When babies are born our little faces are a canvas of cosmic beauty coming into form. As we grow and our egoic shell toughens by way of habit and conditioning, we lose track of our cosmic beauty. If we don’t have Dharma Teachers in our lives, sometimes we can get completely lost in our ego, and as we age we frantically wage war to fight off aging. It’s okay if Aspen leaves turn old and yellow and die, right? That’s only natural! Well, when it comes to US we arrogantly think we are somehow more superior than a tree and thus should be immune to aging and death. Some people even put plastic into their faces and other invasive cosmetic forms of ‘beauty.’
Yogis realize that innate cosmic beauty never leaves us. Cosmetic beauty is a dead-end waste of time and vital energies more wisely put toward self-cultivation and inner work.
Who among would not wish to age so gracefully,
so radiantly,
so inspiring?”
– steve ilg
photo: HP Yogini Kristi Lees
photo 2: aspen leaf