken perception creates a haunting new reality for everyone in the castle.
When the “old woman” reveals herself as a beautiful enchantress, she is prepared to teach the selfish prince a harsh life lesson. As her outward appearance fades away, the prince sees the depth of his mistake. Might the wondrous lady before him have been a potential princess to share his life, or a fairy godmother with gifts and blessings to share? This enchantress is not only blessed with physical beauty, she is endowed with magical abilities that might have bestowed bounty and riches to his kingdom. But now it is too late. The beautiful enchantress cannot help this ugly-hearted prince until he can perceive the world with the eyes of his heart enlightened. Perceiving that there is no love in the young prince’s heart, the enchantress transforms his outer form to reflect the beast within.
But the enchantress doesn’t stop there. She not only turns the prince into a beast, she turns everyone in the castle into enchanted objects, and the castle itself into a place of darkness and foreboding. We have no explanation for the reach of the enchantress’ spell. Was she herself blinded by a limited perspective and mistaken perception of this young man? Could not this ugly old woman have found a kinder, gentler, and more loving way to guide the prince’s steps toward transformation? We will never know. All we know for sure is that our spoiled prince perceives nothing more than a worthless old woman at his castle door, and our veiled enchantress perceives nothing more than a monstrous young man sneering before her.
When Judgment Becomes Judgmental
From this very first scene, we see the ease in which perception can become judgmental. The prince’s judgmental perception of the poor old women is echoed later in the film by Gaston, when he warns Belle that she does not want to end up like the “spinster” Agathe. The enchantress seems judgmental of the young prince as well—perhaps stereotyping him as one of those unfeeling royals, who fail to care for those they are charged to serve and protect. Regardless of her intentions, the enchantress’ perception rests on a limited perspective that the prince can be defined as either beastly or manly. Perceiving the former, the enchantress judges that there is “no love in his heart” and acts accordingly.
The question then is whether the enchantress’ judgment is sound or is simply judgmental. From one perspective, her judgment seems reasonable. When judging a ruler such as a prince, we expect certain ethics and behaviors. The young prince should have offered hospitality. Rulers should put their country’s interests ahead of their own. When leaders neglect these leadership ethics, we wring our hands in concern and rightly object to their behaviors. But do we also conclude that the leader is “bad” or “evil” or “a jerk”? This perception, or judgment, is far too common in our world today.
While judging leaders in this way may seem justified, offering such judgment quickly becomes judgmental. Perspectives that see others as only “good” or “bad” lead easily to judgmental perceptions. We may miss the potential to see goodness and beauty. Expecting to see the worst in others, we begin to see the worst that we expect to see. The enchantress saw a bad ruler; the prince saw a worthless old woman.
Such judgmental perceptions are not limited to labeling powerful leaders; they also lead us to label and stereotype the least powerful or most unfamiliar people in our world. People may assume persons of a different ethnicity are dangerous or dirty or lazy. People may label persons of a different political or religious persuasion as evil or ignorant. People may perceive young people or the elderly to be burdens on society. People may assume a homeless person deserves his situation, or an erotic dancer must really love or hate her work. Often, the people who are most in need of protection and compassion are the people judged most harshly in our world today.
On the other hand, when we look for unseen beauty and unrealized potential in ourselves and in others, we discover a new way of seeing. We begin to perceive possibilities we might have missed otherwise. Relationships we might never have formed suddenly become life-changing, as we learn to see with the eyes of our hearts. New paths forward are revealed as we look about with wide-eyed wonder. We can begin to imagine dozens of impossible things, even before breakfast—but only when we open fully, and perceive clearly.
Perception Changes Everything
Having watched the harrowing drama of Beauty and the Beast unfold before our eyes, we are left with the task of examining our own perceptions. How do we perceive the magic of the enchantress? Is it merely a spell intended to correct the prince and lead him down a path toward transformation, or is it a curse intended to punish the prince along with his entire household? Is this beautiful enchantress a canny guide to lead the prince to his own salvation, or is she a destroyer of dreams, someone who brings ugliness and grief to the young prince’s life? Looking at the 1991 film, we might perceive the enchantress as a bit of an evil hag, despite her transformation into a physical beauty. Who is this judging, curse-riddled magician, who seems destined to bring the prince and his entire household to disaster? Despite her outward appearance, it is not beauty that the enchantress brings, but a curse of beastly proportions.
