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There is nothing more stressful than having a billion things to do during the day without having even just a second to yourself. The hustle and bustle of everyday life can get to be very overwhelming. There are so many demands placed upon us that it can feel like there is nowhere to turn when we feel like we just need a little bit of breathing room and a chance to relax.

Fortunately, there is a solution. No matter how many demands you have placed upon you during the day, meditation is an option that you can easily make the time for. Even just setting aside five minutes for yourself can make the difference between a frazzled, miserable mess at dinner time and a balanced, calm person who is ready to take the next step, no matter where it leads!

Meditation has become a very popular subject, and for good reason. Everybody is feeling the pressure to succeed and do great in their lives, but the work involved in becoming successful can be enough to make anyone exhausted. We put so much energy into trying to create our best lives that, ironically, we can easily lose sight of the most important part of that; ourselves!

By taking the time to learn about meditation and allowing it to be a part of our lives, we can begin to channel our thoughts into more productive patterns and give ourselves the recharge that we need when it seems like life has gotten to be a little bit too much.

Meditation is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle. Many successful people swear by its effects. It can help us to completely re-map our brains from thinking destructive and negative thoughts to remembering how to see the possibilities in every moment. Not only that, but knowing that we are putting our own mental health first and foremost can be a huge relief. Instead of engaging in negativity, we can take a time out and re-center ourselves to guarantee that no matter what is thrown at us, we are capable of getting where we want to be.

Most people aren’t sure whether or not they are even able to meditate. They picture themselves having to go into the Lotus position and holding it for a long time while not thinking about a single thing. That is a lot of pressure! However, the Lotus position is actually a yoga pose that is only meant to enhance the serenity of practitioners of yoga who have utilized it as a training toward a deeper awareness and calm. Beginner meditators do not have to do anything quite that advanced in order to receive the same effects.

Rather, meditation can be made very simple! The more often you do it the easier it becomes. And while it may seem impossible to clear your mind, especially when there is a lot going on in your life, once you get the hang of it, you will be able to recharge in just about any situation. Centering yourself is not as difficult as it sounds. There are not any difficult yoga poses necessary.

So if clearing your mind and improving your life sounds like something you would like to do, then you’re in the right place. This guide will show you how! So, let’s get started!

Meditation is an ancient practice that can be traced to biblical times and beyond. Like many things spiritual in nature, it can be traced back to ancient India, where their healing arts were summarized in texts known as the Vedas. These spiritual books were meant to teach the masses about enlightenment and ways to live your life that can lead to a greater understanding of yourself and the world around you. They were meant to impart wisdom and encourage everybody to live their lives in a peaceful way that benefitted not only themselves, but society as a whole.

This ancient art can be traced back to 1500 BCE, as far as written evidence goes. It had its origins in a system of schooling, where students would follow their teachers out into the world, generally isolated and natural places with dense forest and fresh air, so that they could be guided in the art of meditation. It was a very important spiritual practice, then and still, and is linked to Buddhist teachings. Indian Gurus and their students would study and practice this art of clearing the mind and ultimately passed on the knowledge to the surrounding countries.

Meditation was thought to be incredibly important, and taught around the world because of the positive results it yielded in daily life. It is a practice that has proven so beneficial that it has survived thousands of years and been passed along from culture to culture. It is incorporated in several different religious sects, and continues to be a source of peace and understanding even into the modern age.

Modern day gurus teach classes on meditation all around the world. The best part is that there are several different ways you can meditate, so if one way doesn’t work for you, then you can try another and see if that is going to do the trick. Some people meditate in pure silence, others with peaceful music and candlelight. Some people might prefer a guided meditation, where someone helps them to focus their thoughts in a direction that is most beneficial to them, while others may choose to hold certain thoughts or intentions in their minds so that they can attract those energies to themselves almost unconsciously.

However, you choose to use meditation, the implication is clear that it is a practice that works, and it has for a very long time. This art is thousands of years old, and when utilized properly, can really change the way you view yourself and the situations in your life. There is a reason it has survived this long, and that reason is that it is incredibly effective. If it wasn’t, it would have died out by now. Are you ready to learn the basics of meditation? This guide will show you how!

If you’re not quite convinced that meditation is the way to go, that’s fine. Just because it’s been used for thousands of years doesn’t mean you should jump on the bandwagon. If it’s scientific evidence you’re curious about, then there is plenty of that too.

Studies have shown that meditation can not only help to reduce stress and anxiety symptoms, even in people with anxiety disorders, but there is also a correlation between meditation and lower blood pressure. Other scientifically proven benefits of meditation include sounder sleep and even a better memory. And if you are suffering from chronic pain symptoms, or any aches and pains in general, meditation has been shown to help manage these and improve your quality of life.

Not only that, but people who meditate are less prone to low self-image. They tend to gain more insight into themselves that can help them to structure their lives in a productive way and make choices that truly benefit them and their goals. Meditation can increase your level of emotional understanding and help you to healthily compartmentalize your thoughts and emotions in a way that is constructive. If you find that you are often times overwhelmed by the world around you, meditation is a great way to let go of those stressful feelings and take a moment to recharge and get yourself back on track.

