Radiant Beauty: Ancient Greek Health and Beauty Secrets for the Modern Seeker

By Anna Maria Poniros

Ever wonder what the Health and Beauty secrets of the Ancient Greeks were? In this book you'll discover the wisdom of the Ancients that in Goethe's words "dreamt the dream of life best." Infused with mythology, ancient health and fitness, beauty rituals, spirituality and religion, and music and festivals- this book covers the details of total wellness in the Ancient world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anna Poniros
• Release date: Nov 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578346571

Book preview

I dedicate this book to my Aunt Lucy, a radiant beauty whose light, smile, and laughter lit up everyone in her path- a shining example of beauty inside and out.  We lost you too soon yet we still feel you shining down on us from the Heavens….and to my beautiful and strong Spartan grandmother Yiayia Vasiliki thank you for your love, strength and wisdom and passing on the Greek natural healing traditions.

Table of Contents

Introduction

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Chapter I: Ancient Greek Beauty: Gifts of the Gods

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Chapter II: Ancient Greek health:healing from Mother Nature

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Chapter I11: Ancient Greek Diet: food as medicine

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Chapter 1V: Ancient Greek Fitness: train like an ancient

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Chapter V: Ancient Greek Lifestyle: Live life as sacred and pleasurable

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Chapter VI: Ancient Greek Beauty Rituals: for the love of beauty

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Chapter VII: Ancient Greek therapeutic treatments: Ancient spa and healing rituals

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Chapter V111: Ancient Greek music: Healing Melodies and Sound therapy in the Ancient world

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Chapter1 X: Applying Ancient Greek Health and Beauty in the Modern

World

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Chapter X: Recipes

We have always been a people yearning to see Light, to overcome darkness, yearning to be free, to excel for greatness and new experiences.  We delighted in fashioning wings and flying above the clouds of time, to make ships to furrow the sea of opportunity.                                                -Archbishop Iakovos

Greece, the mystical land of my ancestors, my first travel love, the country that always has and continues to awaken and stir my soul on a profound level, holds such a deep place in my heart that writing this book has truly been a labor of love.  In this time of political turmoil and economic struggle, I write this book to celebrate Greece in all its glory and beauty and shed much needed light on the wisdom of the Ancients that birthed one the most enlightened civilizations in human history, whom in Goethe’s profound words dreamt the dream of life best.        Having always felt an inexplicable connection to the land, the people, and the history, traveling to Greece, for me, has always evoked a feeling of coming home- as if a piece of my heart gets left behind and the only way to feel whole again is to return.  It is here, more than any other place on Earth that I have felt the most centered and healed- physically, mentally, and spiritually. As Socrates affirmed we cannot live better than in seeking to become better.  It is my hope that some of this magical and potent Ancient Greek healing energy can be channeled to you as well, inspiring you to live a healthier and more beautiful life in body, mind, and spirit. 

The writing of this book, has also been a culmination of a personal journey for me, as I have been able to integrate some of my greatest loves and expertise- a love for my Christian faith and homeland of Greece, a deep interest and undergraduate studies of History- particularly Ancient history, my master’s degree studies in Nutrition and Public Health as well as my years of work in the healing arts, spa and beauty industry. 

Upon writing this book, I am just returning from a bitter-sweet journey to Greece. While Greece, in all her beautiful glory, revealed to me once again so much new beauty, having attended a friend’s wedding on the magical island of Kefalonia with its caves, monasteries, wineries, and world class beaches, my trip was also contrasted by a deep sadness, seeing the nation and people that I love so dearly, broken and hopeless from the ongoing political turmoil and economic collapse.  I revisited many of the ancient sites of the Parthenon, The temple of Poseidon at Sunion, and Ancient Delphi, and Christian Monasteries,  paying homage to the glory of a past that still is very much alive in modern Greece and trying to channel and source inspiration for this book.

Whenever embarking on a creative endeavor, I find that things many times will appear as signs or sources of inspiration.  I read many articles, conducted research and read books yet one of the most powerful writings that appeared to me during the writing process, stirred me with such pride and hope that I felt it necessary to include an excerpt in the book.  It is a letter written to the Greek people, on behalf of a Turkish professor:

A letter written by Professor A. M. Celal Sengor:

To the Greek People:

Our brothers and sisters across the Archipelagos!

In your hour of sorrow I am writing to you to remind you and the rest of humanity that if we, those of us that benefit from the bounty of human civilization, live in a decent way worthy of human dignity, we owe that to you.  More than two-and-a half millennia ago, you, your great ancestors, showed mankind that we can think for ourselves.But more important than all, they taught us the value of human freedom.  Greece will recover, the whole world will recover and be a much better place, if we all can continue to learn from the Greeks who taught us about human dignity.

M. Celal Senior

A student in the eternal panepistemion of Greece

Greece has recovered and the whole world is becoming better in all ways.  In the wise words of Aristotle, Hope is a waking Dream. It is my hope in writing this book that I can inspire a desire to live a more healthy, beautiful, and spiritually enlightened life.  May this book Light your path and may the Light of Ancient Greece burn brightly for future generations!

Please read in good Health! Filakia! (Kisses)

Light and Love,   

Anna

Chapter I:  Ancient Greek Beauty: Gifts of the Gods

Elysian: Adjective- Beautiful or Creative; Divinely Inspired; Peaceful and Perfect

Ancient Greek Beauty

In Ancient Greece, the concept of beauty was revered, sought after, studied-even fought over as it is believed that Helen of Troy was so radiantly beautiful that the Trojan War was fought to win her love.  For the Ancient Greeks beauty was considered one of the highest blessings- truly a gift of the Gods in the highest form.       For the Greeks, a perfected exterior was direct evidence of an inner perfection- a beautiful face and body mirrored a beautiful mind and soul, which they even had a word for, kaloskagathos, which literally meant beautiful and good. 

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato viewed beauty as the highest ideal and Aristotle