The gift of friends

This week has taught me so much about showing up and honouring life and this time, the lesson came through the life of my friends.

I have an 80-year old friend named Ichi. I met him way back in 2003, he is a businessman who believe that

the world can be changed one person at a time. He is one of the foreigners who believe that Maguindanao, a land known for being war-torn will be a place of prosperity that will provide economic freedom for the Muslim people.

His personal impact in my life though is very subtle but deep. On occasions, we would meet up for lunch or coffee and he would tell stories and he would share his wisdom about life. He prides himself for belonging to the Samurai clan. There were those times when I never really believed that I am great. He would tell me that I am and that I’ll be able to do great things and at the back of my mind, I would say, ‘Yeah, right.’

As years passed, I understood what he has been trying to tell me. Yes, I am great.

But last week, I got a call from his daughter who told me that his health is not in good condition and that I might want to see him. When I went to the hospital, I saw how he struggles. I could not help but cry. That night, I wept. I was overwhelmed with gratefulness for having a friend like him – and then it struck me: What have I been doing with my life? I have not been honouring those people like Sir Ichi who believe in my greatness. I have been allowing my excuses to get the best of me.

That night was totally life changing for me because I was able to realize that my life should be in lived honour of my greatness and of the people who have been there all along – believing that I am enough, that I am hope, that I am of great potential.

Thank you God, Goddess, Universe for the gift of friends.

Yesterday, I learned that my long-time friend Alex, only 31, died of Acute Meningitis. Our group of friends were the few, real ones that I got. We’ve been together for 13 years and although we do not meet frequently, we always fire up when we do. He’s the irreverent kind that when you try to act serious, he’s always the one who would whisper something in your ear to ruin your concentration.

We have been putting off our get-together for so long, believing that we have until this whole lifetime and that each day is the same. Apparently, each of us has a different length of lifetime, depending on Who-knows-what. ;)

Suddenly, Alex left and all of us feel really bad because we didn’t even know that he was going through something. We have not shown up. I realize that life is so fleeting and showing up is really important because we don’t know how or when our time will end. The lesson about being there came costly for me; it came with a life of a friend.  

Still, I thank you God, Goddess, Universe for the gift of friends. Rest in Peace, Alex.

Lessons on jumping in

Once upon a time, there was a young man who left the comforts of his own home in search of a magus who was said to hold the secrets of success.  The young man reached a heavily forested area in pursuit of that knowledge. There, he met the magus. The young man did not hesitate to tell the magus what he was searching for and the magus made him go through steep treks that made him doubt if it his decision to pursue the magus was right. Finally, they reached the peak of the hill and there, a lake rests peacefully. The magus told the young man, "The success you're looking for is in that lake."  The young man hastened toward the lake. He saw that the lake was so clear that it mirrors his tired but hopeful face. Suddenly, the magus pushed the young man's face deep into the water. The young man struggled for breath as he was close to drowning.  The magus, pulled up the young man's face as he choked for breath and asks in a powerful voice, "Do you want success?"  "YES!" The magus pushed the young man's face into the lake two times more. Each push grows more forceful than the previous attack. As the young man felt like giving up, the magus let go of the young man's head and the young man struggled to breathe. "If you want success as much as you want to breathe, you will succeed," the magus told the young man.                                                                            *** Last weekend, I made a quick decision to travel to Manila and volunteer myself to support Ike Pono and the facilitator Bruce Conching. I flew in with help from friends and with very little money. What I noticed when I decided was that everything fell into place. Things just flowed and I experienced things I never thought I'd do on that trip. The trip was so great, it was almost magical. I stayed with a young, powerful woman named Glaze. She was a classmate of my friend Carol in Ike Pono Manila. Glaze is highly successful in her late 20's although she came from humble beginnings; her network marketing business is driven to help others succeed too. Her posh condo unit costs PhP8 million and she plans to retire before she reaches 35. We talked for one night about what she did to become financially free. She shared that the most important question that needs to be addressed when reaching a goal is to the 'why' and not the 'how'. The how, she says, will follow once you have decided on the why. I figured that the 'why' serve as the motivation to achieve goals and dreams. Glaze told me the anecdote about the young man and the magus I shared above! During my stay there, I also got together with a young entrepreneur and engineer named Alan. He is full of zeal with a very big heart. His venture in Manila started in 2007. He left his small town in Bantayan Island with only PhP200 in his pocket. When he reached Manila, he would call up companies that place advertisements in classified ads, looking for carpenters or laborers. He would volunteer himself to do some engineering jobs for free under the condition that if they like his work, they'll get him in the next projects. In time, Alan's networks grew and now, he went from being broke to financial free. He was able to send his five siblings to school and now, four of them hold a degree, one is still in school. His success made him send scholars to school. One common denominator with Glaze and Alan is the desire and the decision. Their 'whys' pushed them to jump into their greatness. And their success rippled and touched so many other lives. I left Manila with so much gratitude for everything that has taken place. I felt so blessed. It's like the Universe is telling me that it's time to jump into my greatness and that the things I want so much in life are running out to meet me. Meeting them and knowing their stories caused me to become more aware of the decisions that I made. I made a vow to myself that I am growing, no matter how painstaking it might take and how much change it requires. How about you? What experiences you had the past few weeks that made you change your outlook in life? Photo courtesy of wewanderandwonder.com

