healthy trim reviews
When I first ordered health Trim i really thought I found the best product on the market I had that nervous feeling in my gut that yes finally something that works. I was sadly mistaken which really angered me. Also i wound up getting very sick and had to be hospitalized because apparently something inside of it didnt agree with my system.
My doctor told me that this is not the first time he’s seen this happen and to stop using the healthy Trim immediately so I did I also missed the time needed to return it to get my refund which also bothered me. So for me that was my experience maybe yours will be different but for me I was not at all impressed.
To put a light at the end of the tunnel I did not have this problem when I took the advice from the Weight Loss Systems article. This information was very helpful with getting my on the right track to healthy weight loss. I highly recommend if healthy trim isn’t working for you that you give this thing I try. It’s very educational and won’t take more then 10 minutes to read.
As we all know we are all different and what works for some might not work for others but this is what worked and continues to work for me. If you are looking for the right solution please take the time to give it a read, best wishes to you, don’t give up, you deserve the best
Monday, July 26, 2010
One of the hottest new weight loss support products on the market right now is Healthy Trim. Does it really work or is it just like all of the other diet pills out there that are supposed to help with weight loss?
If you’re like most people, you are probably carrying a few more pounds around than you would like. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m in the exact same boat. While I used to pride myself in my ability to stay in great shape and keep myself looking good, it has become more and more difficult as I’ve gotten a bit older. The combination of a very full schedule and a metabolism that just isn’t what it used to be has left me a little disappointed in what I see when I look in the mirror every day. I still remember the confidence boost that came along with that same mirror glance when I could look at myself and honestly say, “Yep, I look pretty darn good!” I recently decided to make a commitment to my health and well being after watching several family members go through some very difficult times that likely resulted from poor health, diet, and lifestyle choices. I overcame somewhat of a lack of motivation and embarked on a path towards a slimmer and trimmer me. I started to do a little research on popular diet and exercise plans in search of something that would fit my personality and that would be realistic to follow and achieve success with.
Healthy Trim
First off, I’ve never been a big fan of fad diets or diet pills. In my experience, most of them either don’t work or work for a short period of time and later result in additional weight gain. What I wanted was something that was more of a lifestyle change where I could incorporate key elements of a healthy diet and good food choices into my life. So many diets out there require you to change your life to fit the diet and over the long term, that just doesn’t work; especially if you have a family.
One afternoon when I was driving home from work, I heard about a radio contest called, “Get High School Skinny”. Normally I would just flip to another station but for some reason, this caught my attention so I decided to stick with it. They mentioned a product called Healthy Trim (I believe it is actually spelled Healthe Trim) and out of curiosity, I decided to jot down the name to do a little more research. My pre-conceived notion was that I would look it up and find that it was simply made from a bunch of garbage ingredients and stuff that isn’t very good for you. I ran a quick online search to find the ingredients and was rather surprised to find out that it actually contained some pretty good stuff. The manufacturer doesn’t push it as some kind of a miracle weight loss pill, they describe it as more of an energy boosting supplement that increases your metabolism and curbs your appetite and cravings.
What’s in it?
The product has several ingredients that can play an important role in maintaining good health including:
1. Resveratrol which has been shown to have powerful antioxidant effects and help to boost energy levels.
2. Chromium Picolinate, a trace mineral that some experts say can help to control appetite and reduce body fat.
3. Green Tea Leaf which is rich in antioxidants that help to neutralize damaging free radicals. It is said to help enhance the function of the immune system (key to healthy weight loss) and help stimulate the body to shed excess weight.
4. Caralluma Fimbriata – This member of the cactus family has been used for centuries as a natural appetite suppressant. Some experts claim that it can play an important role in helping to decrease body mass index and excess fat.
These are just a few of the ingredients in Healthy Trim. In total, the supplement contains over 16 unique nutrients that can promote weight loss.
Does it Work?
I have to admit that after carefully reviewing the ingredients, I was intrigued enough to do a bit more reading on this hot new product. If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know that I value science above hype and like to see proof that something works before I’m willing to buy into it. Once again, my initial expectations were rather low as most weight loss products wouldn’t agree to an actual clinical study knowing ahead of time that the results would likely be unfavorable. Much to my surprise, Healthy Trim was actually evaluated in a 30 day double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. The study showed that participants taking Healthy Trim showed a statistically significant increase in weight loss over those participants taking the placebo. The results of the study were achieved by taking two capsules a day of Healthy Trim and engaging in no more than moderate exercise. In my opinion, that was pretty impressive!
If that isn’t enough proof for you, the manufacturer actually had one of the radio DJs from the Mojo in the Morning Show use the product and to date, he has lost over 71 pounds! In fact, he recently did an interview on the radio with Dr. Oz discussing his success with the program.
How Does it Work?
Unlike a diet, Healthy Trim is much more similar to just taking a daily vitamin. You simply take two capsules each day and make an effort to consume the equivalent of at least eight glasses of water daily to help maintain proper hydration and support an increased metabolism. It can and should be combined with at least moderate physical activity to promote healthy loss of body fat. It does not come along with any specific food restrictions but using common sense when selecting your meals will likely improve your results. While they don't have any specific dietary requirements, you do have to be smart about it and at least eat follow a sensible meal plan. A cheat day every once in a while isn't going to doom you to failure but you should attempt to make sound meal and portion size choices.
My Own Experience
After doing some pretty extensive research and not being able to find any good reason for continued skepticism, I decided to give it a try. I’ve been using it for about three weeks now in combination with an effort to get to the gym or at the very least, engage in some form of physical activity three times per week. I can say with confidence that the product really does keep you from being hungry all the time. In fact, I had to adjust my grocery shopping because I was buying more food than I was able to eat before it started to go bad. I’m happy to say that the money I’m saving on grocery shopping so far is currently on track to offset the cost of the supplement. What about weight loss? So far I am down a little over six pounds. I still have about eight to go before I’m really where I want to be but I’ve seen enough in the way of results to stay motivated to keep going. All in all, I can’t really say anything bad about it so far. It seems like an excellent product and I look forward to updating this article later on as I get closer to my goal!
If you’re like most people, you are probably carrying a few more pounds around than you would like. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m in the exact same boat. While I used to pride myself in my ability to stay in great shape and keep myself looking good, it has become more and more difficult as I’ve gotten a bit older. The combination of a very full schedule and a metabolism that just isn’t what it used to be has left me a little disappointed in what I see when I look in the mirror every day. I still remember the confidence boost that came along with that same mirror glance when I could look at myself and honestly say, “Yep, I look pretty darn good!” I recently decided to make a commitment to my health and well being after watching several family members go through some very difficult times that likely resulted from poor health, diet, and lifestyle choices. I overcame somewhat of a lack of motivation and embarked on a path towards a slimmer and trimmer me. I started to do a little research on popular diet and exercise plans in search of something that would fit my personality and that would be realistic to follow and achieve success with.
Healthy Trim
First off, I’ve never been a big fan of fad diets or diet pills. In my experience, most of them either don’t work or work for a short period of time and later result in additional weight gain. What I wanted was something that was more of a lifestyle change where I could incorporate key elements of a healthy diet and good food choices into my life. So many diets out there require you to change your life to fit the diet and over the long term, that just doesn’t work; especially if you have a family.
One afternoon when I was driving home from work, I heard about a radio contest called, “Get High School Skinny”. Normally I would just flip to another station but for some reason, this caught my attention so I decided to stick with it. They mentioned a product called Healthy Trim (I believe it is actually spelled Healthe Trim) and out of curiosity, I decided to jot down the name to do a little more research. My pre-conceived notion was that I would look it up and find that it was simply made from a bunch of garbage ingredients and stuff that isn’t very good for you. I ran a quick online search to find the ingredients and was rather surprised to find out that it actually contained some pretty good stuff. The manufacturer doesn’t push it as some kind of a miracle weight loss pill, they describe it as more of an energy boosting supplement that increases your metabolism and curbs your appetite and cravings.
What’s in it?
The product has several ingredients that can play an important role in maintaining good health including:
1. Resveratrol which has been shown to have powerful antioxidant effects and help to boost energy levels.
2. Chromium Picolinate, a trace mineral that some experts say can help to control appetite and reduce body fat.
3. Green Tea Leaf which is rich in antioxidants that help to neutralize damaging free radicals. It is said to help enhance the function of the immune system (key to healthy weight loss) and help stimulate the body to shed excess weight.
