Guiding Thought

What is inner Beauty? How do I recognize it in others? How do I recognize it in myself? How do I cultivate inner beauty, especially when there are questions about what it is and how to recognize it?

Reflection / Contemplation

Inner Beauty, how to recognize it in myself and others is the question of the day. I don’t know about you, but I can probably name only about 5 people whom I can honestly say that they are “plugged in”. They have been teachers or mentors mostly. I get them at their best. They have all the qualities I have been doing my best to identify and express: they shine (authentically), they get me to say that I want more…of that, they stay true to their “isness”. They invite me to stay true to my “isness”.

I must add a tree, or perhaps tree species to this plugged in concept. For a good 10 years, while my husband and I lived in a duplex in the city, we had a walking route that took us by stately homes, and had two separate overlooks, one to the waterfront and city skyline, and the other across the sound to mountains. Of course we would stop and savor the view. But my favorite stopping point was to admire a cluster of trees in a yard that was along our route. I would pause and thank them, honor them for their beauty. They kind of became my trees, these Alaskan Cedars. I even took a picture of them before we moved. And when we make return trips to our old neighborhood, I make sure to stop by those trees which are now much taller.

I have one planted in my yard now. This tree has no doubt about its “isness”, just like the apple trees in my yard, or the blueberry bushes. I am attracted to the ease with which the branches drape, reminding me of a pose in Tai Chi called the Crane. So let me add grace and ease to this concept of inner beauty. Nothing is forced.

Authentic shining, isness, grace, ease. Words to describe inner Beauty, all deriving from my direct experience. This process of articulating what Beauty is and how to recognize it is challenging, but it is also reminding me how available and present it is, so close to home in myself (and in my desires), those I love, those with whom I interact, and in my yard. Close…so close…so close.

Guest Contributor Lita Artis

Journey of Beauty is now available as a free book.
You no longer need to wait for the Guiding Thoughts to be posted here daily–you may move at your own pace. This link will take you to the document in Dropbox; you may download it from there.

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Here is the schedule:

Apr 18 Preliminary day Introduction: Why A Journey of Beauty (02.10.0)
Apr 19 Preliminary day Commitment and Dedication (02.10.00)
Apr 20 – 29 Days 01-10 Round One (02.10.01-10)
Apr 30 – May 9 Days 11-20 Round Two (02.10.11-20)
May 10 – 19 Days 21-30 Round Three (02.10.21-30)
May 20 – 29 Days 31-40 Round Four (02.10.31-40)
May 30 – June 8 Reflection days Gently care, de-fuse, and write one day of reflection on the Journey (02.10.41)