Getting out of my own way

In the Mermaids and Dolphins Cards by Doreen Virtue,  one card says Accept Heaven's Help. They say that every time we call to Heavens, our prayers are always being answered. However, in many cases they come in various unexpected forms and very different from the way we perceive those answers.

Lately, I have been going through difficult challenges and it seems that everyone else is. In many nights, my friends and I would wind up talking about the difficulties and reminding each other that things are going to be all right. One thing that I notice during those discussions is the feeling that help is there but always being resisted. For countless chats, I have witnessed how people dismiss help for pre-judgments. It's sad but as my Teacher said, "No one can walk the path for you."

This means that however good the pieces of advice are given by the people around, everything boils down to me. And my friends cannot give that I-told-you-so look even though they are almost licensed to do so when the moment comes. Because it is my choice.

There are times when I wish I could just get out of my own way to accept Heaven's help. I have been refusing opportunities because of my perceived injuries, making an infinite list of excuses. But most of the time, I'm not even aware that I'm in my own way.

Being in my own way means allowing excuses, blames, guilt, and, most importantly, my ego to block my progress. Sure, I always say I'm ok because I always feel the need to be right. How about not bothering to be right all the time? How about accepting that I've had misgivings and I'm willing to face it. Maybe that will be the time I'd be able to get out of my own way too.

Destiny

Believing in your dreams is probably the best antidote to depression. These days, we are so addicted to drama as we are reinforced with soaps that make us use our imagination to visualize about negative things. And it is in these encounters that we are hindered from our true destiny. I have always believed in destiny. No, not the thing that a lot if us believe it to be so. In many cases, people believe that there is no way to direct our future and so we resign to the the idea that we are only being tossed around by fate. The truth is this: each of us is destined for greatness. The question is how ready are we to live up to it? I have personally observed the difference between people who believe in their dreams and the people who don't. The ones who do maintain a cheerful disposition in life. Those who don't spend too much time on TV believing that their lives are rightly portrayed in the boob tube - and end up feeling more depressed than they're supposed to be. This relates to the last time I uploaded something in this blog. A well-meaning person told me that I ought to be writing something more interesting and that I should cut these heart blogs - and I heeded. This explains my hiatus. It was only last week when a friend who just came home asked me what happened to my blog. She told me that my works helped her through difficult times and that i should continue doing it because who knows who else I have helped. I learned that you cannot keep on believing to what others tell you what to do or what not to. Our dreams, ideas, and inspiration are not being planted inside our minds for no reason. There must be something to it and the bravest thing we can do is listen to and act upon it. So, let's go get busy with our dreams and turn off that TV.