4. Caralluma Fimbriata – This member of the cactus family has been used for centuries as a natural appetite suppressant. Some experts claim that it can play an important role in helping to decrease body mass index and excess fat.
These are just a few of the ingredients in Healthy Trim. In total, the supplement contains over 16 unique nutrients that can promote weight loss.
Does it Work?
I have to admit that after carefully reviewing the ingredients, I was intrigued enough to do a bit more reading on this hot new product. If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know that I value science above hype and like to see proof that something works before I’m willing to buy into it. Once again, my initial expectations were rather low as most weight loss products wouldn’t agree to an actual clinical study knowing ahead of time that the results would likely be unfavorable. Much to my surprise, Healthy Trim was actually evaluated in a 30 day double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. The study showed that participants taking Healthy Trim showed a statistically significant increase in weight loss over those participants taking the placebo. The results of the study were achieved by taking two capsules a day of Healthy Trim and engaging in no more than moderate exercise. In my opinion, that was pretty impressive!
If that isn’t enough proof for you, the manufacturer actually had one of the radio DJs from the Mojo in the Morning Show use the product and to date, he has lost over 71 pounds! In fact, he recently did an interview on the radio with Dr. Oz discussing his success with the program.
How Does it Work?
Unlike a diet, Healthy Trim is much more similar to just taking a daily vitamin. You simply take two capsules each day and make an effort to consume the equivalent of at least eight glasses of water daily to help maintain proper hydration and support an increased metabolism. It can and should be combined with at least moderate physical activity to promote healthy loss of body fat. It does not come along with any specific food restrictions but using common sense when selecting your meals will likely improve your results. While they don't have any specific dietary requirements, you do have to be smart about it and at least eat follow a sensible meal plan. A cheat day every once in a while isn't going to doom you to failure but you should attempt to make sound meal and portion size choices.
My Own Experience
After doing some pretty extensive research and not being able to find any good reason for continued skepticism, I decided to give it a try. I’ve been using it for about three weeks now in combination with an effort to get to the gym or at the very least, engage in some form of physical activity three times per week. I can say with confidence that the product really does keep you from being hungry all the time. In fact, I had to adjust my grocery shopping because I was buying more food than I was able to eat before it started to go bad. I’m happy to say that the money I’m saving on grocery shopping so far is currently on track to offset the cost of the supplement. What about weight loss? So far I am down a little over six pounds. I still have about eight to go before I’m really where I want to be but I’ve seen enough in the way of results to stay motivated to keep going. All in all, I can’t really say anything bad about it so far. It seems like an excellent product and I look forward to updating this article later on as I get closer to my goal!
CELINE DION LYRICS
"Beauty And The Beast"
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small, to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small, to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast.
The only animated movie to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, and it deserved it.
Magic from the opening prologue to the final credit, "Beauty and the Beast" is the last real classic to come from the Disney crew before John Lasseter came along. This was one of the few movies I happily paid to see twice in the cinema, and sitting in a sparsely-populated Friday night audience (I was living in Barbados at the time, and it was hardly the most artistic place on Earth... it was a crying shame that there was hardly anyone there while "Home Alone 2" went through the roof) the second time, the magic remained.
You all know the story, so apart from pointing out the movie's one flaw (the prince's spell had to be broken before he turned 21 or he would remain a beast forever; so if it was cast ten years before the events of the movie, wouldn't that mean he was 11 when the spell was cast...?), let's look at how well the movie works. You have a monster who's more human than the movie's medallion-man villain; you have a heroine who's PC but engaging with it; you have a supporting cast of magic utensils who wisely never upstage the couple at the centre of this love story (and despite the Disney animated trappings, it IS a love story); and you have a captivating story, beautifully told.
The movie's also got wonderful design of its French setting and characters, with the ballroom scene a standout (the tiny but appreciative audience were impressed by the sight of the Beast and Belle in their evening wear - the only time I've ever seen cartoon characters get wolf-whistled in a cinema); and Alan Menken's score is his finest work for the Mouse, with matchless lyrics from the late and much lamented Howard Ashman - how many musicals can you name where ALL the songs are brilliant? But ultimately it's the movie's very real heart that makes it a keeper; the cliche "You'll laugh, you'll cry" is all too true in this case. A lot of movies called 'classic' don't deserve that appellation, but this one does.
I'll be slaughtered by anime fans, but what the hell... one "Beauty and the Beast" is worth a thousand "Akira"s. And "Shrek"s. And, I'm willing to bet, "Treasure Planet"s. This is a truly adult animated feature that's also one for the entire family. Forget "The Silence of the Lambs" - this is the real best picture of 1991.
Magic from the opening prologue to the final credit, "Beauty and the Beast" is the last real classic to come from the Disney crew before John Lasseter came along. This was one of the few movies I happily paid to see twice in the cinema, and sitting in a sparsely-populated Friday night audience (I was living in Barbados at the time, and it was hardly the most artistic place on Earth... it was a crying shame that there was hardly anyone there while "Home Alone 2" went through the roof) the second time, the magic remained.
You all know the story, so apart from pointing out the movie's one flaw (the prince's spell had to be broken before he turned 21 or he would remain a beast forever; so if it was cast ten years before the events of the movie, wouldn't that mean he was 11 when the spell was cast...?), let's look at how well the movie works. You have a monster who's more human than the movie's medallion-man villain; you have a heroine who's PC but engaging with it; you have a supporting cast of magic utensils who wisely never upstage the couple at the centre of this love story (and despite the Disney animated trappings, it IS a love story); and you have a captivating story, beautifully told.
The movie's also got wonderful design of its French setting and characters, with the ballroom scene a standout (the tiny but appreciative audience were impressed by the sight of the Beast and Belle in their evening wear - the only time I've ever seen cartoon characters get wolf-whistled in a cinema); and Alan Menken's score is his finest work for the Mouse, with matchless lyrics from the late and much lamented Howard Ashman - how many musicals can you name where ALL the songs are brilliant? But ultimately it's the movie's very real heart that makes it a keeper; the cliche "You'll laugh, you'll cry" is all too true in this case. A lot of movies called 'classic' don't deserve that appellation, but this one does.
I'll be slaughtered by anime fans, but what the hell... one "Beauty and the Beast" is worth a thousand "Akira"s. And "Shrek"s. And, I'm willing to bet, "Treasure Planet"s. This is a truly adult animated feature that's also one for the entire family. Forget "The Silence of the Lambs" - this is the real best picture of 1991.
History of Makeup
From the copper and lead ore that the ancient Egyptians used to create the world's first cosmetics to the scientifically advanced products of today that can do everything from hide pores, smooth complexions, and turn the pale green of your eyes a vivid shade of emerald, makeup has been an integral part of humankind for thousands of years. Over the centuries, women used burnt matches to darken their eyes, berries to stain their lips and young boys' urine to fade their freckles. They even swallowed ox blood in some misguided attempt to improve their complexions.
Women throughout history put their health at risk with many of their homemade cosmetics. In some cultures, for example, women used arsenic, lead, mercury, and even leeches to give themselves the pale appearance deemed beautiful in the old days. Thankfully, we've come a long way from the days of using toxic and deadly mixtures to enhance our looks.
Today's multibillion dollar cosmetic industry must meet strict government regulations about what it can and cannot include in products and must follow safe manufacturing guidelines. Today, the most serious injury you're likely to receive from your cosmetics is an irritation or a rash from using a product that's too harsh for your skin. Yet, despite decades of safety testing and a safety record unparalleled in many industries, there are many myths circulating about the dangers of cosmetic ingredients.
From the copper and lead ore that the ancient Egyptians used to create the world's first cosmetics to the scientifically advanced products of today that can do everything from hide pores, smooth complexions, and turn the pale green of your eyes a vivid shade of emerald, makeup has been an integral part of humankind for thousands of years. Over the centuries, women used burnt matches to darken their eyes, berries to stain their lips and young boys' urine to fade their freckles. They even swallowed ox blood in some misguided attempt to improve their complexions.
Women throughout history put their health at risk with many of their homemade cosmetics. In some cultures, for example, women used arsenic, lead, mercury, and even leeches to give themselves the pale appearance deemed beautiful in the old days. Thankfully, we've come a long way from the days of using toxic and deadly mixtures to enhance our looks.
