Faith, magic & meditation
In a recent homily of Fr. Mardie Maligat, parish priest of St. Polycarp church in Cabuyao City, he mentioned that “the Holy Spirit is priceless — the Holy Spirit does not fade, does not go out of fashion. Hindi naluluma.”
Faith is encompassing. In my heart, that is the message that traverses from the pulpit to the pew. Faith is for the strong and weak, for the rich and poor. It is the armor of those who are sidelined by challenges, and the lighthouse of the stout and sturdy.
To have faith is to have a priceless gift from the Holy Spirit. The Unseen is seen and heard. And felt. Faith is a warm embrace in times of plenty and scarcity.
“Hindi corny ang Diyos,” Fr. Mardie said. “If we can idolize BINI or Taylor Swift, shouldn’t we idolize God more? God should be the only idol.”
The Gen Zers with me in the church were quiet, reflective, nodding.
The Holy Spirit, according to the parish priest, bears different gifts: the gift of strength, the gift of wisdom, the gift of courage.
“Faith gives strength. It fortifies our resolve in life. Nowadays, the Internet gives strength to the youth. Faith should strengthen them more,” he said.
“Wisdom is a gift. When we ask, we cultivate our intelligence. It is this gift of wisdom that will bring us to the glory of God. It is this gift that guides our decisions in life.
“Courage is a gift. We should be courageous enough to display our faith,” he said.
The Magic of Ordinary Days
I spent last weekend at Sonya’s Garden, my happy place. During my stay, Sonya Garcia, dubbed the “royal” innkeeper of the bed and breakfast, invited me to for tarragon tea in her home, which is amidst lush gardens. As I nursed the fresh tea from a bone china cup, my gaze was stolen by a half-finished book in her boudoir: The Magic of Ordinary Days, a historical fiction by Ann Howard Kreel.
The Magic of Ordinary Days celebrates the ordinariness of life taken from an extraordinary point of view. It is about Olivia Dunne’s mistakes and redemption, of “past regrets and renewed hope.” The book unravels how an intelligent woman like Olivia, who aspired to become an archeologist, can fall in the trap of a careless act of passion.
It helps that the book is set in the last year of World War II. All throughout, the book is a discovery of one’s capacity to shake off the struggles of life, stir confusion and love all at once and abandon them both, too. It’s about debilitating loneliness and overwhelming joy — where usually the difference is a matter of choice.
It’s about friendship — because having friends is both ordinary and magical. Normal circumstance brings us to take for granted the ordinary in our days — the people who are always there, the chores we can mindlessly do. Beyond the ordinariness of the situation lies magic.
Here are some unforgettable passages in The Magic of Ordinary Days:
“Compassion brought up more raw emotion than judgments could ever stir.”
“All over the world, people are looking at the same stars, the same moon, the same sun, every day. Somehow, I didn’t feel isolated when I thought of it that way.”
“Memories are fragile things to hold, but many times, it’s what we have.”
Meditation & the power of good thoughts
I always believe in harnessing good thoughts no matter the circumstance. Good thoughts are like the light of the soul; they are the compass for safety. That much I learned from well-meaning Filipino women who are students of Brahma Kumaris (BK), a spiritual movement that originated in India.
Raja Yoga meditation, as an exercise in self-care, is the centerpiece of Brahma Kumaris’ practices. These practices, according to Emmie Velarde of Brahma Kumaris Philippines, are “independent of any political or religious affiliation, and serve over 110 countries through a network of over 4,500 centers.”
Emmie added, “In the Philippines, 10 centers and sub-centers from Luzon to Mindanao have been attending to the spiritual sustenance of students for 40 years. I have been one of those students for 34 years.”
BK Philippines is presenting Sister Jayanti Kirpalani, 75, assistant administrator of the international organization, to speak in a public program, “Sowing Seeds of Hope for the Future,” on Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the JYD Hall of the Security Bank Head Office, 6776 Ayala Ave., Makati.
On Sept. 11, she will be a resource person for “Journey Towards a Climate of Healing and Hope” at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, 1000 Cordillera cor. Liberian Streets, in Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila.
In a press statement, Sister Jayanti said, “More people are realizing that the health of the body is derived from the state of the consciousness. Judgmental and pessimistic thought patterns are the catalyst for emotions that have a negative impact on physical health. Rest, exercise and a nutritious diet is good, but apart from all that, the higher the mental, emotional and spiritual state of wellbeing that I get to achieve, the healthier my body will be.”
She added, “Memories of pain, sorrow, fear and trauma are retained, not only in the heart and mind but also in the body. So the power of good thoughts and good feelings can even assure physical safety.”
The opposite of fear is love, she said, describing Raja Yoga meditation. “It is based on understanding the soul as the true self, a point of light at the center of the forehead that radiates peace, power, and joy. Practiced with open eyes, it is easy to incorporate into actions throughout the day. While the hands are busy, the mind can focus on a point of stillness within, allowing it to rise above challenges, and maintain inner calm.”
She said, “In meditation, we get to connect with that amazing self. At that moment, all mundane thoughts disappear and we experience the perfection of our original nature. Thoughts slow down and deepen; the spaces between them expand, and the experience takes over. When our attention returns to the physical world, we function with more clarity and renewed energy.” *
(For registration, call 0917-8340118
or log on to https://forms.gle/abzv45N195uwzvcd7)
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