The Beauty Way

by Cristhian Cadenas

The Beauty Way is a Spiritual practice from the Navajo tradition. It derives from Hozho, which is the concept of living in a sacred relationship while connecting with the energies of Balance, Harmony, Well-Being and Beauty. This Beauty Way inspires us to become aware and attuned to the essence of Beauty. It cultivates luminous awareness, intention, community, ceremony and our own personal spiritual practices.

I have been holding Sacred Space for individuals, couples and families for the last 10 years. However, one of the hardest things for me was finding beauty in my surroundings… I had a hard time slowing down to appreciate all the beautiful things in my life and adopted a victim mindset at an early age. I carried a big chip on my shoulder and was always focused on what was not working in my life. Thus, I continued to create more of that which I did not want in my life. It wasn't until I began to practice the Beauty Way that my environment began to change. I have become a different person and those days seem like another lifetime ago.

In working with some of my clients struggling to keep their hearts open, I’ve suggested focusing on an object of beauty, and have been surprised to find that many of them have no beauty around them. Just like my former self while spending fourteen years in the military. No plants, flowers, works of art or objects of nature. When they look around, they see walls, appliances, computers, and other buildings. Their left-brain functions just fine in this environment, but what about the right hemisphere - the creative, intuitive, spiritually-connected aspect? Since my work is spiritually based, I have developed many ways of helping people open their hearts to love and gratitude. Opening to beauty is one of those ways.

I want to encourage everyone who reads this to consider feeding their soul with beauty. There is nothing like awe and gratitude for something beautiful to open the heart to gratitude in general. If you can love the intricate design in the bark of a tree or the vibrancy of a flower, or the balance of a beautifully thrown piece of pottery - that might lead you into loving and appreciating the beauty of you and your own soul. Furthermore, it might open you to feeling gratitude for your life and the sacred privilege of experiencing your journey on this planet.

How much of your thinking time is spent being upset or unhappy about something? What if all that time was spent in gratitude for what you have and for the beauty around you? What if you were present enough in this moment to revel in the fact that you can turn on a faucet and have hot water come out? I know I experience this gratitude after a two-week journey to the Andes of Peru. How about the fact that you have food to eat and a bed to sleep on? If you are reading this, it is likely that you have a computer, which means you have more than most of the people on this planet. Don't get me wrong, this is in no form a judgement on my behalf. I myself take many things for granted. In order to return to a sacred relationship I invite myself to return to the beauty way once I acknowledge my longings and desires in order to provide myself with what is needed in my heart.

Try this little experiment: find something of beauty - it can be as simple as a leaf, a flower, a photograph, a small work of art or the top of a tree out your window. Now let yourself be completely open to the thing of beauty. Let yourself feel the beauty in your body - in your heart, your solar plexus, in your stomach, arms and legs, in your forehead. Let the beauty enliven your body and fill it with vitality. Breathe in the beauty and feel your body’s reaction to it. Open to gratitude, thanking God for this experience of beauty.

Notice the peace and joy it gives you to be in this moment with this simple object of beauty. What would life be like if you spent more moments like this, in the present with beauty and with all you have? How much of your waking time is spent in this way?

Beauty and gratitude are soul foods. When you choose to open to them, you extend an invitation to love, peace and joy. This raises your frequency and opens the door to your spiritual Guidance. Your Guidance is always here for you, helping you on your soul’s journey. Opening to beauty and gratitude, with a deep intent to learn about what is loving to you and others, will open you to your spiritual Guidance.

Cristhian Cadenas is one of the energy therapists at The HEAL Institute. He offers online sessions that can be booked through our Online Clinic page and he also leads a retreat in the High Andes of Peru. You can find out more about it on our Retreats and Experiences Page. To access the Online Clinic and the Retreats and Experiences page, subscribe for free to The HEAL Institute Basic Membership.