Believing in Miracles

May28

In 1992, 20 years ago around this time, I was doing volunteer work–something I knew in my heart was not a life-long vocation. Sooner or later I would have to find a “regular” job or employment. However, that year was a political transition from the Aquino administration to what we did not know then (which turned out to be the Ramos administration). The country did not have its best economic performance during Aquino’s term so at that time, what made me anxious was the job prospect, or the lack of it, that awaited me. I just did not want to further add to the rising statistics of unemployment.

Back tracking a bit–months before my period of anxiety Mt. Pinatubo erupted covering practically the entire Central Luzon and Metro Manila with ashes. Aside from sand-like feel of the ashes and the cleaning they required (oh yeah, THAT was big deal for me), their sulphuric content diminished the productive capacity of soil…or did they help in fertilizing it? I don’t really know BUT seeing our sampaguita plant bloomed in ashes gave me hope. It made me believe that miracles do happen; at the very least, good things happen under the most unexpected, most unlikely circumstances.

Epilogue: I have never been out of job since 1992. God is good! God is much, much more powerful than our economic forecasts and our economists. :-D  Petty, some people might think, but this “critical” incident has built my faith in something or someone bigger than myself.

Fast forward to 20 years from that time–despite the record-breaking heat we have experienced this summer, I saw our sampaguita plant again in full bloom last night. My initial reaction was “hay, mga late bloomers!” And I almost heard them say “so what? Maganda at mabango pa rin naman kami! :P ” Yes, emoticon included in our dialogue.

 

I was just reminded of the “miracle” 20 years ago. A reminder that God is so much alive, so much involved in my life, as He was 20 years ago.

A day before this realization, on my way to school, the same theme was running in my head. I left Rizal at 10am for my 12pm class in Manila. By 11am we were still in Ortigas because of, guess what, terrible traffic. However, once we turned at Ayala Avenue, all traffic lights were green. Seeing the row of green lights from my seat, I told myself “wow, milagro ito!” I reached school at 11:45am.

I forgot who said this line but I always keep it in my heart:

the probability of the occurrence of a miracle is infinitesimally small, but it is never nil.  

Reposting from FB: What the New Moon Means (and Perhaps Why I Couldn’t Do the Headstand This Morning)

May21

Source: http://www.mysticmamma.com/new-moon-in-gemini-solar-eclipse-pleiades-alignment-may-20th-2012/

“It is helpful to trim away superficial relationships and keep only those that are quality, meaningful and valuable. The retrograde phase is extremely helpful as it can help you sort resolve past issues and clean up the energy.”

“We need to understand what is fantasy or illusion and what is real and factual. We have to find a way to transform the limitation into freedom and to bring harmony to thoughts and feelings so there is clarity.”

“This represents a very positive energy towards love, relationships and creative projects. On a romantic level, affections may become more solidified and develop strongly now. A commitment or agreement that began in the past with a ‘What if…’  may become more tangible now.  It is possible that past ideas regarding business or creative project advance in small steps now.” (Ok, I get it–NOW is the time.)

“It is possible friendships mature or a new level of responsibility forms within the relationship. Enjoy flirting, dating, friendships and deeply savor the moments spent with each other. Cherish the treasures that are manifesting easily now.”

“Promise or agree to only what you can deliver. We have solid strength to access and bring out ideals into reality with that which is highly valuable to us.”

Baguio City, 2012

May16

For more than two years, I had been wishing to go back to Baguio City in better, more pleasant condition. You see, I have good memories of that place–my first out of town trip with high school friends, bonding with my sister before she got married and before an old friend got married–until that fateful day of Pepeng. I blogged about my experience here and here.

Last weekend, my wish came true, holding a family celebration of mother’s day in the pine city. So happy to see the place again as I knew it from yesteryears.

Passion fruit, good for detox they say

The famous raisin bread from Baguio Country Club

Le Jar de Trinidad strawberry jam–with real, whole berries!

strawberry taho–really good except the syrup was too sweet

Hot chocolate from Raisin Bread Cafe at BCC–YUM!

Some things never change…like the free, white rose from the resto where we had dinner, stripes, big glasses, sweaters, hairstyles, and mother’s love.

*****

My Pepeng (and Ondoy) experience is a constant reminder to me of God’s grace and goodness.

The other day, I saw an FB status on taking the last trip to love lane: di na baleng last trip, basta front seat naman. I have similar but better version of it, inspired by Pepeng:

I don’t mind taking the last trip if it will manifest how powerful and awesome God is, if it will make me doubt no more that it happens according to His grand design, if it will bring me home.

Om.

God’s Time Is the Best Time

May7

I haven’t read the newspapers, I mean prints, since the dailies went online. Today was a rare occasion. Was having coffee with my mom at Starbucks (note to all readers: all Frapuccino drinks at half their price every Monday from 2pm to 6pm for the whole month of May) and she (yes she did) grabbed a copy of business news (so unlikely of her). Since she just bothered to look at the front page, I ended up reading it and forgot at what section did these lines seem to have popped out:

God’s time is the best time. He may seem to do things very slowly but he does them very surely. 

That left me thinking, hmmm, what is it that God seems to be doing slowly in my life? Or am I going too fast that God wants me to take something slowly but surely? And what could it probably be?