Ready to meet your Angels?

 When I was seven years old, my Mama brought me along to her friend’s place. They were busy talking when I went out of the house and wandered along the unfamiliar slum community. After about 15 minutes of wandering, I found that I have lost my way. I tried really hard to find my path but all to no avail. I ended up crying.

Out of nowhere, someone came to me and asked my name. When I told her my name, she held my hand and brought me to the place of my Mama’s friend. She sent me inside the house and I got so preoccupied about seeing my mother. When my mother turned to thank her, she’s nowhere to be found.

Since then, my belief about angels and guardian angels have always been strong. That incident may be purely human but I know that working behind the incident were angels sent by the Divine.

***

A first Meet your Angels Workshop in Davao is happening on April 5 to 6 at the Lispher Inn Hotel with Dorothy Llariza-Tome, an Angel Card Reader certified by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine. The workshop is a step-up activity of I (Heart) Events by Princess Evelyn Buendia and Imagine Life a Workmanship of the Divine (I.L.A.W.O.D.) lead by Atho dela Cruz.

“The concept of angels has been present all over the world since ancient civilization,” say Buendia. “To some, the encounter with angels are associated with religious affiliations or spiritual encounters. While for those who are sceptics, angels reveal themselves through psychological or scientific appearances.”

According to Buendia, the labelling of angels is not really a problem. She says that many individuals have experienced something that cannot be explained by logical reasoning. “And it is with this occurrences or help that we find reference to a higher power. For many of us, we call them angels.”

“The word ‘angel’ means messenger which comes from the ancient Greek word ‘angelos,” says Atho dela Cruz. “In many references to the bible, we noticed how the angels reveal so many insights to the Biblical characters; when Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she is conceiving a baby who will be the son of God. Another instance was when the angels told Noah to build an ark, and even to Joseph the Dreamer.”

Dela Cruz furthered that even in this modern times, connecting with angels will prove to be very helpful to strive for balance in life. He said that while these days, people seem to be so preoccupied with the material aspect, the help of the angels will bring clarity as to what is truly important and what are the things that should be let go in the journey of life.

“A lot of us wonder how do we really connect with our angels,” says Dela Cruz, “Actually, we know how to connect with them. Only, our minds have been much clouded with skepticism and material concerns that we refuse to acknowledge that inner knowing deep within.” The workshop, he says, will help the students remember that capacity to reconnect with angel guides. “And they can even meet their guardian angels – as we personally have our angels who are assigned to us the moment we came to this world.”

The Meet Your Angels workshop is open to limited slots. In the upcoming days, the workshop is geared to tour across the archipelago. For questions and clarifications, you can call or text Princess Evelyn Buendia at +63925 508 0555.

Keep charging on!

All right, let's admit it. There are just days when we do our best to be on our toes but life just sometimes gets the better of our thoughts.

In my case, the past few days had me wanting to sleep and just lie in bed... go to sleep... wake up, lie in bed, and go back to sleep. I did not want to pursue all the things that I had lined up for me. In one of those moments, I would ask myself what happened. I didn't know until a couple of days when I found out that I was actually experiencing pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).

Reading over some posts of my friends (who were usually up and about and encouraging) in Facebook, it seemed to me that the energy has taken a slight turn and I have noticed that almost everyone is in the level of introspection.

As I watched the angelic messages of Doreen Virtue (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38G5GULijHY), I understood why our energies had slowed down: there is an intense Mercury retrogade. You might want to check too.

As for now, the advise is to keep charging ahead and keep the faith. Trust that as we communicate our feelings honestly and view things with compassion, everything will fall into place.

Photo credit: Angel Card by Doreen Virtue

BE-DO-HAVE

When I took a self-development seminar called Ike Pono in August 2013, one most notable concept that was discussed was the BE-DO-HAVE paradigm. The concept is this: first, you define who you really are, then you do the things you ought to do, then you have what you ought to have. As opposed to the DO-HAVE-BE paradigm, you do the things you ought to do, if, for some reasons, you do not have what you ought to have, you question now who you are.

