Beauty comes from within, not without

  As the majority of us constantly struggle to appear physically beautiful, we are often forgetting the spiritual aspect of beauty. It's not that we do so by purpose, but that we are conditioned to do so (majority of the time).

  From personal experiences, people repeatedly claim to notice inner beauty before outer, or prefer it. Is that the case? Yes, we do not want others to think we're shallow so we say this. However, outer beauty does matter to a certain extent. Don't get the wrong idea here! I'm not saying that what is presented in today's society is correct, but I hope you get the idea!


  The complication with inner beauty is that, who is the superior being that defines good from wrong? One can ever so easily believe they are a beautiful being from within, on the contrary another wouldn't see them as spiritually beautiful due to diversity in morals, also considering how one is raised. Let me put it this way; if you are a religious character and follow the "proper ways of life" written by your religion, you will be considered beautiful and pure from another devotional person. Although, a skeptic, for example, would not see eye-to-eye and defiantly has their own descriptions of "what makes you a good person".

  On that note, all I can do is suggest some ways to be open-minded and to find inner peace. I find that being happy plays a tremendous part in being beautiful from within.
No one can object that an open minded being has an advantage, and one who is at peace can find beauty in others (not only in people!) with ease.

  Yoga! Meditation is a great way for one to be at peace. Whether taking a class or practicing at home it is still beneficial. Yoga helps to give a sense of clarity and self-awareness
. Some suggest meditating daily for at least 10 minutes to experience a better life style. Some poses are: Shavasana (corpse pose) = laying down back to the floor arms to the side. Lotus position= typical yoga pose, sitting down legs crossed. Being constantly stressed is an issue for most today. Even teenagers are experiencing high levels of this. It is important to free your mind and body in order to be free from stress and to be happy. Take the time needed to better yourself. Yoga will help to control your mind, being able to find true beauty in even the most unsightly things.

  There`s not one person that can tell you what makes you a good/beautiful person without being biased. All I can leave you with is, stay true to yourself. Yes very cheesy, I know! However, being at peace with yourself is one step closer to being at peace with the rest of the world.
 Be positive! Be happy! Be beautiful!







Sources:
http://www.wendydown.com/can-your-spirituality-make-you-beautiful
http://www.how-to-meditate.org/why-learn-to-meditate.htm/
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41fsBjbqFFhxRETHcb2HZxEjGbwGrvXXniZdsoNoKf7JQjmBp7pHY7fb6V6ZBFTUisHArNWBO62TfMNTlLzqlkx_5enstkIuP31oCD4EHyHYLbFKSIIQU3LbJwUpqgkC023jbByp7mLo/s1600/inner+beauty+quotes.jpg

Beauty in the eyes of society

  Before we begin travelling beauty throughout the world, my first blog will give you an idea on beauty in the eyes of society. By blogging about society's view on beauty first, I will be able to refer to the standards in this first blog while talking about foreign countries, the ways of the past, and religions in my other blogs.



 Many aspects concerning the image of beauty in today's society aggravate me. I find it hard to distinguish society`s influence on myself from my own thoughts. I can admit, the pressure is real and I often find myself being controlled by the media. I strongly believe we are striving to reach this image of perfection that does not and cannot exist. It is sad to think that what we believe to be beautiful has been subconsciously modified. In today`s society, the word beauty is more so associated with the visual aspect of people, which is very unfortunate.



  Today, more than ever, the concept of being thin is what makes you beautiful.. Also, being tan, having long hair and showing off some skin is today's way to be seen as "sexy". While looking at models today and comparing them to the models we had 10 years ago we notice a big change. This change is most certainly for the worse. In my opinion, most models today are not beautiful. These models are all skin and bone and look like they might even suffer from an eating disorder. Unfortunately, many people are affected by this ideal image. With the advancement of today's technology it is easier than ever to photoshop many things. While watching a television add or seeing a photo of a model trying to sell a product, countless people are unaware that these people have been modified. (this even occurs with food!)

   The beauty industry takes precedence over other issues of national or even international importance (such as current political climate in Ukraine). Magazines for instance are displayed everywhere and find it necessary to share ''The Best Beauty Looks of the Week: Show Stoppers'' (found in Vogue, article by Catherine Piercy). Regrettably (more women than men) are taking part in this ''priority'' taking away the light from what truly matters. Women are spending more time and money to fit the illustration of beauty rather than concentrating on other, more meaningful particulars (for instance, education, morals, family, etc.)

Here are 101 things that are more important than having the perfect body! (check out #13!)

http://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/02/101-things-that-are-more-important-than-what-your-body-looks-like-2/

  There is no denying that society has dominated our minds in some way, even the slightest bit. I do not look forward to the outcome of our current generation or those to follow. I challenge you to go against the norms of the general public and just do you!

Sources:
http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/best-beauty-looks-of-the-week-show-stoppers/#1
http://www.tcu360.com/opinions/2012/04/15205.american-society-holds-warped-view-beauty
http://my-purple-dreams.blogspot.com/2012_08_01_archive.html

 

To be or not to be... beautiful.

Welcome to all!

  To start off I'd like to ask you a question; in your eyes what is beauty?
Nature? Women? Purity? The supernatural? Love? Intellect?  Many different answers are expected from this question for the simple reason that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.


  Throughout my blog, I will be tossing around the words "beautiful" and "beauty" vaguely, while giving my perspective of those words.
The definition of the word "beauty" according to Webster's Online Dictionary is as follows:


Gwyneth Paltrow named 'most beautiful'
in People's Magazine 2013 

"An assemblage of graces or properties pleasing to the eye, the ear, the intellect, the aesthetic faculty, or the moral sense." 

Society has it's own definition which unfortunately reaches every part in the world. There is no way to escape society's pressure of being beautiful. Everything concerning media has an impact on the way we should look, act, dress, react and so on. This has some negative effects on many teenagers today. But, what most people fail to understand is that WE ARE society and if we don't agree with something we have the right and the power to change it.
*Kudos to you if you are not fazed by what the society pursues as beautiful*

Beauty according to religions is often seen as purity from within. Meaning, to be free from sin and to follow the words of god(s). Although, most religions contradict themselves (in my opinion) because of the importance of a how one should physically appear and shouldn't.

I will also be sharing the descriptions of beauty in many countries across the globe. The best way to learn is to travel (wise words of EJL French teacher M. Hebert). This can change your perspective on everything. Learning new ways of life and seeing the beauty in opposite parts of the world. Making you a better, more open minded and beautiful person from within. But hey! Who am I to say what makes or breaks you as a person?

Overall, the point of my blog is not to make you believe what is beautiful (according to me), but to open your eyes and minds to the several outlooks on beauty around the world!

References:
http://www.webster-dictionary.org/definition/Beauty
http://meetville.com/quotes/tag/beauty/page97
http://kimberlyhites.blogspot.com/2013/06/french-beauty-secretsgwyneth-paltrow.html