FOR BEAUTY’S SAKE-FLOP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22612, 2 July 1935, Page 15

FOR BEAUTY’S SAKE-FLOP

Because I realise —and happily—that you, my readers, are becoming more and more keenly interested in everything to do with powders and creams and lotions, and, indeed, all beauty products, 1 feel that you may fed that some sort of apology is due from me for taking up a page of valuable space to talk to you about right resting (says an English journal). “A full day’s work! Then comes the night when tired out, of course, we rest,” you may be thinking . . . _ And that is why I am writing this! There is little real healing in right resting, but little or no good from wrong resting. And I think one of the greatest hindrances to beauty which we women need to fight against is half-hearted resting. Life to-day, particularly in our Western world, is one continual rush, a rush which increases year by year. And, believe me, this is taking its toll—a heavy one of good looks, good health, and general well-being. Walk along any thoroughfare, turn into any crowded shop, look around any restaurant or tea-shop, and what do we find? Women (oh, yes, and men, too!) with tense expressions, anxious looks, restless habits —everywhere. Largely the result of pent-up muscles and over-wrought nerves. In my own mind I feel that not 10 people out of every 100 ever really rest. True, you may argue that the

traffic question alone is quite enough to excuse pent-up expressions in our larger towns to-day. But I’ve watched women here; there, and everywhere, with no excuse whatever for looking pent-up and tense. No. It’s merely this: that set, anxious, frowning faces are more often a matter of habit—a bad habit formed largely as the result of imperfect rest*You and I, let us start from to-day anad learn the art of right resting. The human race badly , needs some starters! For only by sane, healthful standards of resting can we begin to preserve balance, health, and beauty. Has it ever occurred to you that your body is like a very finely strung musical instrument? Continue to keep it strung up to the same pitch for too long, and what happens? It will break. Similarly, too, your body. But learn to let go at intervals during the day—even if they are only brief intervals —and in time you will find the nervous system will gradually become stronger, general health will improve, energy will become greater, and when moments of extra strain and stress come along, you will begin to find yourself acquiring a greater degree of balance and poise. Confirming this theory, it is interesting to note that the complete rest after the middle day meal (varying in length according to different specialists opinions) is one of the most important theories practised among well-known English and Continental cures. It isn’t at all easy (how well I know it!) to carry out this theory in practice, particularly with the woman in business, or for the woman with a young growing family and innumerable household duties. But even if such a break cannot be made every day. I do urge you to do so on every possible occasion, after your middleday meal. Make up your mind to relax ns often as you can. Even if it is only for 10 or 15 minutes. But do it the right way:— You and I, we must first have the will to rest. Then we must be able to concentrate on resting. By these two means there will be no wasteful scattering of thoughts and desires. In this way our subconscious mind will accept the conscious mind's suggestion, and the result will be sound, scientific rest. Which, to: begin with, frankly, isn’t quite as easy as it sounds When you decide to rest, try to think to yourself, “ I am going to rest completely.” Choose a well-sprung mattress and a darkened room or a shady corner of a garden. Just throw yourself clown and flop—literally flop in every sense of the word, which means a complete letting go. Lie flat on your back, your head only very slightly raised above vour body line. Close your eyes. Relax ever muscle, every nerve, and then take three deep breaths —holding on to one thought only—peace. Allow no stray thoughts to disturb the feeling of utter peace.

A warning! You will not find It easy at first. But persevere and you will find it will come quite easily in time. Sometimes it helps to conjure up a mind picture of resting in a peaceful garden, with beautiful flowers and fragrant perfumes. Or of floating downstream on a glasssmooth river ... or listening to really beautiful music. Create for yourself a thought environment of beauty and peace. Hold the thought of peace. Absolute peace. Remember, thought acts immediately on the nerves, and they in their turn govern the circulation of the blood. Therefore, just as thoughts of agitation, worry, depression or undue excitement act detrimentally on the body, so thoughts of peace, happiness, beauty and tranquillity help in maintaining the equilibrium of the circulation. In this way natural health is stimulated and achieved through right resting, right breathing, and the consequent healthful functioning of .the physical body. Very soon you will have learnt to rest at will. And this will give you more poise, more efficiency, and a clearer brain. So, for beauty’s sake—please flop.