On Nov. 12 and 13 the marriage of environmental awareness, healing and, of course, fun (the best way to nourish one’s soul) will be experienced at the La Mesa Eco Park event called "The Family Wellness Festival."
A vital reservoir of water for millions of Metro Manila residents, the 33-hectare resort and ecological park, supported by Bantay Kalikasan, was built to rehabilitate the forest of La Mesa.
The festival will offer talks and sessions from leading health pundits:
• The healing effects of taichi, chigong, and shibashi will be discussed by Mariel Francisco, writer and founder of Chacra.
• Rosario Austria, founder of Austria Medical Clinic and founder/past president of the Philippine College for Advancement in Medicine (PICAM), will talk about natural prevention against cancer.
• Fitness guru Tina Juan will expound on practical ways of bringing fitness into daily life.
• Traditional medicine and the albularyo will be tackled by Bibiano "Boy" Fajardo, another fitness guru.
• Sister Sonia Punzalan, a Zen master with a PhD in anthropology will enlighten guests on Zen meditation.
• Gina Lopez, managing director of ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc., will have a talk entitled "A Sharing: The Benefits of Awakening the Third Eye and the Effects on Daily Life."
• Agnes Prieto, founder, Healing Circle, a grief support group, will discuss grief work.
• Nutritional healing will be explained by Grace Eleazar, founder of Wholesome Supermarket and former officer-in-charge of Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care.
• Berta Feliciano and Jeannie E. Javelosa, and yoga teachers Sai Shanti, Raya Mananquil and Corey Wills will enlighten us about yoga (Ashtanga, power yoga, Shivananda, Iyengar).
• Aikido, holistic self-defense, will be taught by Ernie Palat, aikido master and black belter, and founder and chief instructor of KI Association International.
• Jeannie E. Javelosa, president of CreativBiz, will discuss how to use energy centers to combat illness.
• Cory Quirino will divulge the secrets on the fountain of youth.
Of course, after all the brain food, there are also exhilarating activities such as my personal favorite, shopping. The wellness bazaar boasts booths by Marid Agribusiness Digest Sagana 100 Phils.Inc., Bicol Express Handicrafts Trading, Ra Kendra Centre Wholistic Wellness and Studies, Manila Herbal and Essential Oils Co., Maria Makiling Coconut Resources Corp., Mond, Body and Soul Medical Services, Jazz Society of the Philippines, Institute of Inner Studies, Rainiers Research & Development Institute Inc., Carmenbees Synchrotherapy, ABS GEN Herbs International Corp, Daila and many more. Food booths include Bodhi, Cravings, Bollywood, Gourmet Café, Rizal Dairy Farms, Kalinga Mountain Rice, Back to Basics, The Merry Cooks, Sermasision Corporation, Ellie’s Roasted Calf, and many more.
There will be activities for women, men, teenagers and even children throughout the day, ranging from arts and culture to sports. The grand part will be the jazz festival and neo-ethnic artists’ music festival on the 13th.
After all the activities, you can relax in the healing touch corner, where you can get a treatment of your choice from highly-trained therapists. One treatment to try is the Pranic healing session!
The resort is also something to behold. Enjoy the salt water pool, the Orchidarium, Superferry boating lagoon, Petron jogging and biking trails, fishing wharf, Shell flower terraces, picnic grounds, Neptune ponds and gardens, and the Petron amphitheater.
At the end, you come home with more than just a rejuvenated body. Donations will be gratefully accepted, part of which will be used for the rehabilitation of the La Mesa Watershed.