Today's multibillion dollar cosmetic industry must meet strict government regulations about what it can and cannot include in products and must follow safe manufacturing guidelines. Today, the most serious injury you're likely to receive from your cosmetics is an irritation or a rash from using a product that's too harsh for your skin. Yet, despite decades of safety testing and a safety record unparalleled in many industries, there are many myths circulating about the dangers of cosmetic ingredients.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Beauty is one of the most difficult term to define yet one of the easiest terms to understand. We all know what is beautiful and what is not. It does not take a second for a person to say if a girl, a child, a man , a place, a song or a poem is beautiful or not. Yet we hardly know why it is beautiful. All we know is that we like beautiful things and feel good when we see or hear something beautiful.
Random House dictionary, defines "beauty" as a characteristic present in a person, place, object or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning or satisfaction to the mind or to the eyes, arising from sensory manifestations such as a shape, color, personality, sound, design or rhythm.
Yet no one knows, what are these characteristics that make a thing beautiful? Since beauty is based on the perception of the person, it is often said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Beauty is also considered to be only skin deep which means that beauty is superficial and it lacks any substance.
The opposite of beauty is ugly i.e. what gives us a bad feeling. When we see an ugly thing, we just don't like it and want to close our sensual perception and mind from that thing. Everyone wants to see beauty and become beautiful and dread to become ugly. While we see a beautiful thing or meet a beautiful person, we just want to keep on looking. Einstein used the concept of beauty to explain the Theory of Relativity i.e. how time can expand or contract
"You spend 30 minutes with a beautiful girl, it seems like a moment. You spend a moment sitting on a hot stove, it seems like 30 minutes".
Beauty is so important to human beings that they can do anything to look beautiful or achieve beautiful things in life. The pursuit of human life seems to become beautiful or acquire beautiful things in life. Beauty has such a powerful attraction that it bewilders all logic and rationality of the person and sometime the attraction become fatal. Why is beauty such a powerful force?
Beauty means Truth and Good
In the ancient philosophies, the material body is believed to be the material reflection of the soul, the spark of the universal soul or God. Hence, if the person is good, it is because the person has a beautiful soul. It is because of the beauty of the soul that people do good actions in this world. People find their parents and friends beautiful, because they are good to them. We can hardly find any beauty in our enemies as they are not good to us. When a friend turns enemy, the same person cease to be beautiful.
In Indian philosophy God is said to have three manifestations in this world i.e. Truth, Good and Beautiful (Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram). Hence when we find something beautiful, it is only because it has the truth and goodness in it.
Scientists discover secrets (truths) of nature, because they find universe beautiful (Difficult to imagine?). Einstein said "I have deep faith that the principle of the universe will be beautiful and simple."
Jules Henri Poincare, a famous French mathematician and scientist said
"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing, and if nature were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living."
The discovery of truth is, therefore, to with the beauty it holds. For a scientist, the universe is not a dead object but he sees beautiful pattern and aesthetics in the nature, which helps him find the secrets of nature. While most of the people find the world as an ugly place due to its imperfectness like inequality, injustice, disorder, a poet sees the same world as beautiful and creates poetry. A poet can only make beautiful poetry, if he finds beauty in nature and human beings. A logical person or a critique of the world can never find these truth of the world as he can never see beauty in this world.
The Evidence of Beauty
Since beauty needs no logic, people often accuse beauty of being superficial. The rational people or scientists accept no facts to be true unless proven objectively by experiments and investigations. They often blame the perceptions of beauty as biased and prejudiced which has developed in the people in the process of evolution.
We all know that a human body looks beautiful, if it is within a particular range of body weight depending upon the height of the person. We don't find the body beautiful, if it is either too thin or too fat. Yet we can't say why only a particular weight should make the body beautiful? However, the scientists have discovered that what we perceive as beautiful is actually the best body weight for health and longevity. A study conducted by more than a million participants by the US Cancer Prevention [1] concluded that
.. optimum body mass indexes to be between 23.5 and 24.9 for men and 22.0 and 23.4 for women. As body mass index increased, risk of death increased. Men and women, with body mass indexes of 40.0 or higher, increased the risk of death by 250% and 200% respectively. In contrast, underweight men and women, with body mass indexes of 18.5 or lower, increased the risk by 26% and 36% respectively.
Thus, the perception of beauty is not superficial as it is supported by robust scientific research. If, we can imagine how we, can perceive beauty of the body, we can easily notice that our perception of beauty perhaps vary in the same proportion as the effect of body weight on health as if our mind already knows what is good for the body even without going through the long process of research.
Once a scientist described to Einstein, how long years of experimentation and research lead to the discovery of the scientific theory. The wife of Einstein promptly remarked that her husband (Einstein) would have developed the same theory on a piece of paper. Einstein never conducted any experiments, but developed the soundest of the scientific theories from the imagination of his mind as man himself a replica of the universe.
We all have the inherent capability to distinguish the good from the evil and the truth from the untruth by our ability to see beauty. When we eat an apple, we don't have to send it to laboratory to know if it is rotten or fresh. We can simply by looking at it can know that it is fresh. A beautiful apple is also a good apple for health.
What is Good?
The first thing to understand is what is good? We can define goodness from the perspective of self and the world. One can be good to the world, if his actions are for the good of the world. Similarly, one can also be good if his actions are good for him. An ugly man, therefore, must be one who is not only bad for the world but also bad for himself.
However, we can argue, why one would like to do anything that is harmful to self. Yet there is no dearth of such actions. For example, if one eats too much and become obese, it is surely not good for his own health. Similarly smoking, additions etc are also not good for one's own self. All selfish actions are initially good for the person but gradually become bad for him, if these actions are not good for the society. The challenge thus lies in finding a way that is not only good for self but also good for the society. All successful persons and businessman finds a way to find their good in the goods of others. For example, Bill Gates is the richest person in the world, not by doing any harm to the society but by bringing tremendous benefit to the society. As a consequence, he also became a rich man.
However, when a person focuses only on selfish benefit without any concern for the world, he creates an imbalance in the world that makes the person bad. This leads to the path of untruth and evil. Such a person gradually becomes unattractive and ugly as the evil starts getting reflected on his body and the face.
What is good also depends on the person and the situations. A sunny day many look beautiful in the cold winters and cold countries but extremely unattractive for the people of the tropical and warm countries. The woman may look extremely beautiful to a lover but only ordinary to other men and women. Hills may be beautiful for the people living in the plain or in hotter places but may look unattractive to the native who may find the modern world of malls and urban life more attractive. A western music may be attractive to some but repulsive to others.
Thus our perception to beauty has also a purpose. The attraction depends not only the object of beauty but also our mental makeup. We find beauty in things that complements ourselves. It force of attraction due to beauty can be compared with the force of attraction of the electric changes. The opposite attracts and once they meet they neutralize each other. So often we are attracted towards something which we lack. Often, we are not even aware what is missing unless we find something attractive. The beauty is thus a guide to achieve the missing something in us so that we can have more fulfilling and contented life.
Yoga: The Secret of Beauty
The secret of the natural beauty lies in the mantra truth, good and beauty (Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram). To look beautiful outside, one has to be good inside. The good feeling can come only by being good and truthful. If one becomes bad for others, he has to pay the price with his beauty.
Yoga, one of the ancient methods for good heath, means union. It defies all scientific theories as people use yoga to reduce weight and become healthy not by burning calories in gym or by medication but simply by effortless postures of the body designed many thousands of years ago that requires discipline of the body and mind. Yoga means union i.e. the union of body and mind with the soul on personal level and the union of individual soul to the universal soul or the soul of the world on he other level. Yoga, is used all over the world, to make oneself beautiful as it beings the goodness and truth in the person. However, once the person become beautiful, he automatically gets he proper body weight and also fitness and good health.
The Challenges of being Beautiful
Some people are born beautiful but other acquires beauty by conscious effort. Often the most become people become unattractive due to their lifestyle and evil actions. Who would find beauty in a obese man or woman or in a criminal. However, often very ordinary looking person become very attractive because of their achievements. It is particularly true about man who seems to become more attractive with their achievements and good deeds.
As believed in the Indian philosophies, beauty is the manifestation of God in this world. Hence, if a person start doing evil acts, he start drifting from God to Devil. Soon the person would start looking ugly too. His face and body would transform in a way that he would lose all beauty. He would lose health and fitness. He would fall sick frequently. He would become overweight or underweight so as to lose his vitality and health. His face would become cruel or pale devoid of serenity and beauty.
