When we experience something truly beautiful, it can open-up the universe and allow grace to bathe us in Her sweet embrace. Whether it be an incredibly gorgeous landscape, the smell of a rose in full bloom, an exquisite piece of music, or a delicious mouth-watering bite, when the senses are titillated and deeply experienced, we create a portal to commune with our true essence. That essence is pure, radiant and divine.

Picture this: You are walking at sunset at on a long stretch of white sand, with soft grains that slide between your toes. The air is filled with the gentle sound of small waves lapping against the shore. As the amber sun drops its bright face below the horizon, it bathes the beach in a pinkish glow. A slight breeze brings you the smell of an open bonfire, while the taste of saltwater licks your lips. You wrap an arm around your beloved, who is walking beside you. And you smile.

As I allow myself to imagine this scene, I feel my own heart begin to open. I feel the boundaries that separate me from the world begin to soften and relax. I start to let go.

One of my mentors, Ariel Spilsbury, says that "through beauty, life is brought into natural harmony. . . . In this state of harmony, body, mind, feelings and spirit are not in conflict, but in unity and linked to one's essence and the larger pattern of perfection. Harmony is merely a reflection of a higher level of reality."

This reflection resonates deeply for me. I experience the Beauty Way not as a requirement to externally look good or have the latest fashion (though that can be lovely when it truly delights me to do so). Instead the Beauty Way is a spiritual path, a way of living. It is an invitation to create beauty, to look for beauty, to live AS beauty in terms of the way I treat others and myself.

In the rush of our busy daily lives, can we find the time to stop and experience a bit of beauty? Are we willing to pen a hand-written note? Or arrange a breathtaking bouquet of flowers? Do we give ourselves long baths filled with rose petals? Or prepare a feast for the senses for a lover? For most, these moments are few and far between.

But I personally know that it's worth the effort. Creating and taking time to deeply experience all the beauty around me and within me adds richness and depth to this wheel of Samsara. It's like opening an old bottle of red wine that's been aged to perfection. Beauty brings gratitude and joy. And we could ALL use a bit more of those things. So consider walking the Beauty Way for a week, and see how your life blossoms as a result. You'll be happily surprised by the magic that will surround you.

To explore this topic more deeply, please listen to the free recording on "The Beauty Way: 3 Keys for Liberating Your Feminine Radiance and Expanding Your Joy." http://beautywaycourse.com/course/beauty_way_call

Author's Bio: 

Rev. Devaa Haley Mitchell works as a spiritual guide and runs ongoing programs to support women in awakening to their full potential through the organization she founded, Radiant Essence Services. She hosts the Inspiring Women Summmit, a virtual gathering of over 50 amazing women sharing their wisdom and gifts with thousands of participants (see www.inspiringwomensummit.com).

Devaa served as the Director of Member Engagement at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), an organization bridging science and spirituality. Previously, she was the Founder and Executive Director of the Full Circle Fund, dedicated to building a new generation of civic leaders. Devaa also worked as an Associate Consultant at the Boston Consulting Group where she offered management advice to Fortune 500 Companies.

Devaa was ordained as an interfaith minister by the Chaplaincy Institute and also received a BA in Anthropology with Honors and an MA in International Development from Stanford University. She was awarded a fellowship from the Fulbright Foundation, which she used to conduct research in the Brazilian Amazon on sustainable economic development for local indigenous groups using culturally and ecologically appropriate strategies. Devaa was also one of 26 contributors to a book called Radical Spirit, which focuses on Gen-X spiritual perspectives.

A core part of Devaa's path includes sacred music. Her debut album of songs honoring 13 aspects of the divine feminine is due out in the Fall of 2010. See www.devaa.com for downloads of her music.

Spiritual values are woven into Devaa's daily life, as she is committed to meaningful transformation in both her marriage and community. Along with her husband, Stephen Dinan, she teaches about relationship as a pathway for awakening.

Recently, along with her husband and a small team of dedicated allies, Devaa helped to launch the Summer of Peace Initiative. This new project is designed to harness the efforts of dozens of cutting-edge programs to reduce violence and create new models for collaboration that can be replicated in other cities and countries worldwide. The Summer of Peace is slated for 2012 and will kick-off with a festival, akin to the Summer of Love but with much more substance in addition to music and celebration. We envision building locally in the San Francisco Bay Area to creating a more open-source invitation to organizations, groups and individuals (and even nations!) to use the Summer as an opportunity to demonstrate what is possible in terms of shifting from a culture of violence to a culture of peace. For more information, see www.summerofpeace.net