A few years ago, I was researching the role of women in Buddhism when I came across this photo of five bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) standing shoulder-to-shoulder, smiling and holding hands. Dressed in monastic orange robes and completely bald, almost nothing about them fit the mold of what is considered attractive in contemporary society, and yet they were the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. With today's media and advertising, we are bombarded on a daily basis with the idea that in order to meet the cultural beauty standard, we must maintain a certain look. When I find myself caught in that thinking pattern, I always go back to the photo of the bhikkhunis. It serves as a reminder that true beauty has nothing to do with age, hairstyle, a number on a scale or a clothing size and everything to do with being the loving, creative and wonderful person you are at this very moment.
Now it's your turn..."weigh in" below!
This post was contributed by Mallory Kimbrell, a severe coffee addict, nearly broke English major at Belmont University, and current intern for the EDCT.
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