It is not a mere coincidence that no dictator or evil person has ever been beautiful. Conversely, a beautiful person can not be cruel or evil. One proof of this statement is that women, who epitomize beauty, can hardly kill innocent people or commit murder. Woman represents beauty hence they also mean what is good for the society. They risk their own life to create a new life.
We also find that all children are beautiful. It is not a mere a coincidence that all children are also good. They love every creation of the world including innate objects like dolls, toys and animals. Most of the cartoon films and the children's film show kindness to animals. Yet as a man grows, he losses his beauty, if he starts losing goodness.
Secret of Beauty
Beauty is one of the biggest desire of human beings hence a great biggest business opportunity for the businessmen. The cosmetic industry is a multi-billion dollar business today all over the world. Yet can any cosmetics make you beautiful. The beauty due to cosmetics is truly superficial and often causes long term harm to the person. The true secret of beauty lies in discovering truth and goodness in the world and within oneself. Once a person has acquired inner beauty, his body and face start emitting the beauty of the soul to the world. One must also use his or her perception of beauty as a guide to achieve a more fulfilling life in this world. Beauty is, therefore, the most beautiful thing in the world as it comes to every person naturally without any training or study, yet it represents the truth and goodness of this world.
References:
[1] Body Weight and Mortality: What is the optimum weight for a longer life? URL; jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/booth/hliving/BMIwords.html
Mr. Awdhesh K Singh is a government of India officer. He is an Engineer by education and philosopher by passion.
He has published several papers in International Journals and Conferences on the subject of E-governance and the application of Artificial Intelligence tools like Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Expert Systems (ES) for E-governance. He also has keen interest in the study and application of Indian Philosophies for solving the real-life problems of the modern world.
Many of his articles are published on the website of Aatmic Science Forum http://www.aatmicscience.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Awdhesh_K_Singh
Random House dictionary, defines "beauty" as a characteristic present in a person, place, object or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning or satisfaction to the mind or to the eyes, arising from sensory manifestations such as a shape, color, personality, sound, design or rhythm.
Yet no one knows, what are these characteristics that make a thing beautiful? Since beauty is based on the perception of the person, it is often said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Beauty is also considered to be only skin deep which means that beauty is superficial and it lacks any substance.
The opposite of beauty is ugly i.e. what gives us a bad feeling. When we see an ugly thing, we just don't like it and want to close our sensual perception and mind from that thing. Everyone wants to see beauty and become beautiful and dread to become ugly. While we see a beautiful thing or meet a beautiful person, we just want to keep on looking. Einstein used the concept of beauty to explain the Theory of Relativity i.e. how time can expand or contract
"You spend 30 minutes with a beautiful girl, it seems like a moment. You spend a moment sitting on a hot stove, it seems like 30 minutes".
Beauty is so important to human beings that they can do anything to look beautiful or achieve beautiful things in life. The pursuit of human life seems to become beautiful or acquire beautiful things in life. Beauty has such a powerful attraction that it bewilders all logic and rationality of the person and sometime the attraction become fatal. Why is beauty such a powerful force?
Beauty means Truth and Good
In the ancient philosophies, the material body is believed to be the material reflection of the soul, the spark of the universal soul or God. Hence, if the person is good, it is because the person has a beautiful soul. It is because of the beauty of the soul that people do good actions in this world. People find their parents and friends beautiful, because they are good to them. We can hardly find any beauty in our enemies as they are not good to us. When a friend turns enemy, the same person cease to be beautiful.
In Indian philosophy God is said to have three manifestations in this world i.e. Truth, Good and Beautiful (Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram). Hence when we find something beautiful, it is only because it has the truth and goodness in it.
Scientists discover secrets (truths) of nature, because they find universe beautiful (Difficult to imagine?). Einstein said "I have deep faith that the principle of the universe will be beautiful and simple."
Jules Henri Poincare, a famous French mathematician and scientist said
"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing, and if nature were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living."
The discovery of truth is, therefore, to with the beauty it holds. For a scientist, the universe is not a dead object but he sees beautiful pattern and aesthetics in the nature, which helps him find the secrets of nature. While most of the people find the world as an ugly place due to its imperfectness like inequality, injustice, disorder, a poet sees the same world as beautiful and creates poetry. A poet can only make beautiful poetry, if he finds beauty in nature and human beings. A logical person or a critique of the world can never find these truth of the world as he can never see beauty in this world.
The Evidence of Beauty
Since beauty needs no logic, people often accuse beauty of being superficial. The rational people or scientists accept no facts to be true unless proven objectively by experiments and investigations. They often blame the perceptions of beauty as biased and prejudiced which has developed in the people in the process of evolution.
We all know that a human body looks beautiful, if it is within a particular range of body weight depending upon the height of the person. We don't find the body beautiful, if it is either too thin or too fat. Yet we can't say why only a particular weight should make the body beautiful? However, the scientists have discovered that what we perceive as beautiful is actually the best body weight for health and longevity. A study conducted by more than a million participants by the US Cancer Prevention [1] concluded that
.. optimum body mass indexes to be between 23.5 and 24.9 for men and 22.0 and 23.4 for women. As body mass index increased, risk of death increased. Men and women, with body mass indexes of 40.0 or higher, increased the risk of death by 250% and 200% respectively. In contrast, underweight men and women, with body mass indexes of 18.5 or lower, increased the risk by 26% and 36% respectively.
Thus, the perception of beauty is not superficial as it is supported by robust scientific research. If, we can imagine how we, can perceive beauty of the body, we can easily notice that our perception of beauty perhaps vary in the same proportion as the effect of body weight on health as if our mind already knows what is good for the body even without going through the long process of research.
Once a scientist described to Einstein, how long years of experimentation and research lead to the discovery of the scientific theory. The wife of Einstein promptly remarked that her husband (Einstein) would have developed the same theory on a piece of paper. Einstein never conducted any experiments, but developed the soundest of the scientific theories from the imagination of his mind as man himself a replica of the universe.
We all have the inherent capability to distinguish the good from the evil and the truth from the untruth by our ability to see beauty. When we eat an apple, we don't have to send it to laboratory to know if it is rotten or fresh. We can simply by looking at it can know that it is fresh. A beautiful apple is also a good apple for health.
What is Good?
The first thing to understand is what is good? We can define goodness from the perspective of self and the world. One can be good to the world, if his actions are for the good of the world. Similarly, one can also be good if his actions are good for him. An ugly man, therefore, must be one who is not only bad for the world but also bad for himself.
However, we can argue, why one would like to do anything that is harmful to self. Yet there is no dearth of such actions. For example, if one eats too much and become obese, it is surely not good for his own health. Similarly smoking, additions etc are also not good for one's own self. All selfish actions are initially good for the person but gradually become bad for him, if these actions are not good for the society. The challenge thus lies in finding a way that is not only good for self but also good for the society. All successful persons and businessman finds a way to find their good in the goods of others. For example, Bill Gates is the richest person in the world, not by doing any harm to the society but by bringing tremendous benefit to the society. As a consequence, he also became a rich man.
However, when a person focuses only on selfish benefit without any concern for the world, he creates an imbalance in the world that makes the person bad. This leads to the path of untruth and evil. Such a person gradually becomes unattractive and ugly as the evil starts getting reflected on his body and the face.
What is good also depends on the person and the situations. A sunny day many look beautiful in the cold winters and cold countries but extremely unattractive for the people of the tropical and warm countries. The woman may look extremely beautiful to a lover but only ordinary to other men and women. Hills may be beautiful for the people living in the plain or in hotter places but may look unattractive to the native who may find the modern world of malls and urban life more attractive. A western music may be attractive to some but repulsive to others.
Thus our perception to beauty has also a purpose. The attraction depends not only the object of beauty but also our mental makeup. We find beauty in things that complements ourselves. It force of attraction due to beauty can be compared with the force of attraction of the electric changes. The opposite attracts and once they meet they neutralize each other. So often we are attracted towards something which we lack. Often, we are not even aware what is missing unless we find something attractive. The beauty is thus a guide to achieve the missing something in us so that we can have more fulfilling and contented life.
Yoga: The Secret of Beauty
The secret of the natural beauty lies in the mantra truth, good and beauty (Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram). To look beautiful outside, one has to be good inside. The good feeling can come only by being good and truthful. If one becomes bad for others, he has to pay the price with his beauty.
