Your mantra for the week:

“Love is all that there is. Everything else is ego at work.”

 

I forgive, I forgive. Now I can receive.

 

The Holy Scripture emphasizes that we must forgive 70 times seven, which really implies that many people try to forgive but never really do. They will often say, “I will forgive but I will never forget,” which, to me, is just saying they haven’t really forgiven. For it is only when you have ultimately forgotten that you have truly forgiven.

 

The reason why Jesus used the analogy of forgiving 70 times seven is because he realized the tremendous difficulty of forgiving and forgetting.

 

In numerology, 70 times seven is equal to 490, and when rounded-off becomes 49 which stands for revolution in the I Ching, the Book of Changes. This means you can expect a major change for the better in your life.

 

If the word ego had existed in the ancient times, it would have clearly explained why we struggle so much in the process of forgiving… “I do not deserve this. After all, I have done for him/her why am I being treated this way? By what right do they have to do this… who do they think they are!” This shows how truly we are pained.

 

Eckhart Tolle uses the term Pain Body to describe the accumulation of our painful experiences from the time we were conceived to the present. He says it begins to take a life of its own, very much like what we call ego that constantly underscores our imperfections. This ego, a kind of false-self, usurps our so-called true self which is our perfect-self made in the image and likeness of God, and then tries with all its might to run our lives.

 

What keeps this Pain Body alive is our constant feeding of it. In the process, it also takes away many of the blessings that are in store for us.

 

Gourmet menu

 

To illustrate, I have created an ideal gourmet menu for our unwanted-guest-within, the villainous Pain Body.

 

For the appetizer, I highly recommend Spicy and Sizzling Gossip. The moment you gossip, Pain Body wakes up because you are talking about negative things. People do this to feel better about themselves.

 

Let’s move on to the soup, Complaints du Jour. This would surely warm the stomach of the Pain Body. Be aware that constantly complaining does not only mean verbal ones, it also covers mental and attitudinal complaining.

 

For the salad, Green Jealousy Vinaigrette. This is a preferred salad of our guest-of-honor because it comes in many forms. We get jealous of other people’s love, health, wealth, professions and successes.

 

The second choice for a salad is Mixed Suspicion with Sour Cream. How many times do you practice suspicion of your mate, of your officemates, of the government, of people in your life? The Pain Body often partakes of both salads.

 

And for our pasta dish, Fettuccine Depression al Dente. Our guest-of-honor loves this item because almost every human being goes through some form of depression, oblivious that this emotion attracts emergencies into one’s life, thus creating more pain.

 

Our formidable entrée is Roast Beef Anger and Regret Sea Bass with Feeling Sorry Sauce. It is difficult to keep track of the numerous moments we get angry silently. Yes, we do beef around a lot.

 

Dessert is Glorious Unforgiveness Soufflé which brings together all the kinds of sweetness that Pain Body desires. It definitely has a sweet tooth and will relish this finale for the longevity it promises.

 

Here are encouraging reasons why we must forgive right here and right now.

 

You will feel that a burden is lifted off your shoulders, a thorn removed from your heart and an easing-off of the desire to get even.

 

All your relationships improve because your loving nature is enhanced.

 

You become a magnet for greater good like attracting more abundance.

 

Your body temple becomes healthier and brings about a greater sense of well-being.

 

It opens up the doors to discovering new talents and you will find your desires more quickly fulfilled.

 

It gives you a glow, an aura of youthfulness that many will notice.

 

And most important of all, you will love yourself more—which is the key to forgiving others more easily and effortlessly.

 

If you keep these rewards in mind, you need never forgive 70 times seven.

 

Ramon Orosa turns 73

 

At a relatively unknown residential street in San Juan called Calderon is a restaurant with the same name that serves a wide range of Spanish cuisine. This cozy dining place used to be someone’s home sweet home.

 

This was where the once-upon-a-time youngest banker in the Philippines, who went on to become a successful businessman, recently celebrated his birthday. He has now metamorphosed into a wellness guru. He is Ramon “Rey” Orosa, who turned 73 that day.

 

Among his well-wishers were Ambassador Lani Bernardo and wife Conchitina Sevilla Bernardo who also recently celebrated her birthday. When I asked them to describe the birthday boy in one word, she said “knowledgeable” while the Ambassador’s was “whiz-kid.”

 

There was Edu Manzano, who incidentally is now running two restaurants: Lucky Rainbow with Hong Kong and Beijing chefs, located on Pasong Tamo near Don Bosco; and The Black Sheep, which specializes in fusion cuisine, located near St. Luke’s Global City.

 

He is also busy helping out his new love Tina Fernandez, daughter of Oying Fernandez in her Annapolis, Greenhills art gallery where they feature new artists.

 

Ramon welcomed his guests with a delectable dinner of what felt like a hundred courses including three kinds of paella (vegetarian, seafood and squid ink), a garlicky chicken, and a fried fish concoction topped with clams and a dark sauce prepared by chef Rafael Isip.

 

“I not only value your friendship but I can actually say, I love all of you and I accept you all whether your opinions and beliefs do not agree with mine,” Ramon said.

 

Must-see art exhibit

 

Visual artist Alexander Charriol’s latest exhibit “Human Flow IV” is a must-see. The show runs until June 6 at  Altromondo Arte Contemporanea, 3/F, Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

 

Alexander says he has been putting up exhibits worldwide for the last 18 years.

 

By the way, another “must-see” is Alexander’s love, Paloma Gerber, a designer. She lives in Hong Kong. After a conversation with Paloma, I now understand why an artist like Alexander, who has lived in New York all his life, is now partly residing in Hong Kong.

 

At the “Human Flow” reception we spied National Artist Arturo Luz closely scrutinizing Alexander’s works; Betsy Westendorp; glass sculptor Ramon Orlina; former CCP president Nestor Jardin; Ballet Philippines president Margie Moran Floirendo; and Lane Moving’s Virginia Lane, who asked, “When can you visit my hotel in Ireland?”

 

Peter Jentes masterminded the whole event because of his close friendship with the Charriols and Nedy Tantoco.

 

Co-hosting with him were Michael and Catherine Huang in lieu of their mother, who is on a well-deserved, stress-free vacation.

 

Stores Specialists Inc., Rustan’s Supermarket, Shopwise, New World Makati Hotel, PLDT and Ralph’s Wines & Spirits sponsored the exhibit.