Ex. I aim to be a good mother. With BE-DO-HAVE paradigm, I know that I already am. But sometimes, the things I do are not aligned with Who I Am, so I just change the methods, and then I see results - I see a child who is nourished from physical to the soul level.

In the DO-HAVE-BE paradigm, if I do the requirements to become a good mother, then I see results, and I would feel secure with Who I Am. But if I fail to do the things that a good mother does, then I won't see results, and I would end up questioning Who I really Am.

While this helped me a lot in my journey, it seems that I am being tested with my understanding of this principle these days. In a seminar team where I am involved, everyone was discussing about how to produce the desired results. Our team wanted many participants for the upcoming seminar that it reached to a point where everyone believes that the members of the team had to be pounced with responsibility and have-to-do(s) in order to have.

Until I discussed it with a good friend last night. She told me that if a team pounds on each other with what to do in order to have, then it is not anymore a BE-DO-HAVE. BE-DO-HAVE comes from a place of "I want to" not "I have to." Everything in BE-DO-HAVE is accomplished because of Who We Are - and because I am inspired and I want to do the things required - then I see results. The BE-DO-HAVE paradigm embodies the Spiritual Law of Least Effort.

Now, I understand why I have a lot of questions about the things that are happening. Because I forgot about BE-DO-HAVE - and so does my team, in my opinion.

This is indeed a life-long learning. I am just grateful for the lessons.

Photos courtesy of:
Top photo - selfhypnosisresource.blogspot.com
In-between photo - omegans.com

Oruha's Mandalas

Last December 2013, I met an inspiring Mandala artist named Oruha. She came to the Davao City, Philippines to conduct exhibit and charity live painting for the survivors of super typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) on 09 - 13 December. The exhibit was dubbed 'A Light in the Dark.' Born as Yuko Murakami, she grew up in Akashi, Japan and studied in Kobe University. Yoko and Kazu Matsuda brought her to the Philippines to hold what turned out to be her international debut.

Oruha's mandala creation process is a wonder. Using black paper, she spontaneously draws whatever it is that flows through her but this is after she asks for the person's intention. What I find really interesting is that her mandalas are really proportionate but when you ask her to draw a regular image, she does not know how to draw. Her journey with mandalas started two years ago when she went to a place for travel and found a mandala that struck her downright. "Since then, I knew that I am destined to draw mandalas," Oruha confessed. To date, Oruha's estimate of the mandalas that she had drawn has reached 2,500. "I have tried creating mandala with my right and left hands, with my feet, even with my mouth. I have explored creating it with the different parts of my body," she says.

During the exhibit, I also met Michael, Oruha's Filipino translator. When I had the chance to talk with him, he shared to me his experience with Oruha. "In my whole existence, this is the time when I feel the most spiritual. I noticed the coincidences and synchronistic events. I even notice how people sense Oruha's very warm energy," he told me. "Even now that I'm telling you this, I am having goosebumps!"

I remember how one time when my friend Ernie went to Oruha for his mandala. When Oruha finished drawing, he was amazed and he showed us his own doodles - a strong resemblance with Oruha's mandala for Ernie! Another notable instance was with my hubby Orvil, when he asked for his own mandala, Oruha produced a sand glass-like mandala - exactly the logo of SandGlass Media, hubby's media outfit. Amazing how our energies resonate with each other - and how Oruha picks it up!

This 2014, Oruha is planning to hold an exhibit again here in Davao City, Philippines. But before that, she is poised to hold exhibits in Milan, Italy and the U.S.A - and hopefully, Hawaii too! ^_~"/

Photos courtesy of:
Top photo - One of the mandalas drawn by Oruha - http://blog-imgs-60.fc2.com/c/r/y/crystalangel369/image.jpg
In-between paragraph photos: Oruha during the opening day of A Light in the Dark, (below)The Mandala of Hope - http://www.debbiegracebersabal.blogspot.com
Fourth photo - The team behind A Light in the Dark - by Yoko Matsuda

The Reiki Experience

Last Thursday, January 23, I met up with my long time friend Yoko Matsuda, a Japanese who resides in Davao City for about a decade now. I had an idea that she was a Reiki shinpiden (master)but I did not really see myself having a session with her. But when she mentioned that she can give me a 'Reiju', a form of energy-blessing, I quickly agreed.

