No, this isn’t some spam ad for a crazy new facial serum or expensive injectable. I think we’ve learned by now that nothing you put on your face or in your face is going to make you stop aging. And really, some of what we’ve seen on the faces of certain celebrities make us want to run from these “miracle” treatments as they only make us look distorted and fake.
People age. That’s just the truth of the matter. Everything ages, really – it just takes a different amount of time depending on what it is. That cheese in the fridge gets a bit funky after a few weeks. But Mount Rushmore is still looking pretty good after all this time. Even rocks don’t last forever, they just seem like they do because they’re around so much longer than we are.
Time goes on. Hours turn into days and days turn into weeks and weeks turn into years. We can’t stop the calendar, and we can’t stop the clock. Or can we?
Remember when we were younger and everything seemed to take so looooong? Well, not everything. Maybe the school day lasted forever, but after school time with our friends went by super fast. We looked forward to birthdays and counted the days until we finally got to celebrate being another year older. And now, even though we see some friends rarely, when we do get together it’s like no time has passed at all, we pick up right where we left off.
Time is relative. It’s a man-made concept measured by the sun. We can’t stop the calendar, and we can’t stop the clock. Or can we? As we’ve learned, although the measurement of time is consistent for everyone, the experience of time is completely unique to each person, in each circumstance.
Every once in a while we have these amazing experiences where time stands still. It might be a beautiful sunset that takes our breath away. It might be watching a baby sleep, and storing that precious moment away as a memory. It might be getting lost in doing some work you enjoy – so much so that hours go by and it feels like mere minutes. And it might be lying in the arms of your beloved, matching your breaths, treasuring the feelings of comfort and connection.
When time stands still for us we are at peace. All is right with the world. We are engaged, relaxed, and happy. All of our cells and hormones are functioning and taking care of us without any effort on our part. We are unaware of the passage of time, totally living in the moment of “now.”
By now we are well aware of the mind-body connection. So, it stands to reason that when we mentally stop the clock through these glimpses of timelessness, that our body “clock” stops as well. This may be an unscientific concept, but I think that it’s true. And understanding this, we could consciously seek out these experiences of timeless awareness to keep ourselves looking and feeling young – to turn back the clock, so to speak. We can’t always predict when or how we are going to fall into these moments – but we can plan out our day so that have them on a regular basis. How? With meditation.
By setting aside just 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening to sit in silence you can take years off of the way you look and feel. In meditation, we let go of burdens and responsibilities and just sit. We allow thoughts to drift by and peace to take over. When practiced on a regular basis, meditation can help us to feel more centered, calm, healthy, and young. And when we feel that way, how can we not help but look that way as well?
Meditation can be built into our days in other ways as well. When taking a walk, pay attention to your footsteps. Imagine the earth rising towards your foot, loving every step you take. Feel the energy of the earth warming your body, filtering itself through the soles of your feet. As you breathe in the fresh air, picture this life-giving force distributing itself to every organ in your body, allowing it to renew and refresh your being.
When cooking a meal, pay attention to the colors and the textures of the vegetables. Breathe in the fragrances of the oils and spices. Listen closely to the sizzles that the food makes when it hits the pan. Imagine the service that went into the harvesting of the grains that now go to nourish your body. Focus on adding love into the dish with every stir of the spoon. And when eating, savor every bite, knowing that every morsel is serving you, benefiting you, feeding you body, mind, and spirit.
Artists know what this feels like, to lose themselves in their work. If you knit, or have a pet to play with, you know the feeling as well. Engaging the senses, feeling the connection all that is, and being present as activity occurs and you observe it as much as participate in it.
Meditation can lift you up if you let it. It lightens your burdens, and in a way it gives you a face-lift, too! You’ll be smiling more, stressing less, and walking with a little more pep in your step. You feel better, and because of this, you look better, too. The peace of mind literally shows on your face.
You could pay hundreds of dollars for the latest and greatest face creams. You could pay thousands of dollars for fillers or surgery. You could even pay to have your pictures photo-shopped every time you post to Facebook! Or you could try the no-cost way to look and feel younger. Meditation is an ancient secret that is a secret no more. It’s available to all of us, for free, as it has been forever. Partake of the nectar, and let your inner beauty, the eternal youth of your soul, shine through
