Beautiful Life Ezine

IN THIS ISSUE:

September 23, 2009

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A Note From Sarah Maria

Dear Friend,

Well, all is continuing to move along quite rapidly with the book launch preparation! I am continually getting opportunities to learn about deep spiritual truths as this process, and my life, unfolds. This is one priceless gem of the spiritual path: no matter where we are, no matter what happens, we can use it to grow. It is never ending. I will share one such personal experience briefly:

Detachment is the key to freedom. Detachment is the ability to let go of anything and everything, to let go of any attachment to anything and everything. This means even letting go of the desire to detach! In my experience, detachment is not something that you can necessarily “make” happen. When you think that you “should” be detached, but you don’t really want to be detached, or don’t see the point in detachment, it can feel impossible to do.

In my experience, detachment is the result of trust, trust in the universe to provide exactly what is needed at that moment. Detachment – Surrender – Trust – they are all very much intertwined. As you trust some, you surrender some. As you trust more, you surrender more. As you trust, as you surrender, you detach. When you are willing, the whole process gradually takes care of itself.

What made me think about detachment most recently was the following. I received a call from the Tyra Banks show last night (Sunday night), right after I returned from Los Angeles. They wanted to know if I would be willing to fly to New York to tape a show on body image on Tuesday morning. I said sure. They said they would get back to me. I then received another call Monday morning from another producer asking me the same thing. I once again said, sure, I would be happy to help. However, it doesn’t look like they will in fact need me because it is all very last minute and they will probably use someone local. Which is all perfectly fine because it means I can be here writing this e-mail to you!

What was most interesting to me, however, was that I truly didn’t care one way or the other. I was happy to go if they wanted me to participate. I was more than happy to stay and take care of all the work I have to get done. If I went, I was detached from any outcomes, and from everything I had to do at home. If it didn’t happen, I was detached from any desire for it to happen. But this detachment wasn’t forced. It was just there because I trust that all will work perfectly as it should – I don’t need to intervene. It is also the realization that I have no control over any of it anyway. All we can do is show up and be available, for anything and everything that the universe sends our way.

If you are struggling with attachment, if you are unable to trust, if surrender seems like a foreign word, no need to worry at all. No need to effort or strain. Simply act on the trust that you do have. Simply set an intention to detach, to surrender, to trust. Then let go of this intention, just to the best of your ability. All you ever need to do, all you ever can do, is do the best that you are able, given your knowledge at that time. This is all that is ever required to help you move from where you are to where you want to be with effortless ease. No need to worry about any of it, ever.

Check out the article below I wrote for Intent.com on How to Pamper Yourself. As always – post any thoughts or questions to www.BreakFreeBeauty.com/blog.

Also, please check out the book this week – it is a fabulous new release from the NY Times Best-selling author Peggy McColl. Also a great offer on a self-esteem program from a colleague, as well as an amazing new resource for anyone going through crisis.

Wishing you a most beautiful week – may you live with all peace, love, and beauty,

Sarah Maria

Feature Article

Pampering Yourself:
Are You Ready to Give Yourself What It Takes?

Gone are the days when self-pampering was considered overly-indulgent, self-aggrandizing or narcissistic, right?

Well, if those days aren’t quite gone for you, hopefully they will be gone by the time you finish reading this post. Here we go:

Many of us have been raised with what I call delusional thought patterns. These are any thoughts that prevent us from knowing and experiencing ourselves as the inherently beautiful, perfect, glorious beings that we are and always have been. These are the thoughts that make us think we shouldn’t pamper ourselves. Maybe we don’t quite deserve it; maybe we haven’t worked hard enough. Maybe we will do it after we have finished this project; perhaps after we take care of everyone else. Maybe then we will pamper ourselves…

Here are some of the stories you might be telling yourself:

"Pampering myself is too expensive."
"I should be working instead of playing."
"I should be taking care of the kids."
"I don’t really need whatever I think I need."
"I don’t deserve to give myself what I really want."
"I should be exercising."
"I should be doing something productive."

As if pampering, love, affection, adoration, as if any of this had anything to do with merit! It does not. You don’t deserve to be pampered because you have earned it any more than a baby deserves to be fed, clothed, and changed. Consider a baby - would you ever say "Okay, I am going to feed you because you have been a good baby." You would consider this parent to be completely deluded. You feed a baby simply because that is what should be done when a baby is hungry.

And yet this is the way we think we should love ourselves - that love and pampering should somehow be based on merit. We think that somehow we should only pamper ourselves when we have done something to deserve it. Wrong! There is no deserving of pampering - there is simply love longing to be realized. In the same way you would feed a hungry baby, so too should you give yourself what you need and honor the brilliance that you are. Love and pampering should be given to yourself with unlimited abandon - joyously, endlessly.

And how do you pamper yourself? Give yourself what you need in each moment - moment by moment.

  • Do you need rest? Plan for rest.

  • Do you need inspiration? Read the books that feed your soul.

  • Do you need relaxation? Get a massage.

  • Do you need clarity? Spend time in silence.

  • Do you need support? Reach out to friends and loved ones.

