You do not become beautiful by trying to be beautiful, but by finding the beauty that is already within you and allowing it to emerge.In my experience, almost everyone wants to feel attractive. In modern culture, feelings of self-worth, achievement, and success are often inextricably woven into our physical appearance. This is particularly true for women, but men are hardly immune from the pressure for physical perfection. We live in a culture where so-called physical faults, socially determined imperfections, are considered a sign of failure. Not being physically fit, trim, healthy, and beautiful is not only about the body, it is often tied to our very sense of self-worth as people.
So the desire to be beautiful, the desire to be attractive, is inextricably woven with the desire to be successful, to win approval, and to be loved. The desire for beauty, the desire for the perfect body then, is the desire to experience ourselves as the glorious, wonderful, lovable beings that we are. Yet there is the gnawing realization that if we seek perfection in the physical world alone, we are doomed to frustration and unhappiness.
Mainstream culture tells us that we can become beautiful if we just try hard enough. If we exercise enough, diet enough, take the right supplements, avoid toxic chemicals, get enough sleep, buy the right products, purchase the right clothes, then we will be attractive.
We can spend our lives running around, literally and figuratively, attempting to become, maintain, or achieve physical beauty, and yet the deeper part of us knows that it is inherently fleeting, temporary and insubstantial. We can stave off the effects of gravity and aging through healthy lifestyle choices, such a proper nutrition and regular exercises. If we want to be more drastic, we can nip, tuck, slice, and dice our bodies into temporary submission. Yet the fact remains that these bodies are inherently temporary, will age of their own accord, and will eventually die.
But here is the magnificent part – your longing for physical beauty, your longing for love, approval, success – all of it is a longing to experience your true Self. It is your Self calling you home, to your true Source. Inherent in the desire itself is a yearning for something more, for something lasting, for something authentic, and, dare I say, even eternal. Inherent in the desire to be beautiful is a desire for unity, a desire to live with freedom from the incessant divisions that characterize the world of duality. It is a desire to know and experience yourself as that which you truly are, beyond characterizations, beyond judgment, beyond right and wrong, as immutable, unchanging, and ever-present.
So the question remains: how do I become truly beautiful? How do I experience the love, affection, and adoration that we all crave? The answer is not in eating less and exercising more, nor in buying the latest lotions or make-up or hair sprays, not that there is anything wrong with this per se. They simply won’t give you the beauty that you long for – the beauty of your true Self experiencing Itself.
True beauty comes from discovering who you truly are and then allowing it to express itself in action. True beauty comes from connecting with the Source within you and allowing it to emerge and radiate outward, transforming your lives and the lives around you.
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj writes: “You are really in search of yourself without knowing it. You are love – longing for the love-worthy, the perfectly lovable. Due to your ignorance you are looking for it in the world of opposites and contradictions. When you find it within, your search will be over.”
The same can be said of beauty, for what is beauty other than that which we look upon with love and consider inherently lovable? Inherent in your desire for beauty is absolutely everything you need to become truly beautiful. For you are already beautiful, only you may not know it. Simply remind yourself that you already are that which you seek, that all beauty resides within you and not without, and you will discover the Ultimate Source that makes everything beautiful. Remain in this and you will discover that everything, both yourself and the world around you, becomes beautiful, lovable, magnificent, and auspicious.
As you discover the truth of who you are, there is no need to fear growing older or changing because you will know that true beauty can never diminish but only increase. When you stake your claim in the material world, the problems are never-ending. It can seem like a fight to keep the body healthy and vital. Yet when you shift your reference point from the physical to the spiritual, to the Source, you realize that everything is happening as it should, in perfect order and harmony. You discover that the only beauty worth having is the beauty of your true Being.
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About the Author
Sarah Maria is the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life. The book outlines her 5-step process for helping you feel great in and about your body and yourself. Her work embraces the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, so that true and lasting healing can occur. Click here to purchase your copy and begin to love your body today! To learn more about Sarah Maria and her work, you can visit her websites at www.sarahmaria.com and www.breakfreebeauty.com
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