Before I was able to fully examine my life, here’s a photo from Facebook that appeared in my newsfeed.

Serendipity? I guess the message is clear. I wish I knew what I need it for. Om.

Discovering Uddiyana Bandha

May2

If I got anything from my shala practice hiatus recently and from my shoulder injury ages ago that prevents me from doing chakrasana, it’s discovering my uddiyana bandha. Ok, let’s connect the dots now….

I roll up to do my vinyasa instead of doing chakrasana and one time, as I did it, I felt something contracting in my belly. It was so pronounced that I stopped, rolled up again, and tried to see if that something was still there each time. It was. “Is this my uddiyana bandha?” Since then, I have started practicing my rolling up, using bandha instead of sheer momentum. Not only that, I have also incorporated bandha-building or core-strengthening exercises in my yoga (which I now call my ashtanga prep practice :-D ), in the hope that eventually I can do my jump-throughs, titibhasana, and other bandha-demanding asanas.  Among them are:

from http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/783

from http://whatsthatpose.blogspot.com/2008/11/vasisthasana.html

unsupported shoulderstand and seated push ups—-pulling my legs up (one set each for crossed and straight legs) while keeping my butt off the chair and only my arms supporting me.

In the local parlance, uddiyana bandha is para kang mag dos por dos sa tiyan (like having a 2″ x 2″ plank of wood in your belly)–not exactly what these articles from Yoganatomy and Drishti described uddiyana bandha to be. Now I am working on supta konasana, ubhaya pandangushthasana, urdhva padmasana and with “armpit bandha” (thanks to Carla for this new term!), shirshasana. Ah, the power of bandha! First time I was able to get into shirshasana with straight legs that seem to float naturally into upright position. All the while I thought I could not draw my back far enough to lift my legs so I just bent my legs one at a time then straighten them up to headstand. Now, when teacher says “use your bandha” I know what it means. It’s time to take out my dos por dos :-D

After discovering my bandha, next step is controlling it. It can be so strong that I end up rolling up and flat onto the floor at times, ha!

BONUS: Popular actor Derek Ramsey said that activating your core all the time 1) helps in burning calories and thus reducing weight and 2) develops six-pack abs like his. I’m fine with the first benefit. And this one:

from http://www.bazics.net/2012/04/derek-ramsay-to-transfer-to-tv5-network.html

Kids’ Yoga?

May2

Amazed how open kids’ hips, knees, and ankles are. Probably because they have no life issues yet.

Who was it who said that unless we become like children…?

 


 

from chuvaness.com

Namaste

Mar30

This is a Sanskrit term which means “I bow to you” and the gesture (as explained here in Yoga Journal) acknowledges “the soul in one by the soul in another”.

I had been doing my yoga at home almost every day for almost a month when all of a sudden I missed saying this word (which to me is sacred and has had profound impact) as we used to do our vinyasa practice (that’s during my pre-Ashtanga days). That was three years ago. So just imagine how happy? delighted? pleasant surprised I was when Nature closed our led session last Tuesday with that sweet note–namaste. With that, I knew I would be back again. (And was amazed to have found a page in her blog with the same title!)

Yes, I am back! Back to shala, ashtanga practice. Actually this post is just to announce my accomplishment, ha! Nature teaches evening led classes at Yoga Manila Ortigas at the Chi Spa (click here for Yoga Manila Ortigas schedule). I hope to have more and more regular sessions at YMO beginning this summer break.

Why this photo? Last Thursday, while the class was waiting for time and having chitchat here and there, the bowl sounded as if someone stroke it. Everyone heard it and looked toward its direction…but nobody was near the bowl to be suspected as the culprit. Om. Could there be a genie in a singing bowl?

 

You Are the One You Are Waiting for: A Repost

Mar24

source: DailyOm on March 23

Ultimately, you are the one.We spend a lot of our lives looking for role models, mentors, teachers, and gurus to guide us on our path. There is nothing wrong with this and, in fact, finding the right person at the right time can really help. However, it is important to realize that in the absence of such a figure, we can very safely rely upon ourselves. We carry within us everything we need to know to make progress on our paths to self-realization. The outer world serves as a mirror. Or to use another metaphor, our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us what we need to evolve to the next level. All we need to do to see that we already have everything we need is to let go of our belief that we need to seek in order to find.

The path of the spirit is often defined as a journey with a goal such as the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In this metaphor, a person begins a search for something they want but do not have and then they find it, and there is a happy ending. However, most of us know that getting what we want only makes us happy for a moment, and then the happiness passes until a new object of desire presents itself. Joy is a permanent aspect of our inner selves and is not separate from us at any point. We do not have to travel to find it or imagine that it resides only in the body of another. In fact, what the best teachers will do is point out that this very precious elixir is something we already possess.

So when we find ourselves on our path, not knowing which way to turn and wishing for guidance, we can turn to ourselves. We may not know the right answer rationally or intellectually, but if we simply ask, let go, and wait patiently, an answer will come. The more we practice this and trust this process, the less we will look outside ourselves for teachers and guides for we will have successfully become our own.

Thanks to Yoga in My Life for this photo :-)