During the session, I felt the vibration of energy through my ear. I was actually amazed because I used to disregard the idea that one can really feel the energy that surrounds our being. When the session was over, I felt totally relax and I couldn't help but be amazed with the light feeling that I had. In the afternoon, I experienced headache and I told Yoko about it. She told me to relax and that she is sending Reiki energy to me to assist me in my receiving.

The next day, I woke up feeling light and the worries that I had been carrying were immediately gone. I learned with my further readings that being a Reiki healer is opening up to be the conduit of the Universal energy for healing ourselves and other people, plants, animals, and also to give blessings - including the things that we possess.

Come February, three more Reiki shinpiden from Japan are joining Yoko for a seminar in Davao City, Philippines, to further proliferate Gendai Reiki Ho (modern Reiki technique). I feel excited about it because I feel its energy resonate deeply with me. I look forward to joining the seminar with my friends.

I earnestly pray that you will find that path which resonates deeply with your heart; and may the Divine assist you in finding that. Sending light and love.

Photo courtesy of http://www.ascensionnow.co.uk/spirit-guides-and-reiki-guides.html

In the House of Hope

Here in Davao City, Philippines, there is a place called House of Hope. It is a transient place for underprivileged children with cancer and their caretakers who live far from the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), one of the few hospitals here in the Philippines that has cancer treatment facilities.

The House of Hope began in 2003 with Dr. Mae Concepcion J. Dolendo, one of the only two pediatric oncologists here in Mindanao. "I was doing my daily rounds; that time, I met a father with his three-year old girl who was going through leukemia. For many days and nights, the father was the only one who was watching over the patient," Doc Mae shared. "When I asked why he did not have any substitute, he told me that his wife was outside the hospital, staying in the waiting shed with their five-month old baby whom she was nursing."

Dr. Mae arranged for the mother to be accommodated in the hospital canteen. "That was the only thing I can do that time. And that was when I saw the need for a transient house; most of the patients dare to go to the hospital, travelling from the countryside, with little or no money," she said. The rest is a long history of courage, faith, hope, miracles, and paper works.

Back in 2003, the survival rate of children with cancer was zero. After a decade in 2013, House of Hope data revealed that it has risen to 60%. The main reason for this is that children are able to receive the medication that they deserve without their watchers worrying about accommodation and food during the treatment. Thanks to Dr. Mae and to the people who shared their resources to realize this thing.

Yesterday, I had coffee with Dr. Mae and she shared something very heartwarming that happened last Christmas:

"During the previous holidays, the House of Hope had a Christmas party. I was really busy that I forgot that we were supposed to have exchange gifts. I wanted to join so I prepared PhP500 bill instead. The process of our gift-giving was to circulate it for a number of times; at one time, I got a pillow. Since I really liked it, I halted the rounds of the gifts and declared that the rounds were enough. Later on, as we were enjoying our gifts, one of the parents came to me and thanked me for my present because the money was exactly the amount that she needed for her child to be discharged from SPMC. We were so amazed! How the Divine works in ways that we cannot just decipher! There are a lot of miracles in our lives and we have to take notice of them because that is how we fuel that sense of wonder in this life."

True enough, there are thousands of miracles that happen everyday. It's time to open our eyes to the magic that appears.


Top photo: Dr. Mae Concepcion J. Dolendo in the middle is flanked by the patients, parents and watchers, and the staff; taken outside the House of Hope in Davao City, Philippines.

Photo courtesy of http://davaohandsofhope.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/hoh1.jpg

Receiving

Last Thursday, I met up with my friends Dale and Carol who were raving about the abundance of unexpected income and all sorts. As I listened to their stories, I could not help but feel amaze but at the back of my mind, I was wondering why it wasn't happening to me. Later on, I blurted out'I hope it's my turn soon!'