Because of the stressful state of the world we live in, a lot of people turn to negative coping mechanisms. It can be very easy to gain access to things that claim to ease our stress, like cigarettes or alcohol or other addictive substances. And a lot of people do turn to these things as their escape. It is easy to do and these negative things are very accessible in our culture. It is unfortunate how easy it can be to become an addict. Even if your addiction is something as innocent seeming as an addiction to unhealthy foods.

However, meditation can prove an even better coping mechanism. And, if you know you or someone you love has an addiction, meditation is actually scientifically proven to help redirect the attention of an addict from a negative substance to one that is not so harmful. Meditation is a great way to help you change the course of your thinking and reprogram yourself to be more mindful and focused on positive changes rather than negative.

Addiction can be difficult to get through alone or without resources, but utilizing meditation as a resource for recovery is a great tool. It can help you look inwardly, hold yourself accountable for your actions, find insight into why you may act the way you do and the triggers that cause you to reach out to your addiction, and also provide you with a healthy outlet for your stress and anxiety that helps you to feel refreshed and renewed with a better outlook on life without resorting to negative coping strategies like the thing you are addicted to.

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Introduction

What does beauty mean to you?

It’s a concept that has been somewhat lost along the way in the digital age. Companies trying to sell products with photo shopped women wearing far too much makeup, Instagram accounts run by “influencers” who spend their time pouting at the camera and taking selfies.

These influences have warped our perceptions of what it means to be attractive in the modern age, and they have unfortunate, destructive impacts on our health and happiness.

And this is a serious problem.

Before we get ahead of ourselves and start attacking the health and beauty industry, we should first remember that this is nothing new. Culture has shaped perceptions of beauty for centuries, which has a huge impact on how we feel about ourselves, our aspirations, and our health. It guides how we treat ourselves, and ultimately what we look for in partners.

Unfortunately, it just so happens that this can be a toxic and harmful influence.

But there is a truer type of beauty that transcends trends and fads. It is the natural, glowing beauty that comes from being truly healthy and happy.

Because while you can try and hide or alter your looks with expensive products, they are ultimately all trying to emulate the appearance of natural youth, energy, and vigor (we’ll discuss this more in the final chapter).

When you naturally look and feel great, you don’t need to do this. You will simply look naturally healthier, more vibrant, and more attractive.

People will notice that you look different, but they won’t be able to put a finger on it. They’ll say you have a “glow.” You’ll feel and look great, and people will be drawn to you.

The best part? The journey it takes to get here doesn’t involve using damaging chemicals, or going through painful procedures. It is the very act of nourishing and caring for yourself that will lead to that organic beauty. That outward glow is simply a reflection or a projection of your inner state of being.

This is the appeal of organic, natural beauty. And it’s something that anyone can achieve.

In this book, you’ll learn more about what it means to chase after “organic beauty” and how it can change the way you think about your appearance and your grooming. Are you ready?

Chapter 1 Why Go Organic (And What It Means)

Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s consider for a moment precisely what we mean by the term “organic beauty.”

By “organic,” what we really mean is “without using artificial products.” The term organic can be explained as “relating to or derived from living matter.” That doesn’t mean that the ingredients are necessarily alive, but means that they must be natural and “related” to living things.

Minerals count as organic for instance, but rocks aren’t alive! Because rocks are created by the tides however, and because they are found naturally inside the body (yes, your bones are made from calcium and magnesium just like that found in nature), they count as “organic.”

The fewer steps the product had to go through before it was packaged, the more “organic” we consider it to be.

How does this relate to beauty?

Organic beauty means creating the beautiful look that you want, but without resorting to the use of chemicals, compounds, and other unnatural substances.
Why you ask?

There are actually a huge number of reasons to go organic when it comes to your beauty. Let’s take a look at just some of them.

Synthetic Products Can be Harmful

One of the biggest and best reasons to go organic, is that non-organic products designed for health and beauty will very often include synthetic products that can actually be harmful. Here are just some of the dangerous compounds you might encounter if you rely on mass-produced cosmetic products:

ORGANIC BEAUTY

One of the biggest dangers when it comes to using non-organic products, is the large number of estrogenic compounds that are found in many cosmetics and even in our water!

Estrogenic chemicals are found in everything from shampoos, to Tupperware, to makeup. They include parabens (used as preservatives), placenta extracts and more.

So what’s so bad about this? Well essentially, it increases the amount of estrogen in the body. For men, this is particularly bad news as it means lower muscle mass, more body fat, lower sperm count and possibly even depression, lethargy and infertility!

Many of these compounds are even found to be carcinogens, meaning that they increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer specifically in men and women.

2 Aluminum

Aluminum is found in a large number of different products, including antiperspirants and some makeups. Aluminum works by temporarily blocking the skin’s sweat ducts but it can be absorbed into the skin where it will also have estrogen-like effects.

3 Parfum

Parfum is a catch-all that describes a large number of synthetic compounds used to add ‘fragrance’ to our products. That means products that are specifically designed to be fragrances and it also means other things like shampoos and fabric softeners.

These products are well known to cause a range of problems including headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration and more. Some studies also suggest that they can affect the central nervous system and lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.