Obsession with "Looks"
The seduction of physical appearance and the freedom beyond it
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Words: 596 | Quick Reading: 3 minutes | Slow Reading: 6 minutes
Have you ever wondered why something so impermanent—physical beauty—holds such power over us? Why do we chase what is destined to fade?
We idolize youth and celebrate glamour, and yet, when the surface fades, depression follows. The allure of physical beauty is intoxicating, but it comes with an expiry date. When the makeup fades, and the mirror reflects the passage of time, what remains?
Perhaps the answer lies not in what we see but in what we’ve been unwilling to see, and that is the essence of our Inner Being—the kingdom of heaven within.
If you admire individuals known for their looks, take a moment to compare photos of film stars from their youth to how they look today. This can help free you from the illusion of idolizing physical beauty. By looking at images of superstars from the 1970s or any iconic film star from that time, you'll see how beauty changes over time.
Many once celebrated for their beauty now avoid the camera as they don’t want to be photographed in their present original state.
Your Body is a Temple
People are just attracted to the outer form! Beneath the skin, there’s nothing but flesh, blood, pus, bile, and waste—hidden by a thin veil of skin that tends to age and wither one day. If you are awakened, this truth is enlightening to you, but it's depressing if you identify with your outer form. Now, while reading this, are you feeling depressed or free? And that says a lot about your state of awareness.
But even in this fleeting outer appearance, the divine is present within.
Your body is a temple where God resides. Your Inner Body is the bridge between the world and God. If you know how to rest in being—in your inner body—you will realize the divine within, and you will reverse aging and eliminate diseases.
Enlightening Moment for the Buddha
Imagine Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in his early days: His father was warned by sages that his son might renounce the world. To prevent this, the father surrounded him with every luxury, inviting the most beautiful women and hosting celebrations filled with music, dance, and lavishness. But one night, after a grand festivity, Siddhartha awoke to a scene that shattered his illusion. The women, who once looked so beautiful and charming, now lay in a mess—makeup smudged, saliva running from their mouths, hair messy, clothes out of place, and some were sick and vomiting. The beauty that once seemed so enchanting, created by outward appearances, had faded.
In that moment, he saw through the illusion—how much effort goes into maintaining appearances, yet how temporary and fragile it all is. It was a profound awakening to the futility of chasing such appearances, knowing that all beauty is as fragile as the thin skin hiding the flesh, blood, and waste beneath.
Looking Beyond Outer Attractiveness
Spending or working a few months in a beauty parlor could teach us how much effort goes into creating physical beauty—chemicals, makeup, treatments, and even discomfort—to meet fleeting societal ideals and expectations. It’s a reminder that this image reflects only the outer, not the inner essence.
When you truly see this, not with judgment but with understanding and compassion, it becomes clear that our body is a temple. We must take care of our physical body to realize the divine within. Still, we don't need to identify only with the outer appearance. We must surrender to our inner essence and awaken to the eternal that never withers, rots, or dies.
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Much wisdom here! Beauty lies within ❤️