"Yours is on the way," Dale replied.

"Just receive. Your blocking it by thinking too much about it," added Carol.


And then, it dawned to me. Yes, I was so anxious about when will it arrive or how or why or why not - all those sorts of questions which when given too much attention causes worries and blocks the blessings that would have been well on its way. I recalled last December, I kept on declaring that I am receiving abundance and love that come way and they did come my way. When I saw that it had been flowing effortlessly, my program came in and made me ask, "What's up? How is this gonna end?" And sure enough, it did end abruptly.

As I continued to listening to my friends, I understood how I allowed those things that I desired to flow: I took time to notice it. In Wayne Dyer's words, I 'tuned in' to it. As the adage says 'Where attention goes, energy flows.' Our role is to give attention to the things that we want their presence to increase in our lives. It is so easy; it even requires you to think less!

So last Friday, I practiced the lessons that I learned. I took time to notice all the things that I received; from the person opening the door for me, to the client who patronized me, to the lotion and pen given as presents, to the unsolicited sundae hot fudge brought to me by a colleague, to the smiles generously given by friends, to the money given as present by my brother-in-law, to the generous love I receive from my families, and even to the service rendered by our house help. It's endless and I keep receiving up to now.

I am now learning to stop asking when it's gonna stop because it's never gonna stop anyway; especially when I'm tuned it. The goal is to allow it to flow by welcoming and receiving it with much love. That's how easy it is to let abundance flow. We just have to learn to receive, take notice of it, say thank you. And of course, give back whatever it is that comes from the heart.

I earnestly pray and declare for abundance, health, love and respect, and the grace of the Divine to flow through you unceasingly. Happy Sunday!


Photo courtesy of www.simplereminders.com

Signs & Miracles

This morning, I woke up to an unexpected appointment that required a significant amount of money from my pocket to be able to close a transaction that required a costly medical procedure. I invoked the guidance of the angels because given the very little time to raise the amount, doing it all by myself would be impossible. I was even tempted to cancel the appointment.

After my prayer, something told me to just go ahead and meet with the client, so I did. As I was on the road, I asked for signs but I did not get any. When the procedure started, I was waiting for the time when they would collect from me. As time progressed, the doctor turned out to be my client's friend. All along, there was no mention of payments. And when we left, I turned to the secretary to ask about the amount due. And then she said, "It's ok, Ma'am. You can settle it later when the results are available."

I walked out of the clinic really happy. The Divine really works in mysterious ways, even when you thought that there are no signs.

As we got into her car, my client handed me a pen from Japan. She told me that it is her gift for the holidays. The pen is a red, black, and mechanical pencil - in one."It's really for you. You encounter different kinds of pen because there is so much for you to write," she mused. Wow. I asked myself, "Does she even know what she's saying? I have not even told her what I've been up to lately."

When I got home, I showed hubby my pen and he told me almost the same thing, "You're given a lot of pens so that you can write and share all the things you have to share. It's a sign," he said. I knew that it must be the sign. It's just that now, I was expecting something different. But hey, why should I box the Universe with my expectations?

They say that signs are everywhere; you just have to ask the angels to make it visible in your capacity here in the physical realm. I continue asking for it, I trust that there is because I've seen it many times. Same with miracles, the day has not yet reached its half but I have witnessed little ones that allow me to make ends meet. I'm reminded again how magical this life is, if only we get so brave to jump into the uncertain and trust that we are taken care of no matter what.


Top photo courtesy of signsofangels.net
Second photo: The 3-1 pen from Japan. Arigatou!
I purposely chose to not mention the name of my client for confidentiality purposes. <3

Rainy days are a blessing

These days when we are used to frantic schedules, stressful situations, deadlines - at some point, we thrive in it. And rainy days come like a mother who has been away for a long time and suddenly tries to lull her baby to sleep.