Yoga, one of the ancient methods for good heath, means union. It defies all scientific theories as people use yoga to reduce weight and become healthy not by burning calories in gym or by medication but simply by effortless postures of the body designed many thousands of years ago that requires discipline of the body and mind. Yoga means union i.e. the union of body and mind with the soul on personal level and the union of individual soul to the universal soul or the soul of the world on he other level. Yoga, is used all over the world, to make oneself beautiful as it beings the goodness and truth in the person. However, once the person become beautiful, he automatically gets he proper body weight and also fitness and good health.
The Challenges of being Beautiful
Some people are born beautiful but other acquires beauty by conscious effort. Often the most become people become unattractive due to their lifestyle and evil actions. Who would find beauty in a obese man or woman or in a criminal. However, often very ordinary looking person become very attractive because of their achievements. It is particularly true about man who seems to become more attractive with their achievements and good deeds.
As believed in the Indian philosophies, beauty is the manifestation of God in this world. Hence, if a person start doing evil acts, he start drifting from God to Devil. Soon the person would start looking ugly too. His face and body would transform in a way that he would lose all beauty. He would lose health and fitness. He would fall sick frequently. He would become overweight or underweight so as to lose his vitality and health. His face would become cruel or pale devoid of serenity and beauty.
It is not a mere coincidence that no dictator or evil person has ever been beautiful. Conversely, a beautiful person can not be cruel or evil. One proof of this statement is that women, who epitomize beauty, can hardly kill innocent people or commit murder. Woman represents beauty hence they also mean what is good for the society. They risk their own life to create a new life.
We also find that all children are beautiful. It is not a mere a coincidence that all children are also good. They love every creation of the world including innate objects like dolls, toys and animals. Most of the cartoon films and the children's film show kindness to animals. Yet as a man grows, he losses his beauty, if he starts losing goodness.
Secret of Beauty
Beauty is one of the biggest desire of human beings hence a great biggest business opportunity for the businessmen. The cosmetic industry is a multi-billion dollar business today all over the world. Yet can any cosmetics make you beautiful. The beauty due to cosmetics is truly superficial and often causes long term harm to the person. The true secret of beauty lies in discovering truth and goodness in the world and within oneself. Once a person has acquired inner beauty, his body and face start emitting the beauty of the soul to the world. One must also use his or her perception of beauty as a guide to achieve a more fulfilling life in this world. Beauty is, therefore, the most beautiful thing in the world as it comes to every person naturally without any training or study, yet it represents the truth and goodness of this world.
References:
[1] Body Weight and Mortality: What is the optimum weight for a longer life? URL; jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/booth/hliving/BMIwords.html
Mr. Awdhesh K Singh is a government of India officer. He is an Engineer by education and philosopher by passion.
He has published several papers in International Journals and Conferences on the subject of E-governance and the application of Artificial Intelligence tools like Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Expert Systems (ES) for E-governance. He also has keen interest in the study and application of Indian Philosophies for solving the real-life problems of the modern world.
Many of his articles are published on the website of Aatmic Science Forum http://www.aatmicscience.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Awdhesh_K_Singh
Can one know what true beauty and goodness are? Is there an objectivity to these attributes, or are they merely what one perceives them to be? Let us focus on what God has created women to be and what society tells them to be. Does the truth lie in women being successful career women to the exclusion of their own feminine nature; in being dependent on the admiration of others for their self-worth; or in their being mere physical objects of pleasure? Or are they called to find the truth of their dignity in the model of Mary, Virgin Mother of God, who reflects and participates in the Divine Truth, Beauty, and Goodness of which all creation is called to reflect and share in?
The question of truth, beauty, and goodness is one that has intrigued men for centuries. The pagan philosophers seek to identify that which is True, Good, and Beautiful. For the Christian, however, there can be no other answer than that which affirms that the Triune God is the True, the Beautiful, and the Good. By His very essence God is all three. Everything else is so only by participation. We can know this because God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #2500 tells us that "even before revealing Himself to man in words of truth, God reveals Himself to (man) through the universal language of creation." All creation reflects its Creator; therefore, we can see something of Beauty itself in creation. Truth, beauty, and goodness, which are called "the transcendentals," cannot be separated from one another because they are a unity as the Trinity is One. Truth is beautiful in itself. And goodness describes all that God has made. "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (Gen.1:31).
Man is the summit of the Creator's work, as Scripture expresses by clearly distinguishing the creation of man from that of other creatures. "God created man in His own image..." (Gen. 1:27). Thus, man was not only created good and beautiful, but he was also established in friendship with his Creator and in harmony with himself and with the creation around him, in a state that would be surpassed only by the glory of the new creation in Christ. The inner harmony of the first man, the harmony between the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), and the harmony between the first couple and all creation, is called "original justice." This entire harmony of original justice was lost by the sin of our first parents. Created in a state of holiness, man was destined to be fully "divinized" by God in glory. But he preferred himself to God and disobeyed God's command.
Thus, Adam and Eve immediately lost the grace of original holiness, and the harmony in which they had lived was destroyed. They were separated from Beauty Itself. God, however did not abandon mankind, all of whom share in the sin of Adam, since "by one man's disobedience all were made sinners" (Rom. 5:12). In the fullness of time God sent His Son to restore that which had been lost. The Son, who is "beautiful above the sons of men," came to restore us to beauty.
Thus, we turn now to beauty. Von Balthasar once remarked that when one is seeking to draw others to God, he should begin with beauty because beauty attracts. Beauty will then lead to truth and goodness. Hence, if one is going to begin with beauty then one must know what beauty is. I will make a distinction between two types of beauty, although only one of them is beauty in the truest sense of the definition. There is "seductive" beauty, which is often reflected in our current culture. This would entail whatever allures us to our self-destruction (morally or spiritually). It takes us away from what we were created for, union with Beauty Himself. This type of beauty I will return to, but first I want to establish a definition and proper understanding of what "true" beauty is. This is first and foremost whatever attracts us to our true fulfillment and happiness. In his book The Beauty of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty, John Saward, drawing on the work of St.Thomas Aquinas, defines beauty as: "the gleaming of the substantial or actual form that is found in the proportioned parts of a material things." In other words, while one can find beauty in the outward appearance, one must go deeper to the nature or the essence of the thing.
"Thus, in a material substance (such as man) there is beauty when the essence of a thing shines clearly through its outward appearance." The beauty of one's soul can be said to shine through a person's countenance. For this to occur, three things are necessary -wholeness (integrity), due proportion (harmony), and radiance (clarity). It is important to note that understood in this definition is the fact that beauty is a reality in itself, it is not something that we produce by looking at a work of art or some other thing that attracts us. Rather, beauty radiates out of what we see. It radiates out because it is participating in Beauty itself. In regards to Jesus, "Christian Tradition - from Augustine and Hilary to Peter Lombard, Albert, Thomas, and Bonaventure - holds that beauty can be appropriated in a special way to the Second Person..."
St. Thomas says that all three marks of beauty are found in Jesus. Radiance is found in Him because He is the Word of the Father, and the Word eternally uttered by the Father completely and perfectly expresses Him. He is the brightness of the Father's mind. Due proportion is found in the Son of God because He is the perfect image of the Father. As the perfect image, He is divine beauty. Jesus has wholeness because He has in Himself the whole nature of the Father. In begetting the Son, the Father communicates the whole of His divine essence. Thus, we have a Divine Person, God the Son, who without ceasing to be true God, has been made true man for us in the Virgin's womb. When one sees the Virgin and the Child, one sees a witness to the Trinity. Pope John Paul II explains that this picture of Mother and Child "constitutes a silent but firm statement of Mary's virginal motherhood, and for that very reason, of the Son's divinity."
It is as such a witness to the Trinity that allows Mary a special place in relationship to the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. The Blessed Virgin, said the fifteenth century poet John Lydgate, is the "Fairest Mother that ever was alive." Many poets and artists have sought to express their praise and admiration for Her who is so closely united to Divinity. When Dante reaches Paradise, he finds the beauty of the Son of God most perfectly mirrored in Mary, of whom He was born. Thus, we will see how Mary is to be for all, but especially women, a model of true beauty, and thus, goodness and truth, as she reflects a sharing in the life of the Trinity. "All the beauty for soul and body that the Son of God brought into the world, all the loveliness He wanted to lavish on mankind, is summed up in, and mediated by the person of His ever virgin Mother, 'a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars' (Rev. 12:1). If there is beauty, it is here."
