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By Nisha Sharma
Staff Writer,WomenBrands.com
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I have to go too far too breathe Where Your Relationship Is Heading Maintain Yourself with Zen-Part-II
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Turn down the Noise The rich and the famous make a conscious effort to get more silence into their lives. They build and buy retreats in remote islands and mountains. Fortunately, it’s perfectly possible to invite that silence into your own life at absolutely no cost. All you have to do is, well, nothing. Just for a few hours, every now and then, say nothing. Hear nothing. Filter the noise out of your life, and tune in to your self. This means no phone calls, no pagers or mobile phones, no television, no conversation, not even the computer or book. Just true, deep silence that lets you connect to yourself. Japanese philosophy says this increases your spiritual density, making you a person of substance. Tighten Up Discipline may be painful, but it does have its rewards. Zen philosophy finds tremendous value of discipline in the small routines of life. Look at them as small endurance tasks, which are bound to do you, well. Like a small, frugal meal when you’re really hungry. Or 20 minutes of a good workout when you’d rather go out for an ice-cream. Rising early one morning. Taking a cold water shower to boost circulation. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Small hardships like these will temper you, putting you in the habit of cultivating beauty. Lighten Up Zen believes less is more. And that applies to skin care too. Don’t work your skin too hard. Give it a vacation! Keep it free of lipstick, mascara, concealer at least on weekends. Just keep it clean, and protect it from the glare of the sun, the friction of the wind and the chemicals in pollutants. Remember, most of your skin-care routine is geared toward purification and protection: All those other lotion and creams are only supplements to a good basic beauty routine. Eat For the Spirit Perhaps the best-kept Japanese diet-secret is that they spend more time preparing their food than eating it. Presentation is very important in Japanese cuisine. The flavors are simple, the portions are austere. But the layout is so stylish; it feeds the senses and satisfies the soul. The very act of eating, especially for women, is an exercise in grace. The mouthfuls are small and dainty, and the chopsticks are held lightly. Play with Packs The Japanese don’t believe in trying to outrun the time clock. They like to work towards graceful ageing right from the beginning, when the skin is naturally young and beautiful. While the face-pack is not an original Japanese tradition, many of the ingredients they use are like medicine for skin. Sesame seeds and rice flour work well for dry skin. Rice bran and buckwheat flour helps balance oily skin. Soya bean and tofu paste are highly nourishing. Mix and match these ingredients with essential oils of your choice, and invent your own recipes for glorious skin. Beauty Bath The Japanese love hot-spring baths and saunas. The typical sauna is a wooden room in which you relax, bathed in dry heat. Upon emerging, you plunge into an ice-cold tub – it might surprise you to know that some Japanese love to plunge directly into snow! This ritual, say beauty experts of the Orient, leaves you rejuvenated, glowing and relaxed to the bones. Those to whom this sounds like a form of punishment, however, can do a mild sauna at home. Keeping your bath or shower water slightly above body temperature, gently scrub your skin with a loofah in a circular motion. Rinse first with warm water, then with cold. To make the most of a tub bath, have a soak, get out and scrub, then get back in for another soak. Rinse with cold water again. You’ll tingle with freshness. Self-Image The Japanese like to remind themselves of a common, but often-forgotten truth: Each one of us is beautiful in his or her own way. Sadly, few of us are ever truly secure about the way we look. Even if your physical features are less than perfect, you can be the picture of allure, say Japanese beauty experts. How? Simply by visualizing and believing in your nonphysical beauty attributes: Like elegance, romantic softness, sportiness, and mystique. Combine this with consciously cultivated assets like graceful movement, good posture, relaxed manner and calm voice; and you’ll start feeling truly beautiful. The next step is to take the help of a hair cut, make-up and fashion to look the way you want to. Do it in this sequence and you’ll never go wrong? Article Source : www.womenbrands.com
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