And no, we're not supposed to get sleepy or slowed down, we have things to do. But for some reasons, meetings are suddenly cancelled, business deals are postponed until further notice, and something deep inside tells us that we cannot take a break because our bills don't. So rainy days kind of let us down and emotional.

Or maybe rainy days are really meant to slow us down. Maybe, it's the Universe's way of telling us 'Hey, you've gotten too caught up in your presumed rhythm. Here. find a blanket, snuggle, and sip some hot chocolate."

IF some things don't work out on rainy days, there are always options. All that is required is a change of perception. Rainy days are always a blessing for us because it gives us time for introspection and in better cases, it allows us to bath and dance outside our bathrooms and enjoy it like a child.


Photo courtesy of Rona Keller at rona-keller.deviantart.com

Purpose

"Purpose, it's that little flame that lights a fire under your as*. Purpose, it keeps you going strong, like a car with a full tank of gas. Everyone has a purpose so what's mine?'- Avenue Q

Back in highschool, I used to believe that we have a grand purpose in life; something that you are supposed to be doing for your whole life. I thought that grand purpose thing would come when I 'grow up' - maybe when I would reach 25 or 30. However, as I started going through that phase in life, I began to wonder where that purpose is supposed to be found. And I worried that there was not even a little sight or clue of it. Later, I grew pessimistic and started to not buy it anymore. 'If I had a purpose,' I said to myself, 'I will get my act together but now that I don't have it just yet, I'm getting wasted.'

It went on like that for a couple of years or so until my daughter Sandy came. Holding her in my arms is one of the most glorious moments in my life. And that was when I took seriously that search for the holy grail of purpose... only too seriously. The quest included mapped out plans, books about purpose (plenty of it), conspiracy theories - and just about all of it. The imp in me, however, would not stop; a little nagging pessimist inside keeps telling me 'it's not there.' I knew (or so I thought) that I was not finding anything. Those times, I coursed through life always looking forward to what the future would bring because they say tomorrow brings a new promise. Over the year, I kept that kind of attitude, and I would usually end up frustrated because the future seems too far just yet.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I joined a seminar called Ike Pono in August 2013 and it made me remember who I really am. After that seminar, the readings that followed seemed to resonate more deeply than it used to be. And then I bumped into the books of Deepak Chopra and some collaborations he had with Oprah. In one of the meditation series that talks about Desire and Destiny, I came to understand that an opportunity to live by purpose comes in every present moment. If you are walking in the street and you gaze upon the eye of a stranger and feel the need to smile, your purpose may be to give that uplifting smile to that person. If you are taking care of your baby, right at this very moment, then that is your purpose for the time being. As Chopra said, 'The most important work is the work you're doing now. The most important person is the person in front of you now; and the most important time is now.'

Our purpose presents an opportunity to be fulfilled every now.

While I have regained my belief that there is a grand plan for everyone of us because we are all destined for greatness, the time to live out the purpose is wrapped present moment. In order to be able to live out the grand purpose, we must learn to appreciate every single minute that we have and give all of ourselves wholeheartedly. Only through this can the promise of future and the Divine Purpose be carried out by the Divine in us.

"I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”
― Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Wholeness

There are a lot of things that are being said about choosing our emotions. Word has it that we can always choose what to feel. This is where our will over our feelings come in. We can always choose to look at the bright side of life. It is also said that our emotions are signs of how we vibrate. The more positive we feel, the higher the level of our vibrations go.

According to many spiritual teachers, high emotions are fertile grounds for manifesting the things that we truly desire. This process can also be aided through happy music that can assist manifestations. So this is the reason why we are supposed to choose joy every time.

This day, however, I have some personal things that make me feel not so good. Expectations that are unmet, broken agreements with my loved ones, challenging situations that pop out of nowhere. Even when I try so hard to raise the level of my emotions, I could not help but feel those negative feelings and entertain those thoughts. Because there is nothing left to do, I surrendered by inhaling through my nose and exhaling through my mouth with a soft 'haaa'. And just that, almost instantaneously, I noticed my thought process. I observed how harsh my self-talk was. I had been threatening myself to find happy thoughts or else I might have problems with manifestations.