To understand Mary's beauty, one must know of the gifts bestowed on her, and her response to these gifts, which put her in intimate contact with Beauty, Itself. Scripture, God's revealed Word, tells us that "an angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph...and the virgin's name was Mary. And he (the angel) came to her and said, 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! ... Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High...And Mary said, ' How can this be since I have no husband?' And the angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.' ...And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.'" (Lk. 1:26-38).
To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was given the gifts necessary and befitting such a role. Mary was greeted as "full of grace," as if that were her real name. A name expresses a person's identity. "Full of grace" is Mary's essence, her identity, and the meaning of her life. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of Him who is the source of all grace, and she is given over to Him who has come to dwell in her and whom she is about to give to the world. She is by a singular grace free from any stain of sin by reason of the merits of her Son. She possesses the harmony that Adam lost. Thus, she has the first two qualities of beauty: due proportion (harmony) and integrity (wholeness) because by the merits of her Son and the fullness of grace which she has been given, her nature is complete - unwounded and unstained by sin.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims that "Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time...In her, the 'wonders of God' that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and in the Church began to be manifested." Through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, "the objects of God's merciful love, into communion with Christ."
Grace has been described as "God's better beauty, the splendor of the soul." And Mary, who is full of grace, radiates that splendor, that spiritual beauty. Grace (sanctifying grace) gives us a share in the Divine Life; it conforms our souls into the likeness of Christ. Mary in her abundance of grace is a reflected beauty of her Son. She possesses the "radiance" which is the third of the qualities of beauty. The great St. Bernard of Clairvaux declares that "contemplating the countenance of the Mother is the best way of preparing to see the glorious face of the Son." Saward endorses this idea by pointing to the fact that Our Lord is conceived by the Holy Spirit without seed, thus there is only one human person whom He resembles in His humanity, and that is His Virgin Mother.
How does Mary's beauty enable women of today to be an image of true beauty, and hence of truth and goodness also? Mary, the Theotokos - the Mother of God, the Mother of Infinite Beauty, who is herself beautiful, will guide women to that which is true and good. She shows the falsehood of "seductive beauty," which we have noted above as being whatever allures us to our self-destruction (morally or spiritually), by holding up her own "true" beauty in contrast. Before showing the essence of Mary's beauty, which meets St. Thomas' requirements for beauty: wholeness, due proportion, and radiance, we will look at society's claim of womanly beauty. Women today are told by society that what is good and beautiful is that which is glamorous and seductive. Beauty is separated from God, Who is disregarded and Whose goodness is exchanged for a "base mind and improper conduct" (Rom. 1:28), leading to both spiritual and often physical dissolution. The "truth" that they are taught is one which "considers the human being (and hence, the woman) not as a person but as a thing, as an object of trade, at the service of selfish interest and mere pleasure... this falsehood produces such bitter fruits as contempt for men and for women, slavery, oppression of the weak, pornography, prostitution..."
Thus, beauty is often seen as a mere physical quality. It lacks "due proportion" because only one aspect of the whole person is considered. Society emphasizes the physical to the exclusion of the spiritual. Flowing from this same type of mentality, we see that women are honored more for their work outside the home than for their work within the family. What is "seen" as attractive is a woman who is able to achieve the "good" of a successful career, which promises happiness and "equality with men." In order to achieve this, women often times either renounce their femininity or become a mere imitation of the male role. They are in a sense trading in the quality of "integrity," which is necessary for true beauty, for society's limited claim of the beautiful. This "seductive beauty" which promises so much "good" gives rise to a hedonism that distorts and falsifies human sexuality and the true dignity of the human person. This leads not only to a lack of respect for what womanhood is to be, since the truth about their personal dignity as one who was created and redeemed by God is unknown, but it also hinders women from achieving the "fullness of grace" for which they were created. It leads to women's spiritual destruction because they are not living a life of grace. They are not living for God.
Mary, who lived a grace-filled life, is, however, the model of redeemed woman. God Himself "manifests the dignity of women in the highest form possible by assuming human flesh from the Virgin Mary, whom the Church honors as the Mother of God." The highest elevation of the human nature took place in the masculine gender, when Jesus, the Son of God, became man and male. The highest elevation of the human person took place in the feminine gender, in the Virgin Mary. Her divine maternity gives her an exalted dignity. She is "blessed among women." Therefore, all womanhood shares in her blessing and is made radiant by her. "When the Virgin Mary is humbly honored for the sake of her Son, women will be honored...for she has revealed the true beauty of womanhood."
Looking at what we have already said about Mary, we know "full of grace" reveals her essence, her identity. It is also the key to her reflection of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. It is the key to women discovering the truth of their own dignity, and hence, obtaining the divine life that is offered to them through a life of grace. This is a life that will bestow on them true goodness and beauty, which is a participation in the beauty of the Creator.
Because Mary is "full of grace," she possesses the wholeness that was lost by Adam. Because of grace, she is "radiant as the sun," showing in her very being the clarity of a life united with God. Such a union shines forth in a person's actions; actions which are a reflection of God's goodness. "The practice of goodness is accompanied by spontaneous spiritual joy and moral beauty" (CCC 2500). These actions, called virtues, "are acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace" (CCC1810). Grace affects every dimension of a person's life. It is a gift of God that leads us closer to God. The closer we are to God, the more we reflect Him who is Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.
Mary is held up for us as the model of the life of virtue. She is a guide in living a life of faithfulness to grace. Due to space limitation, I will only briefly look at three of the virtues that Mary possesses and calls us to imitate. They are faith, obedience, and charity. The Church hails Mary as an "excellent exemplar in faith and charity" (Lumen Gentium 53). We see her faith when she entrusts herself freely to God at the Annunciation, believing and trusting the angel's message to her that the son to be born to her would be the Son of the Most High, certain that "with God nothing is impossible" (Lk. 1:30). Her journey of faith continues in her responses to that which occurs in her life of union with Jesus. She flees to Egypt when Joseph is directed to go there (Mt. 2:13-15); she returns in the same manner (Mt. 2:19-23); and she faithfully perseveres in her union with her Son unto the cross (cf. LG#58, Jn.19:25-27), all the while believing and trusting in the wisdom of God's divine plan. She believed that her Son, though crucified and buried, would rise from the dead. She waited in prayer (Acts 1:14). We, too, are called to be women of faith, believing what God has revealed concerning His plan for us and our salvation.
Flowing from Mary's deep faith, she shows her loving obedience. Hers was not a servile obedience. Rather it was an obedience that flowed from humility. She knew the wisdom and greatness of God and therefore, sought to live in conformity with it. Being obedient to God meant responding in trust to His all-wise plan. Again, at the Annunciation, she replies in obedience to the angel, "Let it be done to me as you say" (Lk. 1:36). She obediently follows the directions that the angel gives to Joseph, trusting in God. Mary remained obedient to her role as mother even to the cross, where she obediently offers the full assent of her intellect and will to Him whose ways are inscrutable. As we seek to imitate Mary's obedience, we will find that it frees us from the slavery of sin. Obedience makes us beautiful because it opens us up to God's grace, to His life and love within us.
Mary's faith and obedience allows her great charity to shine through. Mary, the Mother of Fairest Love, possesses a self-humbling love, innocent of all narcissism. "It is for Christ and to the glory of the Father, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, that our Lady is 'all fair.'" She devotes herself "totally as a handmaid of the Lord to the person and work of her Son... she does this freely" (LG # 56). This acceptance of her role as "Mother of the Son of God (is) guided by spousal love, the love which totally consecrates a human being to God. By virtue of this love, Mary wished to always be and in all things given to God." This love that remains faithful to her Son throughout His life, even to His cruel death on Calvary, extends itself to the brethren of her Son, those souls still journeying on earth (cf. LG #62-63). There is nothing more beautiful than charity, which we are all called to practice, and which inspires and animates all the other virtues (cf. CCC 1827). Charity, the form of all virtues "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col. 3:14), one of the aspects of beauty.
These virtues and the life of grace are possible for all women, who seek to know the truth and avail themselves of the grace that comes from the merits of Jesus Christ, who came to restore mankind to the beauty of adopted children and "partakers in the divine nature" (1 Pt. 1:3). St. Francis de Sales notes that because of grace we are so like Christ that we resemble God perfectly, because in His becoming man, Jesus has taken our likeness and given us His. Thus, we must do what we can to preserve this beauty and divine resemblance that He has restored to us.
