More Than Skin Deep

So many people desire to look and feel a certain way. We tend to associate esthetic beauty with certain forms as portrayed by models. Has anyone bothered to ask if the cover girl is happy? We assume fame is synonymous with happiness where the object of our "modeling" has it all. The glamour of appearance is the essence of vanity.

Beyond the depths of our appearance is another form of beauty found in the symphony of our body biochemistry. It is apparent that to have bags under the eyes, poor complexion, thinning hair etc. is undesirable. On a biochemical level, the signs of aging are attributed to free radical damage, oxidative stress, adrenal fatigue, low immunity, nutrient deficiency, bowel congestion, poor digestion etc. On some level, when we work to cover these signs outwardly, we neglect the manifestation of biochemical imbalance that lead to the appearance. With nutrition we are able to create beauty from the inside out.

Beauty, then, is not skin deep, but the biochemical level is still on the surface of things. In many schools of spiritual study, the body is the temple that serves as the vehicle for the spirit to dwell. Much like a physical temple, out task is to maintain the vehicle, our body, as meticulously as a place of worship. Cleanliness is Godliness. We feel "Godlike" when we radiate healthy skin or have pristinely painted toes. On a deeper level, having the strength of spirit and "inner purity" creates the outward appearance of Godliness.

Which bring up the question; what do people see when they look at us? There are countless fabrications we can construct that will create the illusion of okayness and vibrancy, in reality, how we really feel comes out. A beautiful person is known by their inner essence, not their outward appearance. In truth, it matters not what other people see. How we feel is more significant that how others feel about us. Likewise how we see ourselves is more important that how others see us. In the heart of hearts, we are all beautiful, as we are all expressions of creation. It is a matter of connecting intimately with the beauty of our own uniqueness.

A good diet is not better than a good facial, as both are a means to an end. The ultimate end is satisfaction with an absence of material gratification. If we are constantly appeasing the desire for physical means to inner well being, we will exhaust the means available to us in time. Yet somehow our connecting with the joy and gratitude of our inner spiritual essence grants the attraction of opportunities to perfect the lifestyle, not the other way around. Lifestyle does not create spiritual wholeness. Realizing "wholeness" is therefore individual.