Beard Length as a Measure of Wisdom

[Frog Dreams]

Obviously I'm not super serious about this topic, but it occurred to me that there is some kind of correlation.

I'm growing my beard out at the moment as an exercise in "not giving a fuck". That's what I tell people if they tell me they think I should trim it.

I tell them I will grow it longer.

My facial hair isn't great. I'm not one of those guys with a huge bushy mane. I have a reasonable beard, I think. It's borderline, maybe. But, it's okay. I can get away with it.

I want to grow it out. I don't care about what other people think. I want to grow it out to prove that I don't care... or to remind myself that I don't care. Or something.

It's liberating, letting it grow.

We shouldn't have to shave.

I gauge female wisdom based on the length of female leg hair.

Guys with long Gandalf beards all seem like wizards to me.

Same thing goes for women with monkey legs.

 

[Brendan12]

On Ayahuasca It showed me with a long beard.. telling me I'm wise but I need to fulfill my potential.

 

[thujone]

I gauge female wisdom based on the length of female leg hair.

 

[Cheshire_Kat]

When people ask me how I'm doing I always reply that I'm as fine as frog hair

However I think there is no actual correlation between hair and wisdom. Just my $.02

 

[Foreigner]

That only works in countries where men can grow beards. Some ethnicities can't. In a lot of east Asian countries, baldness is a sign of wisdom.

The things that baldness and beards have in common is that they are signs of aging and comfort with one's self, particular gray in the beard, and age is a sign of a wise person.

The other thing that baldness and beards have in common is that the person is more likely to not care about societal aesthetics.

My personal view is that you are falling into an "aesthetic" no matter what you do, and the way you look has nothing to do with how wise you actually are.

 

[Frog Dreams]

This was kind of a joke thread, but not entirely.

I think there is no actual correlation between hair and wisdom.

I'm not saying you have to have a beard to be wise, but shaving facial hair comes (largely) from shame and self-consciousness which is not present in a non-dual/enlightened state.

Monks shave their heads for the same (or at least a similar) reason that Einstein wore the same outfit every day.

A woman who wears a bucket-load of makeup and has her nails done and her hair done and her eyebrows plucked, etc, etc... she may be spiritually wise (it's entirely possible) but I doubt it.

There certainly appears to be somewhat of a correlation from my observations.

the way you look has nothing to do with how wise you actually are

That's too much of a fundamental statement for me to apply it across the board to everyone I meet... But, your statement certainly applies to some people. I know numerous clean-shaved people with short hair who dress conservatively but are also deep in their spiritual path (and I know lots of bearded idiots).

From what I understand - which is limited - you can't sustain "complete" non-dual if you are ashamed of your natural state because that is fear and every bit of fear that you let in chips away at non-dual... but I guess you could shave your face every day for another reason?

 

[Frog Dreams]

the way you look has nothing to do with how wise you actually are

age is a sign of a wise person

Am I misunderstanding something or did you contradict yourself there?

I honestly don't think age indicates wisdom.

If you had a random old person vs a man with a metre long beard, I'd bet on the latter.

the person is more likely to not care about societal aesthetics.

That's a big part of it. I'm going to keep growing my beard until it's so long that close-minded people immediately identify themselves upon seeing me... Saves me time.

 

[ions]

I grew my beard out for 9 months or so in 2013. It got to be 6" long. Then I shaved. I also didn't shower for 7 months.
I felt the nurses that kept injecting me with invega without giving a hoot about having marijuana needed to smell the damage they're causing.
Then came pot and more frequent showers. I bathed yesterday for instance.
Beard might be an inch long atm.