Mary helps women to do this. Her beauty attracts, and because it attracts she leads us to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn.14:6). Mary is loved and honored because she reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of her Son by her actions, by her life of virtue. Her role is to lead others to Him and to the truth he teaches and is. This is seen by looking once again at how creation reflects the beauty of God. All that God creates is good; it is beautiful. Jesus, who is the fullness of revelation, has raised creation to an even higher dignity by restoring all things "according to the plan God was pleased to restore in Christ. A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the fullness of time, to bring all things into one in Him, in the heavens and on earth" (Eph. 1:9-10). Thus, harmony is restored, all is made whole, and His glory is made known. Because the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father" (Jn. 1:14)
Man was created in the image and likeness of God; Jesus renewed humanity in His immortal image. He restored us to the likeness of God. Mary reflects the beauty of her Son in her very essence. Mary is the one who will, in cooperation with her Divine Son, help women to discover the truth of their feminine nature, to reflect the beauty of a child of God, and by God's grace to live that goodness that comes from God alone. Women, to attain this ideal, must turn to Mary as a model, who has been chosen by God from all eternity to be the Mother of His Son, and to be a guide for us on our journey to the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, our true fulfillment and happiness. Women should entrust themselves to Mary's guidance because she already is that which they are called to be: full of grace. As the Church prays in the Divine Liturgy: Lord, as we honor the glorious memory of the Virgin Mary, we ask that by the help of Her prayers, we too may come to share the fullness of Your grace," so that by that grace we too may reflect that which is True, Beautiful, and Good.
Margie Crooks is the Director of Parish Ministries for the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. She is also the Director of Religious Education for St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fishers, Indiana. Margie earned her Master's Degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she graduated with honors. Margie is also a Licensed Health Facility Administrator and has worked for 17 years in the health care field.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Margie_Crooks
The question of truth, beauty, and goodness is one that has intrigued men for centuries. The pagan philosophers seek to identify that which is True, Good, and Beautiful. For the Christian, however, there can be no other answer than that which affirms that the Triune God is the True, the Beautiful, and the Good. By His very essence God is all three. Everything else is so only by participation. We can know this because God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church #2500 tells us that "even before revealing Himself to man in words of truth, God reveals Himself to (man) through the universal language of creation." All creation reflects its Creator; therefore, we can see something of Beauty itself in creation. Truth, beauty, and goodness, which are called "the transcendentals," cannot be separated from one another because they are a unity as the Trinity is One. Truth is beautiful in itself. And goodness describes all that God has made. "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (Gen.1:31).
Man is the summit of the Creator's work, as Scripture expresses by clearly distinguishing the creation of man from that of other creatures. "God created man in His own image..." (Gen. 1:27). Thus, man was not only created good and beautiful, but he was also established in friendship with his Creator and in harmony with himself and with the creation around him, in a state that would be surpassed only by the glory of the new creation in Christ. The inner harmony of the first man, the harmony between the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), and the harmony between the first couple and all creation, is called "original justice." This entire harmony of original justice was lost by the sin of our first parents. Created in a state of holiness, man was destined to be fully "divinized" by God in glory. But he preferred himself to God and disobeyed God's command.
Thus, Adam and Eve immediately lost the grace of original holiness, and the harmony in which they had lived was destroyed. They were separated from Beauty Itself. God, however did not abandon mankind, all of whom share in the sin of Adam, since "by one man's disobedience all were made sinners" (Rom. 5:12). In the fullness of time God sent His Son to restore that which had been lost. The Son, who is "beautiful above the sons of men," came to restore us to beauty.
Thus, we turn now to beauty. Von Balthasar once remarked that when one is seeking to draw others to God, he should begin with beauty because beauty attracts. Beauty will then lead to truth and goodness. Hence, if one is going to begin with beauty then one must know what beauty is. I will make a distinction between two types of beauty, although only one of them is beauty in the truest sense of the definition. There is "seductive" beauty, which is often reflected in our current culture. This would entail whatever allures us to our self-destruction (morally or spiritually). It takes us away from what we were created for, union with Beauty Himself. This type of beauty I will return to, but first I want to establish a definition and proper understanding of what "true" beauty is. This is first and foremost whatever attracts us to our true fulfillment and happiness. In his book The Beauty of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty, John Saward, drawing on the work of St.Thomas Aquinas, defines beauty as: "the gleaming of the substantial or actual form that is found in the proportioned parts of a material things." In other words, while one can find beauty in the outward appearance, one must go deeper to the nature or the essence of the thing.
"Thus, in a material substance (such as man) there is beauty when the essence of a thing shines clearly through its outward appearance." The beauty of one's soul can be said to shine through a person's countenance. For this to occur, three things are necessary -wholeness (integrity), due proportion (harmony), and radiance (clarity). It is important to note that understood in this definition is the fact that beauty is a reality in itself, it is not something that we produce by looking at a work of art or some other thing that attracts us. Rather, beauty radiates out of what we see. It radiates out because it is participating in Beauty itself. In regards to Jesus, "Christian Tradition - from Augustine and Hilary to Peter Lombard, Albert, Thomas, and Bonaventure - holds that beauty can be appropriated in a special way to the Second Person..."
St. Thomas says that all three marks of beauty are found in Jesus. Radiance is found in Him because He is the Word of the Father, and the Word eternally uttered by the Father completely and perfectly expresses Him. He is the brightness of the Father's mind. Due proportion is found in the Son of God because He is the perfect image of the Father. As the perfect image, He is divine beauty. Jesus has wholeness because He has in Himself the whole nature of the Father. In begetting the Son, the Father communicates the whole of His divine essence. Thus, we have a Divine Person, God the Son, who without ceasing to be true God, has been made true man for us in the Virgin's womb. When one sees the Virgin and the Child, one sees a witness to the Trinity. Pope John Paul II explains that this picture of Mother and Child "constitutes a silent but firm statement of Mary's virginal motherhood, and for that very reason, of the Son's divinity."
It is as such a witness to the Trinity that allows Mary a special place in relationship to the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. The Blessed Virgin, said the fifteenth century poet John Lydgate, is the "Fairest Mother that ever was alive." Many poets and artists have sought to express their praise and admiration for Her who is so closely united to Divinity. When Dante reaches Paradise, he finds the beauty of the Son of God most perfectly mirrored in Mary, of whom He was born. Thus, we will see how Mary is to be for all, but especially women, a model of true beauty, and thus, goodness and truth, as she reflects a sharing in the life of the Trinity. "All the beauty for soul and body that the Son of God brought into the world, all the loveliness He wanted to lavish on mankind, is summed up in, and mediated by the person of His ever virgin Mother, 'a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars' (Rev. 12:1). If there is beauty, it is here."
To understand Mary's beauty, one must know of the gifts bestowed on her, and her response to these gifts, which put her in intimate contact with Beauty, Itself. Scripture, God's revealed Word, tells us that "an angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph...and the virgin's name was Mary. And he (the angel) came to her and said, 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you! ... Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great and called the Son of the Most High...And Mary said, ' How can this be since I have no husband?' And the angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.' ...And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.'" (Lk. 1:26-38).
To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was given the gifts necessary and befitting such a role. Mary was greeted as "full of grace," as if that were her real name. A name expresses a person's identity. "Full of grace" is Mary's essence, her identity, and the meaning of her life. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of Him who is the source of all grace, and she is given over to Him who has come to dwell in her and whom she is about to give to the world. She is by a singular grace free from any stain of sin by reason of the merits of her Son. She possesses the harmony that Adam lost. Thus, she has the first two qualities of beauty: due proportion (harmony) and integrity (wholeness) because by the merits of her Son and the fullness of grace which she has been given, her nature is complete - unwounded and unstained by sin.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims that "Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time...In her, the 'wonders of God' that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and in the Church began to be manifested." Through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, "the objects of God's merciful love, into communion with Christ."
Grace has been described as "God's better beauty, the splendor of the soul." And Mary, who is full of grace, radiates that splendor, that spiritual beauty. Grace (sanctifying grace) gives us a share in the Divine Life; it conforms our souls into the likeness of Christ. Mary in her abundance of grace is a reflected beauty of her Son. She possesses the "radiance" which is the third of the qualities of beauty. The great St. Bernard of Clairvaux declares that "contemplating the countenance of the Mother is the best way of preparing to see the glorious face of the Son." Saward endorses this idea by pointing to the fact that Our Lord is conceived by the Holy Spirit without seed, thus there is only one human person whom He resembles in His humanity, and that is His Virgin Mother.
