Beauty benefits of meditation

Shahnaz Husain *

Modern day beauty solutions come in the form of potions, lotions and lasers.But, there’s a lot more to skin care than potent face serums and anti-wrinkle creams.

Beauty is a total impact of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. Mind and body are interrelated and interlinked. The state of one reflects on the other.

There is yet another dimension – the soul - inner beauty. It is more a part of us than the body and the mind. So, how can beauty be complete without taking inner beauty into account? To be a complete person, you not only have to work on your external beauty, but also develop your inner beauty.

Beauty does not solely depends on use of beauty products on our skin , hair etc but our thoughts and emotions affect our skin and body as well. Skin is a fantastic communicator that reveals our silent emotions to the world. Our faces turn pink with embarrassment or white with fear.

Complexions can appear sallow, dry or as if aged overnight, especially during difficult times. In today hectic life style , With high levels of stress, you are more prone to experience acne, wrinkles, dry skin and even hair loss. Meditation is not just a medium for connecting the mind, body and soul but it is a way to reduce stress, fear, worry and anxiety – conditions that are often the root causes of skin problems.

Meditation helps in strengthens immunity calming your mind , reducing stress, reduces heart disease, follow a mindful and healthy skincare regimen. Meditation give you a glowing and radiant skin by producing a natural sebum oil on the skin that balances the skin, hormones .

Meditation helps in our beauty regime by bridging the gap between our emotional and mental state. Our mind and body enters a relaxed state during yoga /meditation which reduces stress ,stimulates blood flow, lymphatic flow and oxygenation throughout the entire body."

For beginners , you can start from basics .Lie down flat on bed or mat in quiet room away from noise or any distractions .Take precaution if you have any back ache, neck or any other problem and make the situation as comfortable as you can .

Close eyes and take deep breath for few minutes and then allow body to take normal breath and focus on the breath. Close your eyes and settle into your position and aim to calm your mind. Bring your awareness to your breath and concentrate on the inhales and exhales.

Do not get too caught up in what should or should not be happening, As thoughts enter your mind, allow them to enter, acknowledge them just let everything sink." Make meditation as way of life for better results and do not be too impatient as it will take some time for positive results and you should not expect instant results in meditation .

Prioritize your mental health and well being by adopting fixed schedule for meditation for five minutes in the morning and evening in the beginning and then fix realistic schedule like 20 minutes daily in morning and evening .

It is recommended to avoid eating one hour prior to your meditation session and avoid non vegetarian , aerated drinks , alcohol etc as far as possible if you practice daily meditation for better results .

Regular meditation adds oxygen to the skin which helps in regeneration of tissues and cells giving you radiant , glowing and attractive skin .Meditation maintains proper blood pressure and reduces tension-related pain such as headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle aches and joint problems maintaining your youthful outlook .

Meditation has been scientifically proven to “release chemicals that counter the ‘stress’ chemicals and hormones” as a result of being in a more relaxed mindset.

Most of adults in metropolitan cities struggle with insomnia . Studies show that regular meditation helps in regular and longer sleep which leads to body relaxation, release in tension and peaceful state of mind which is essential for rejuvenating and radiant skin and hairs .

Meditation is within reach of every individual on this universe as it does not need any special equipment , money power and is universally practiced by persons of all faiths , religion and communities .Inner beauty helps us to achieve harmony, because it brings about a better balance of the inner and the outer self. To find the inner self, you have to find the silence that exists within you.

It is this silence that we must discover, to know the self and to find harmony and peace. Actually, we allow our mind to control us, whether it is our thoughts and feelings of fear, guilt, envy and so on, or our memories of the past and our worries of the future.

The ancient sages of India advocated yoga, pranayama and meditation, to bring about the required balance. These can easily be adapted to our modern lifestyle. Ideally, one should learn these from a qualified teacher, but you can easily start with simple breathing and see how it actually helps to silence the mind and bring about a feeling of calm.

Remember that the silence and calmness already exist within you. All you have to do is discover it and you can do so when body and mind are relaxed.

Breathing helps. You do not need to adopt the yogic posture. You may sit in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing, slowly and with ease. Allow your mind to follow your breathing as you inhale and exhale.

Breathe in slowly and deeply and then breathe out slowly. Concentrate your mind on your breathing. This is simply done by just observing mentally the inhaling and exhaling of your breath.

Do this 10 times and you will find that your mind has become calmer and your body is also more relaxed. You will notice that your mind and body have relaxed and you may even find that your mind is much quieter. Focusing your attention on your breathing has pushed all other thoughts away for a few minutes.

This can lead on to meditation, which is basically concentration of thought. With eyes closed and continuing breathing in and out slowly and deeply, concentrate your thought on anything or anyone that you wish.

For example, you can concentrate on any deity or “guru” of your choice. Or you can think of any aspect of nature, like the sun. You will find the mind wandering, but all you need to do is to bring it gently back to the object of your concentration. Day by day, you will find that your powers of concentration improve.

Gradually, the mind gets trained to concentrate for longer periods. A day will come when your mind can concentrate effortlessly. It is then that the mind becomes a void, allowing the higher mind to enter and flow freely. Introspection and meditation help in looking inwards. And that is where you will find your inner beauty, inner peace and calm.

When you have practiced breathing and meditation for some time, you will probably find that your mind is much more alert and much clearer. You seem to have more physical and mental energy. You will find that your dealings with people improve, as your perspectives change.

You will find yourself in a state of calmness, regardless of the situations and circumstances of life and living. Indeed, meditation is the way to the real fountain of youth and is much more effective than all the beauty potions and cosmetic treatments to preserve youth. You will not only look younger, but actually feel the youth and vitality.