THE RETURN TO NATURAL BEAUTY
BY MEREDITH FROEMKE, CLAUDIA MASON AND AMANDA PORTA
A NEW LOOK AT WHAT IS TRULY BEAUTIFUL
VENUS IN RETROGRADE BRINGS IN BIG SHIFTS
By Meredith Froemke
Venus in astrology represents our relationship to beauty, the arts, our self- worth and what we value in life. When Venus goes into retrograde it asks us to reflect and redesign those very things This only happens once every 18 months, and it's extraordinarily important, because it's at this time that we see big shifts in what we believe is actually beautiful. This also goes beyond just the individual and personal level, and happens at the collective societal level as well. It is during these times that society and the world re-evaluate what is truly beautiful and we usually end up redefining beauty.
This is the year when we are doing just that; between July 22 – Sept 3rd Venus will be in retrograde in Leo, so it has a little louder ROAR this time around.
At this time, watch the fashion and beauty world redefine itself... Watch how people will start to really value – not the future of plastics and man-made material, but the health and wellness of the past. Watch the world embrace, more than ever, more natural remedies, beauty trends, and fashion. Retrogrades take us back in time, not forwards. If this was a Uranus aspect, we would be inventing something, rather than appreciating something that we once cherished. I believe we will be coming to cherish ‘natural beauty’ again.
I believe we will see a surge of getting rid of plastics and silicones in our bodies and in our lives. We are discovering that putting plastic into our body is not a healthy or a beautiful thing. I believe at this time, when Venus goes into retrograde, we will look to our past to find our future. We will look to the past to recapture what was naturally beautiful about our past.
Venus also has an earth element about it (because it also rules the earth sign of Taurus). Watch Designers incorporate a more earthy, natural look at this time. Watch how the world will come to value the earth and all of its vitamins and minerals it generates for our benefit. Also, with this is Venus in retrograde in Leo, it embraces the sunshine – and so we will be redefining our relationship to the sun and the sunshine in our life as well.
Over the six weeks when Venus is in Leo in Retrograde, we are literally redesigning a new relationship with our soul. You will probably be asking, “What makes the essence of my soul more beautiful? What does my soul truly value? What makes me feel more beautiful and self-confident?” and I'll bet it’s by going back to Mother Earth in some way for more natural remedies and finding beauty in nature and in the simplistic things we once cherished.
THANKS MOM
A LIFELONG APPROACH TO NATURAL BEAUTY THROUGH THE EYES OF A 90S SUPERMODEL AND STROKE SURVIVOR
By Claudia Mason
Ever since I can remember I have been hearing my mom’s voice extolling the virtues of healthy eating for not only physical, emotional and mental health but also for outward beauty. Yes, I was that kid who had the most unappealing lunch in her lunch box in 1st grade – sigh. Do you know how truly isolating it was to open the (to my mind gross) meal of 9 grain bread with organic jam and tahini sandwich, an apple and kombucha during an outside lunch hour with my fellow classmates; who were all laughing while swinging on the playground swings as they ate their Hostess cup cakes and Jif/Smuckers P&J sandwiches on white bread? Hell. Of course I can compassionately look back upon these episodes of torment at the time, and see that those poor kids were high on sugar from the outrageously unhealthy lunches their middle class parents most likely unwittingly packed for them. Well all I can say is, thank you mom.
Knowledge is power. In this climate of a return to natural beauty I am forever grateful to my mom for how she raised me. Not only did I receive the most organic, nutrient rich food, top quality minerals and supplements - which were affordable back then for a single working mother, but I also received an abundance of nonpareil information on how to keep outwardly beautiful by not only using organic wholesome beauty and skin products; ancient facial exercises to keep one’s skin in youthful shape; how to properly stand straight for correct spinal alignment re keeping organs vital etc., but also how to connect to the all-important spiritual life that allows one to pivot from lack consciousness to abundance and gratitude for all of life’s lessons no matter how difficult they may be. One’s inner life, their inner dialogue is key to holistically keeping healthy and beautiful throughout every stage of your life.
“The inner life is first and foremost when it comes to outward beauty” – Claudia Mason
To say all this priceless information was helpful during my supermodel years is an understatement. Keeping beautiful and in shape the natural, spiritual way was second nature to me by the time the fashion world found me, and it helped me steer clear of wasting away via the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll temptations that are rife within the entertainment industries. Besides the physical health benefits for vitality, longevity and youthful outward appearance, I have also been keenly aware of how important it is to keep my messaging about beauty standards - especially since my audience includes teens - clear when it comes to choosing to avoid the technological gaze as a defacto beauty standard. I strongly feel it is incumbent upon us to guide the very young away from the nefarious, potentially self-harmful temptations of believing that AI generated beauty in the flesh by way of cosmetic surgery, is the way. It is most certainly not. The fact is, the more elective surgeries one has in hopes of appearing young forever, the more aged one actually looks. Generally, the long-term effects on the appearance of the facial skin is the exact opposite of what one originally went into surgery for. Yes, more often than not, a person looks older earlier on once they go down the road of endless cosmetic surgeries, fillers and injections. Not to mention the potentially long term health risks these procedures can create.