How does Mary's beauty enable women of today to be an image of true beauty, and hence of truth and goodness also? Mary, the Theotokos - the Mother of God, the Mother of Infinite Beauty, who is herself beautiful, will guide women to that which is true and good. She shows the falsehood of "seductive beauty," which we have noted above as being whatever allures us to our self-destruction (morally or spiritually), by holding up her own "true" beauty in contrast. Before showing the essence of Mary's beauty, which meets St. Thomas' requirements for beauty: wholeness, due proportion, and radiance, we will look at society's claim of womanly beauty. Women today are told by society that what is good and beautiful is that which is glamorous and seductive. Beauty is separated from God, Who is disregarded and Whose goodness is exchanged for a "base mind and improper conduct" (Rom. 1:28), leading to both spiritual and often physical dissolution. The "truth" that they are taught is one which "considers the human being (and hence, the woman) not as a person but as a thing, as an object of trade, at the service of selfish interest and mere pleasure... this falsehood produces such bitter fruits as contempt for men and for women, slavery, oppression of the weak, pornography, prostitution..."
Thus, beauty is often seen as a mere physical quality. It lacks "due proportion" because only one aspect of the whole person is considered. Society emphasizes the physical to the exclusion of the spiritual. Flowing from this same type of mentality, we see that women are honored more for their work outside the home than for their work within the family. What is "seen" as attractive is a woman who is able to achieve the "good" of a successful career, which promises happiness and "equality with men." In order to achieve this, women often times either renounce their femininity or become a mere imitation of the male role. They are in a sense trading in the quality of "integrity," which is necessary for true beauty, for society's limited claim of the beautiful. This "seductive beauty" which promises so much "good" gives rise to a hedonism that distorts and falsifies human sexuality and the true dignity of the human person. This leads not only to a lack of respect for what womanhood is to be, since the truth about their personal dignity as one who was created and redeemed by God is unknown, but it also hinders women from achieving the "fullness of grace" for which they were created. It leads to women's spiritual destruction because they are not living a life of grace. They are not living for God.
Mary, who lived a grace-filled life, is, however, the model of redeemed woman. God Himself "manifests the dignity of women in the highest form possible by assuming human flesh from the Virgin Mary, whom the Church honors as the Mother of God." The highest elevation of the human nature took place in the masculine gender, when Jesus, the Son of God, became man and male. The highest elevation of the human person took place in the feminine gender, in the Virgin Mary. Her divine maternity gives her an exalted dignity. She is "blessed among women." Therefore, all womanhood shares in her blessing and is made radiant by her. "When the Virgin Mary is humbly honored for the sake of her Son, women will be honored...for she has revealed the true beauty of womanhood."
Looking at what we have already said about Mary, we know "full of grace" reveals her essence, her identity. It is also the key to her reflection of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. It is the key to women discovering the truth of their own dignity, and hence, obtaining the divine life that is offered to them through a life of grace. This is a life that will bestow on them true goodness and beauty, which is a participation in the beauty of the Creator.
Because Mary is "full of grace," she possesses the wholeness that was lost by Adam. Because of grace, she is "radiant as the sun," showing in her very being the clarity of a life united with God. Such a union shines forth in a person's actions; actions which are a reflection of God's goodness. "The practice of goodness is accompanied by spontaneous spiritual joy and moral beauty" (CCC 2500). These actions, called virtues, "are acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace" (CCC1810). Grace affects every dimension of a person's life. It is a gift of God that leads us closer to God. The closer we are to God, the more we reflect Him who is Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.
Mary is held up for us as the model of the life of virtue. She is a guide in living a life of faithfulness to grace. Due to space limitation, I will only briefly look at three of the virtues that Mary possesses and calls us to imitate. They are faith, obedience, and charity. The Church hails Mary as an "excellent exemplar in faith and charity" (Lumen Gentium 53). We see her faith when she entrusts herself freely to God at the Annunciation, believing and trusting the angel's message to her that the son to be born to her would be the Son of the Most High, certain that "with God nothing is impossible" (Lk. 1:30). Her journey of faith continues in her responses to that which occurs in her life of union with Jesus. She flees to Egypt when Joseph is directed to go there (Mt. 2:13-15); she returns in the same manner (Mt. 2:19-23); and she faithfully perseveres in her union with her Son unto the cross (cf. LG#58, Jn.19:25-27), all the while believing and trusting in the wisdom of God's divine plan. She believed that her Son, though crucified and buried, would rise from the dead. She waited in prayer (Acts 1:14). We, too, are called to be women of faith, believing what God has revealed concerning His plan for us and our salvation.
Flowing from Mary's deep faith, she shows her loving obedience. Hers was not a servile obedience. Rather it was an obedience that flowed from humility. She knew the wisdom and greatness of God and therefore, sought to live in conformity with it. Being obedient to God meant responding in trust to His all-wise plan. Again, at the Annunciation, she replies in obedience to the angel, "Let it be done to me as you say" (Lk. 1:36). She obediently follows the directions that the angel gives to Joseph, trusting in God. Mary remained obedient to her role as mother even to the cross, where she obediently offers the full assent of her intellect and will to Him whose ways are inscrutable. As we seek to imitate Mary's obedience, we will find that it frees us from the slavery of sin. Obedience makes us beautiful because it opens us up to God's grace, to His life and love within us.
Mary's faith and obedience allows her great charity to shine through. Mary, the Mother of Fairest Love, possesses a self-humbling love, innocent of all narcissism. "It is for Christ and to the glory of the Father, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, that our Lady is 'all fair.'" She devotes herself "totally as a handmaid of the Lord to the person and work of her Son... she does this freely" (LG # 56). This acceptance of her role as "Mother of the Son of God (is) guided by spousal love, the love which totally consecrates a human being to God. By virtue of this love, Mary wished to always be and in all things given to God." This love that remains faithful to her Son throughout His life, even to His cruel death on Calvary, extends itself to the brethren of her Son, those souls still journeying on earth (cf. LG #62-63). There is nothing more beautiful than charity, which we are all called to practice, and which inspires and animates all the other virtues (cf. CCC 1827). Charity, the form of all virtues "binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col. 3:14), one of the aspects of beauty.
These virtues and the life of grace are possible for all women, who seek to know the truth and avail themselves of the grace that comes from the merits of Jesus Christ, who came to restore mankind to the beauty of adopted children and "partakers in the divine nature" (1 Pt. 1:3). St. Francis de Sales notes that because of grace we are so like Christ that we resemble God perfectly, because in His becoming man, Jesus has taken our likeness and given us His. Thus, we must do what we can to preserve this beauty and divine resemblance that He has restored to us.
Mary helps women to do this. Her beauty attracts, and because it attracts she leads us to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn.14:6). Mary is loved and honored because she reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of her Son by her actions, by her life of virtue. Her role is to lead others to Him and to the truth he teaches and is. This is seen by looking once again at how creation reflects the beauty of God. All that God creates is good; it is beautiful. Jesus, who is the fullness of revelation, has raised creation to an even higher dignity by restoring all things "according to the plan God was pleased to restore in Christ. A plan to be carried out in Christ, in the fullness of time, to bring all things into one in Him, in the heavens and on earth" (Eph. 1:9-10). Thus, harmony is restored, all is made whole, and His glory is made known. Because the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father" (Jn. 1:14)
Man was created in the image and likeness of God; Jesus renewed humanity in His immortal image. He restored us to the likeness of God. Mary reflects the beauty of her Son in her very essence. Mary is the one who will, in cooperation with her Divine Son, help women to discover the truth of their feminine nature, to reflect the beauty of a child of God, and by God's grace to live that goodness that comes from God alone. Women, to attain this ideal, must turn to Mary as a model, who has been chosen by God from all eternity to be the Mother of His Son, and to be a guide for us on our journey to the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, our true fulfillment and happiness. Women should entrust themselves to Mary's guidance because she already is that which they are called to be: full of grace. As the Church prays in the Divine Liturgy: Lord, as we honor the glorious memory of the Virgin Mary, we ask that by the help of Her prayers, we too may come to share the fullness of Your grace," so that by that grace we too may reflect that which is True, Beautiful, and Good.
Margie Crooks is the Director of Parish Ministries for the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. She is also the Director of Religious Education for St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fishers, Indiana. Margie earned her Master's Degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she graduated with honors. Margie is also a Licensed Health Facility Administrator and has worked for 17 years in the health care field.
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