In each moment, life will tell you what you need. Listen. Listen and follow the guidance, the inner-wisdom that is always at your disposal. In every single moment, you have everything you need to give yourself what you need in that moment.

There is nothing more important than your well-being. The better you feel the more you can live the life you want to live. You cannot climb a summit if you are feeling depleted - you cannot conquer your inner-demons with a fragile and exhausted mind. The most effective people are not those who have been denied love, either by themselves or by others. Study after study demonstrates that the healthiest, most effective people are those who love with abandon. Deserving to be loved, pampered, and cherished doesn’t end when we become adults.

Consider this quote from Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, who has influenced me most profoundly and whom you will see me quote often, since his wisdom is worth hearing again and again and again:

"The unlimited is already perfect. You are perfect, only you don’t know it. Learn to know yourself and you will discover wonders. All you need is already within you; only you must approach yourself with reverence and love. Self-condemnation and self-distrust are grievous errors. Your constant flight from pain and search for pleasure is a sign of the love you bear yourself; all I plead with you is this: make love of yourself perfect. Deny yourself nothing - give yourself infinity and eternity and discover that you do not need them; you are beyond."

You are love yearning for the perfectly lovable, and you, yourself, are the perfectly lovable that you long to experience. Give to yourself with unlimited abandon and you will discover that what you once considered selfish turns out to be the epitome of selflessness, for when you know yourself as love, you love everyone, unconditionally, unboundedly, eternally.

You will discover that there never was anyone more deserving of love than you, no one more perfect than you, and no one to love other than yourself. Perfect your love of yourself and you will love everyone perfectly.

What’s New / Upcoming Events

The Won Thing
by Peggy McColl

The Won Thing

The Won Thing – Today you can find out the one secret to a totally fulfilling life!

Looking for that ONE THING that can turn your life around almost overnight and draw your dreams to you like moths to a flame?

You’ll find it in this story of how a single Mom from a small town finally discovered the one secret that allowed her to create financial security, find true love, and attract the sort of lifestyle most of us can only ever DREAM of…


Learn more by visiting WonThing.com

While you are there, please claim your entry to the Grand Prize drawing.

What's New / Upcoming Events

Open Mind Resource Center

The state of economy, our environment and world politics are touching many of us on different levels. Some are dealing with a loss while for others stress is affecting their relationships, and emotional and physical health. As a response to this situation many of today’s innovative leaders, including myself have come together to help create the Open Mind Resource Center www.OpenMindResourceCenter.

Here you can find the tools and support you need to transform your challenges into greater awareness and clarity.  PLUS you can access free downloadable gifts from our bank of experts with no purchase necessary. If you are going through any type of challenge or crisis, check out this wonderful new resource online!

This resource center was inspired by Ronald Alexander, PhD (www.RonaldAlexander.com) a licensed psychotherapist and pioneer in Positive Psychology, Mindfulness and Creative Thinking.

In his new book, WISE MIND, OPEN MIND: Finding Purpose & Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss & Change (New Harbinger Publications) readers can learn how to transform any crisis through his unique three step process that combines mindfulness mediation, creative thinking and positive psychology to help them:

  • Let go of their past

  • Tune into the present and their core creativity

  • Move forward with passion and purpose

Catapult Your Self-Esteem

Wise Mind, Open Mind
Are you ready to improve your self-esteem?

Having a solid self-esteem can be extremely beneficial in helping you create a life that you love. Check out this amazing offer from Dr. Rubino. Dr. Rubino shows you step-by-step exactly how to improve your self-esteem and therefore enable yourself to realize much more joy, strength, personal power, balance and success in life.

Dr. Rubino is offering a free audio recording called “7 Steps to Soaring Self-Esteem” plus a complimentary 1 year membership in his “Success Achievers Club.” Check out his website, pick up your free gifts and take a closer look into this life-enhancing book.


Visit this special link now to pick up your complimentary gift.

www.TheSelfEsteemSystem.com

About Sarah Maria
Sarah Maria

Sarah Maria is a body-image expert and teacher who can help you discover the beauty that you already are so that you can create a body and a life that you truly love. Her first book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life, is being published by Adams Media and will be available for purchase in November '09. She combines ancient spiritual wisdom with modern science and shows you, step-by-step, how to pacify your mind, heal your heart, befriend your body, and transform your life.

She has studied with the leading experts in health, spirituality, personal development, and success, including Deepak Chopra, physician Dr. David Simon (co-founder of the Chopra Center for Well-being in Carlsbad, CA), Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, renowned Ayurvedic physician Vasant Lad, and many others. She is a lover of eastern philosophy and spiritual wisdom and passionately shares these teachings that have so transformed her own life.

Before founding Break Free Beauty, Sarah Maria received her law degree from Stanford University and her Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University in NYC. She has lived and traveled throughout Latin America, and has also visited many countries around the world. Her greatest passion is helping people discover the beauty and the greatness that resides inside so they can live from this place of grandeur, transforming themselves and the world.

© 2009 Break Free Beauty by Sarah Maria. All rights Reserved.