Some years ago when I found myself recovering from a frightening life-threatening ischemic stroke that was caused by an injury to my neck in a dance class, I was yet again grateful to my mom for how she raised me. If I hadn’t had the foundation of a strong immune system that she provided by way of proper nutrition, exercise and inner-life tools – I doubt my recovery from this health crisis would have been as vast and relatively quick as it had been. Again I say, thank you mom.
BACK TO NATURAL
A PATIENT ADVOCATE’S OWN JOURNEY OF HEALING
By Amanda Porta
Like Claudia, I was fortunate to have an amazing role model in my mother. Growing up in California, my mom always practiced holistic remedies and aged naturally. A decision to get breast implants, for a breast deformity, in 2003, would veer me off on a different path that would come with consequences. I even decided to work in the plastic surgery industry so I could support other women who might have the same condition. Before I knew it, I was getting Botox in my late 20s and was asked to be a model for hyaluronic filler in my tear troughs (under eyes). Looking back, I was too young to start both but the pressure from the industry made me insecure.
I started using medical grade skincare, stayed out of the sun and started using laser when I developed Melasma – which I believe caused the hormonal disruption from my breast implants and birth control. From my experience, things found in western medicine were actually the cause of some of my other issues. For me, it started to become a vicious cycle because these services and products, while they were giving me immediate gratification, were causing me other issues. The filler that was used in my tear troughs actually migrated and one of my estheticians even said she could feel it on the side of my nose. I also noticed that my skin was ultra sensitive and inflamed. When I started learning about holistic beauty from esthetician, Pamela Bond, I could instantly tell I started looking younger. Inflammation ages us. Period. It wasn't until I became chronically ill, in 2012, that boy my life and outlook would totally change.
It was the loneliest and scariest 7.5 years of my life and honestly, the best thing that ever happened to me. I saw countless practitioners throughout those years and none could pinpoint the root cause of my illness. I decided to take it into my own hands and I asked a German naturopath to teach me everything he could about the human body so I could try and figure out what was wrong. I am so intuitive that I knew none of the systems in my body were functioning optimally. I knew I had lymphatic stagnation. Ya, trying telling western doctors that and they think you are coocoo for coco puffs!!! My lymph congestion was causing my body to hold onto toxins and I was having autoimmune like symptoms that didn't improve no matter what treatment or supplement I tried. I was declining and not improving until a chance appointment in December 2018 with a new colonic practitioner who suggested it could be my breast implants that were making me sick. I looked at her funny and asked "did you see what I do for a living (from my intake forms)? I work in plastic surgery. I've never had women coming in who sound like me”. Indeed, I had not and yet when I started researching, I found support groups with over 100k women who sounded just like me. It started resonating with me. I had tried everything else but never would have considered my breast implants.
I made the decision to explant in February 2019 and I have detoxed and healed my body and have embraced a more nontoxic lifestyle now. I started by changing my diet, the personal care products I use and limiting sugar and alcohol. I practice self-care regularly now and detox on a regular basis through infrared sauna and colonics as well as opening up in my schedule more time spent in nature. I find that women who have also been through a similar chronic illness journey, are making the same changes in their lives. I gave up using Botox, after 20 years and am embracing and teaching my followers on Instagram holistic beauty practices that I follow myself. This includes gua sha facials, Buccal facials and lymphatic massage. I always say that "a stagnant lymph expedites the aging process" and I know that to be true not only from my own journey but from other women I have supported through their healing. I don't judge anyone where they are on their path I just want to embrace all beauty, not just one specific type. We should be embracing holistic beauty, ethnic beauty etc. Beauty shouldn't be toxic. I love that so many are getting back to the basics and embracing natural beauty again. Recently Ali McDowell and Christie Brinkley showed off their gray hair. I found that so refreshing. I am not there yet but who knows what the future brings. I am going to keep getting better and better mentally, physically and spiritually.
CREDITS:
Meredith Froemke, Evolutionary Astrology www.soulnavigation.com Soul Navigation & Tarot on You Tube, @soul_navigation
Claudia Mason, Spiritual Life Coach CPC, Author, Supermodel, Stroke Spokesperson www.claudiamason.com @claudiamason1
Amanda Porta, Health and Beauty Coach, Patient Advocate, @theholisticbeautycoach