Supporting Practices for The Way of Beauty
At the risk of sharing “platitudes as insights” as one journalist put it recently, there are three Beauty Practices that are old chestnuts, as my mother used to say. They have been in the culture for a very long time, and certainly have not been identified as “Beauty Practices,” though indeed they are, as they contribute to True Beauty unfailingly. These practices, human activities, whatever we choose to name them have endured through many civilizations and cultures because of their beneficial effect on the human body, mind and spirit — and consequently on our planet (not hyperbole). I have come to understand these as supporting and basic to the other practices of the Way of Beauty.
I bet you know them:
1) Practice “The Golden Rule”
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Really, such common sense.
2) Be still
Whether it is meditation, time in prayer or simply sitting quietly in a spot that resonates with you…find time each day to be still. It is amazing what comes in, or what is resolved, or repaired when serene time/space is made available.
3) Be active
Whole libraries could be filled with books written about the myriad ways in which an active body is beneficial to mind, body and spirit. No need to re-iterate here. I believe that the body is the temple of the soul, and so must be cared for and maintained as such. Not always a simple task as we age, BTW.
So these are the supportive and basic three. In “The Way of Beauty” book more is said about how they specifically support and align with True Beauty, creating greater harmony.
And a little reminder — to myself as well — these are practices. I shall point out, as we sometimes forget: there is no “end state” of any of these activities, though some yogis might argue with me. These are ways of being. And as none of us (except me & thee, perhaps) are perfect, they are rarely static or constant. I fall short a great deal, currently in the keeping my body active department. But I do practice at it. I do my best to practice the Golden Rule. Being still is far easier; noticing beauty does that for me. Practice, practice, practice.
Oh, and have fun doing so.