For the first time of the day, I was able to look up to the sky and I felt a surge of relief. I continued taking deep breaths, and in a few minutes I felt better. As I was walking toward my house, it dawned to me that it is ok to feel those sad feelings. Human as we are, we have to acknowledge that we feel those pains to feel alive as well. This is what it means to be whole. We feel the pain but in a while we learn to shift and feel better.

As I got closer to my place, I found myself singing a happy song. I may not feel good immediately after the things I went through the day, but I am getting there sooner than I can imagine. <3 How about you? I'd love to read about your thoughts.

Who you really are - my journey with Ike Pono

They say that when before we come to this world, we orchestrate a grand plan with the angels regarding what we are really meant to be doing here. But with the veil of ignorance that wraps this dimension, we forget who we really are.

For quite some time, I chose not to believe in this idea. I worked with some jobs that (I knew very well) did not fit me. I would usually wound up being miserable, sabotaging myself and my ventures. I also took for granted opportunities and let them pass up. Deep inside, I knew something was always missing. I almost succumbed to the idea that when one gets older, life gets too predictable and miserable.

Time came when I had to question what is it I am all about? Who am I? I didn't know me anymore.

The asking led to depression. Every night, I would sit beside my two daughters who never had any clue what in the world I was up to, and then I would cry for no apparent reason. Sometimes, I would have suicidal thoughts. I wondered what was missing when I was always up and about motivating myself but why is there something empty inside, something that needs to be filled. One day, I decided to finally go abroad to seek help, whatever it is. I was thinking of risking loans and giving up everything. My sister Joefel told me to get hold of myself and avoid making hasty decisions. She suggested that I join Ike Pono (a 6-day self-growth seminar facilitated by a Chinese-Hawaiian coach Bruce Conching) instead before deciding about whatever I had in mind. Later I found out that the word Ike Pono means 'to be absolutely clear without a doubt who you really are.'

On the night before the seminar, I was undecided until 9 o'clock in the morning the next day. For some reasons, I felt that strong tug in my gut. I cannot seem to be still. My sister called up and told me that if I really felt the need, then I should just jump in. Finally I let go of my ego and went to the seminar. The journey was perhaps the most healing seminar I have joined to date. The first two days was all about self-rediscovery, the second was about goal setting and coming to terms with yourself, and finally on the last couple of days, you go about doing the well-deserved visioning. I took Ike Pono on August 2013, until now, my visions unfolded and I was led to people and journeys that I have never imagined for myself.

My relationships with my loved ones flourished; I got introduced to the Law of Least Effort and now I live by it, my spirituality led me to many encounters; I notice abundance in every aspect of my life; but most importantly, I remembered who I really am. When you know who you really are, you learn to live each day in the most meaningful way without too much effort. I am forever grateful to Ike Pono and the people behind it. Blessings and abundance to those who spread love and respect - the pivot point of Ike Pono.

If you're interested to know more about the seminar, you can call Ike Pono Master Builder Carol Legacion at 0917 542 7784 or visit http://ikeponoquest.com/.

Synchronicities

On the eve of my birthday last December 12, 2013, I have experienced synchronistic patterns, and on my natal day, I noticed several synchronicities during my birthday, and they were all pleasant. December 11, we had a party at a friend's house. There were lots and lots of giveaways. My name was drawn and I received a horse stuffed toy. The horse is my animal symbol - it's a sign of freedom and liberation. A few minutes after that, we saw two shooting stars. On December 12, I took my morning coffee and prayed for a beautiful sign. And out of nowhere, a white feather floated around. I tried looking for it but I could not find it anymore after. Then I noticed that I had ran out of body mists, so I asked for it. During lunch time, a friend came up to me and gave me a package that contained Elizabeth Arden perfume. So much more happened that day. IT was already magical. Do you have your share of synchronistic experiences? Share it with me. :)