Find Peace and Joy by Practicing the 7 Outposts of Slow Beauty

Outposts are places, spaces, and experiences that help you make the transition from fast beauty – quick fixes, anti-aging, and disease to Slow Beauty – health, wellness, and joy, a celebration of your sacred life.

Self-Expression

Neoteny is Latin for “holding youth”. It is the spirit of connecting to your inner child and being at play. For this Outpost I recommend reconnecting with a form of self-expression that you enjoyed as a child. It could be dance, writing poetry, playing an instrument. Whatever it is, do it. Open the door to your creativity. Expressing yourself boosts self-confidence and increases your ability to be creative.

Nourished Mind

Earlier this year the National Bureau of Economic Research published a paper that showed that learning leads to happiness and longevity. This Outpost explores nourishing things to read, beautiful things to look at, inspiring music to listen to, fun places to visit. For example, check out local free concerts in the park, a farmers market, or an art walk.  On a budget? Check out your hometown website and plan a stay-cation. Discover things you never knew about where you live.

Renewal

This Outpost is about cleanses, downtime, and a good night’s sleep. An easy and inexpensive way to experience this Outpost is to daydream; the ultimate downtime. The benefits of daydreaming include a better working memory. A new study published in the journal Psychological Science, correlates daydreaming with the ability to retain and recall information in the midst of distractions. Don’t forget, daydreaming can be done anywhere.

Mindful Consumption

We live in a consumptive society. Instead of consuming mindlessly, consume mindfully.  And that means supporting brands with ethical philosophies. Fortunately, there are now a multitude of environmentally friendly brands in clothing, accessories, beauty, and food. If you are seeking out brands that give back, we recommend signing up for Milkshake. This website focuses on brands that do good and make a difference, brands that we can support with our purchasing power.

Rituals

At this Outpost transform your beauty routine into a meaningful practice through dynamic, personalized rituals. Integrate elements from ancient cultural traditions such as Ayurveda, music therapy, homeopathy, and aromatherapy. Incorporate daily foot massage into your beauty practice. Padabhyanga is an at home foot massage from the Ayurvedic tradition. This massage prevents dryness, cracks, and roughness of the skin; numbness, fatigue, sciatica, and cramps, as well as promotes sound sleep. A good night’s sleep allows our body the time it needs for repair and detoxification. According to the Vedic scriptures, daily massage from the foot to the knee before bedtime prevents disease.

Spa Tradition

SPA, Latin for “health through water” rooted in an ancient tradition of wellness honors the mind, body, spirit connection. The spa environment encourages us to slow down, breathe, and divest ourselves of our fast-paced lives. If you want to get off the grid and reconnect with yourself then get to the spa. Spafinder Wellness 365 is an excellent resource to locate spas in your area. Check out the section called “deals” to find a deal in your area. If you want to know about the benefits of the treatments offered at the spas then visit SpaEvidence. This site contains the medical evidence showing the benefits of spa and wellness therapies.

Meditation

There are many different types of meditation to suit personal preferences; some with eyes open or eyes closed, some techniques you practice while seated and others while walking, there is even a laughing meditation. Some of the benefits of meditation include stress reduction, slowing the aging process, lessening anxiety, and clarity of mind. To get started, download the modern mindfulness app: Buddhify.