Another book of beautifully written text.
True Beauty* * *
Senestia Avarscanti Priestess of Sune
* * *
-=*Beautiful People*=-
When Sune calls upon all of us to protect and spread beauty, she refers to more than just works of art, trinkets of jewelery, or ancient artifacts of magic. Our own bodies are temples to the gods themselves, reflecting our beliefs; our own souls are churches of our patrons, reflecting the dogmas of the deities we worship.
The above metaphor is especially apt for Sune's dogma as both body and soul are things which can embody beauty. Since both body and soul effectively create an individual, Sune calls upon all of us to make ourselves beautiful.
-=*Beautiful Bodies*=-
Our bodies are the first things we and others experience in the world. Not only does it allow us to feel the sensual pleasures of the physical world but it allows us to share them as well. Thus, to ensure the purity and wonderment of sharing such experiences with others, one should always strive to keep oneself physically beautiful.
The face is perhaps the most important aspect of our physical bodies for any one capable of sight will often immediately look to the face to establish contact and communication. A beautiful, comely face helps ensure that a good first impression is made which can thus improve and guarantee amicable communication. To promote good relations with others, one should learn to make use of cosmetics to appear fair and sightly.
One's hair is another important aspect as it adds to the perception of one's attitude and character. Able to be fashioned and accessorized in a multitude of ways, one should always strive to keep hair clean and well maintained. Whether left to grow long or kept neatly short, beautiful hair can inspire passion or fondness in others.
Skin and body compose the majority of the physical experience. One should always seek to maintain fitness as this not only ensures beauty but also good health, both of which come hand in hand. Toned muscles, a well proportioned figure, and clean skin are all signs of health and beauty which can stir desire in others.
-=*Beautiful Souls*=-
Though our bodies represent our physical selves, our souls is what concerns the gods and what makes the greatest contribution to us as individuals in terms of beliefs and character. Thus, Sune would also see that we ensure our souls are beautiful, free of any dark taint of evil and wrong.
An appreciation of freedom is the mark of a good, and more importantly, happy soul. Reveling in freedom itself, one who allows and works to ensure freedom of others strives to make the world a better place for one and all. By challenging tyranny and slavery, one allows others to experience the beauty of a free life.
A good soul is also kind and generous. A willingness to help others is necessary to allow peace and prosperity to rule. But more importantly, a kind and generous soul builds friendships and other intimate relationships. Beautiful people with beautiful souls make for beautiful companions, friends, and lovers.
Love is the core of all good souls. Without love all other good aspects are not possible. Love leads one to share with and care for others. Love allows beauty to blossom, friendships to form, and the common good interest to be pursued.
-=*The Truly Beautiful*=-
True beauty is the mirroring of the inner beauty of the soul with the outer beauty of the body. When combined, the world becomes a better place with the presence of each beautifully good individual. Guided and bless by Sune, such individuals spread love and kindness everywhere they go.
One should be wary, however, of the deceptive powers of evil and evil people. The virtues of outwards beauty is obvious to all and, unfortunately, can easily be made of use in a deceitful and treacherous manner. Malcontents, tyrants, and villains will try to beautify themselves in the most shallow of ways so as to appear good and thus manipulate others into falling victim to their nefarious deeds. A more epic example of such illusion are the demons and devils known as succubi and erinyes respectively: though a succubi might be incredibly beautiful, it would see that your soul is destroyed within its hands; though erinyes are powerfully seductive, it would try to "buy" your soul so that it might be enslaved for all eternity.
-=*Enjoy But Be Wary*=-
Beauty is another aspect of the mortal, material world. It can exist in any place and within any one. But like all imperfect things, the beauty of this plane is marred by bouts of ugliness. Sune's dogma charges us with seeking out the beautiful and ensuring its continued existence by reveling in it; to seek out beautiful people and ensure that their outer appearance matches the purity of their inner souls. To do this, however, one has to be wary of the ugliness that can occur throughout the world. We must work against, fight, and resist it so that the world never becomes a place of eternal suffering and sadness. One has to be knowledgeable and wary of the possibility of ugliness within being disguised by beauty that is only skin deep.