But is this negative perception of the enchantress fair? Is it even warranted? Narrators, magicians, and soothsayers come and go in literature, particularly in fairy tales—often with knowledge that readers and viewers are not privy to. Initially, it seems the enchantress brings only misery. But if we change our perspective, might we not perceive her as a beautiful prophet of power and possibility? Can she be offering both curse and blessing? Perhaps it is our ignorance of what it means to be this enchantress that prevents us from perceiving her in a positive light. For the enchantress seems to know that without her spell, the prince will remain imprisoned by his cold heart forever. Perhaps she even knows that if the prince’s servants are not enchanted right along with him, he will not be able to receive their help when the opportunity arises to see with the eyes of his heart enlightened. As we watch her character unfold in the 2017 film, we gain a more charitable perception. This enchantress even gains my admiration—for she sees the prince’s growth in love so clearly that she sets aside the terms of the spell and offers grace and rebirth even after the last rose petal falls.
When the prince is reborn and is transformed into his fully human self, the community is reclaimed and fullness of life returns to the castle. Memories return, families are restored, and all celebrate the transformation of this formerly horrible prince into a man worthy of their love and respect. This is a beautiful scene filled with forgiveness and grace—a scene portending love and hope for the future. But it is a scene made possible through a transformation of perception by almost everyone in the story.
The Power of Perceiving Possibilities
Consider how quickly the Whos change their perception of the Grinch when he returns to Whoville with their stolen Christmas gifts. The Whos do not let the Grinch’s past behavior prejudice their perception of current realities. When the reformed Grinch appears in town, the Whos recognize that the Grinch who is returning their Christmas gifts is not the same Grinch as the one who stole their gifts to begin with. They perceive someone new, someone with a larger heart. Just as they know that Christmas has arrived, despite missing their Christmas decorations, they can see that a new friend has arrived, despite his monstrous appearance and bags full of stolen booty. This is clear seeing indeed!
Clarity of vision is often strongest in community, particularly when we are surrounded by people who perceive possibilities and look for the best in us. The entire Who community appears to see beyond appearances, explaining Cindy Lou’s optimistic outlook on a strange-looking Santa even as he strips her home of decorations and gifts. In most biblical stories, it takes a community (or at least another person) to clear up confusion and create such clear seeing. Certainly in Beast’s case, it took an entire castle community to open his heart to Be
lle’s friendship and to begin seeing possibilities that escaped him before.
In the biblical story of Esther, Esther’s foster-father Mordecai begs her to risk death and ask her Persian king to spare the Hebrew people. “Who knows” Mordecai asks, “whether you were not born for such a time as this?” Reflecting on his words, Esther begins to see herself as more than just another queen in the king’s harem; she sees herself as a powerful, creative child of God, reflecting the divine light within her. As her perspective changes, she perceives new possibilities for her life. Esther discovers her boldness, her power, and her ability to initiate change. In so doing, she creates an unexpectedly empowering new path for herself and for her people.
With the same sense of purpose and possibility, Belle walks courageously through the dark and enchanted castle. Who knows whether she too was not born for such a time as this? Even Beast sees this truth at some level; his castle servants certainly do, as do we who watch these marvelous films. Ah, such is the power of a good fairy tale! We are all whisked into Belle’s hopeful perspective and imaginative dreaming. Surely Belle’s purpose is to help Beast break the spell by learning to give and receive love. Surely Belle will be the one to save the castle from the twisted fate it has known all these long years. We know she can do it. Positive and powerful, she is the one. Belle has convinced us, even before she has convinced herself—for Belle has the ability to sing her dreams into being. We know she will discover and fulfill her purpose, even before she understands what her purpose is. For Belle has shared her hopes and dreams with us, and we are now part of her community—a community that will walk this path with her, wherever it may lead.