Beauty as Essential Medicine
We Are AMMA co-founder Emily Baldoni chatted with Dr. Karuna again, this time digging into beauty as essential medicine! After starting us off with a centering meditation, they chatted immunity, self-care, and pleasure...watch below for every last drop of goodness:
The Three Cs: Container, Connect, Compass
Beauty stems from the heart, which is why it is the perfect "container" for your pleasure, your abundance, and your sense of self. When you are connected to your center and can identify exactly what fills you with joy and what anchors you (we aren't talking about superficial beauty here) you will actually improve your immune system! When you know who and what you are, you will also know who and what you are not. So remember your three Cs - if you create a beauty container and connect to things that fill that container via connecting to your internal compass...you will GLOW!
Mama Pro-Tip → The fourth "bonus" C is congruence: when what we think, feel, and say are all the same we create a congruence which fosters self-love and in turn boosts immunity. If we are not being authentic to ourselves, we instead create a disconnect, which can lead to emotional and physical lack of well-being.
What Connects You To Joy?
To get started, Dr. Karuna suggests coming back to the five senses. We have control over our senses and so can ground within ourselves by identifying what is pleasurable to touch, eat, hear, smell, and see. This is unique to you! For example, you may feel happiest when you put on little or no makeup or you may feel best with a fully made-up face and bright pink lipstick...how does it make you feel on the inside? She notes that self-care should never come from a tolerating perspective, and now is a great time to ask yourself: do I really like what I thought I liked? Is what I'm doing for myself making me feel empowered, or does it feel forced?
Mama Pro-Tip → If you are feeling guilty for prioritizing self-care, take a step backward and reconnect to the four fundamental pillars of health...in particular, connect with the pillar of touch to bring your energy into your heart and prime yourself for self-love.
Eat Beauty
Pleasure is the #1 detoxifier for women and plays a major role in our health (oxytocin, anyone?), so feed yourself pleasure and you will literally be "eating beauty!" Check out some of Dr. Karuna's easy suggestions for healing yourself with pleasure:
- upon waking up in the morning, connect to 3 things that are going to bring you joy that day
- self-massage...pampering your feet with lotion before bedtime is a great place to start
- use a rosewater mister (or any essential oil mister) for a pop of aromatherapy
- nourish your nails and hair with natural oils such as olive, coconut, or almond
- drink lots of water and take care of your digestion
- gua sha for lymphatic drainage and wrinkle relief
- depuff with a jade or rose quartz roller (chill it in the fridge for extra oomph) on the face and eyes throughout the day
- light a scented candle in your workspace
Mama Pro-Tip → Beauty is all about the process of self-love, self-care, and revelation...not just the final product!
Additional Resources
EWG Skin Deep - website for identifying the best nontoxic beauty and personal care products
Dr. Karuna Sabnani - visit her site for more information on naturopathic and Ayurvedic healthcare, as well as info on The Real Detox + Pleasure RX online course
