Your mantra for the week:
“I love my life… it gets better and better everyday.”
Today being All Souls’ Day, I wonder whether these prominent people—Lou Salvador with 97 children; Ramon Revilla Sr. with 72; Dolphy with only 18 children but never married to any of their six mothers; Rita Gomez with relatively fewer children but with different fathers for each; and even dictator Ferdinand Marcos with many claimant children—have been duly accepted in heaven despite their very unusual and so-called “immoral” lifestyles.
I firmly believe all of them have gone back to their Creator and are at peace. This theory will probably not sit well with Christians except for Roman Catholics who would agree if the aforementioned had made their last confession.
This is unfortunate for President Manuel Roxas, a Catholic, who died of heart attack after delivering a speech at Clark Field; he had begged for forgiveness, not from God, but from his traumatized wife Trining, who locked him up in his bathroom the night before. I doubt whether he had a chance to go to confession when some of his closest relatives say he spent a sleepless night, which they feel could have triggered the heart attack.
Unfinished business
It is my firm belief that everyone who dies goes back to his Maker and stays there until his/her soul decides to make a return to the earth plane. This is to correct so-called mistakes in life and learn lessons from that particular life experience.
It is the soul that chooses where to be born (country, time of birth, parents and others he has karmic ties with).
I know that many do not believe this because the Church never taught it. I wonder how Bible readers would explain why Jesus told his disciples that a blind child is totally responsible for his being born blind. How did the child deserve it? Did the child perhaps blind someone in the mother’s womb even if the child had no twin?
It is my fervent prayer that one day, the Church will not give benediction to those who keep confessing the same sins like fornication, coveting somebody’s wife on a continuing and regular basis. This would prevent many people from continuing to receive communion to show their mates they are faithful and well-behaved. Today, many even receive communion without the benefit of confession. Please do not ask me to name names or I would get lawsuits left, right and center.
This also holds true for those who may have no infidelities but are guilty of corruption and other acts that are considered “sinful.” Surely this system has built for us a society of hypocrisy of the most unique kind.
What I cherish most in the reincarnation theory is that we are given a choice… “Choose ye today God or Mammon” and whatever choice we make has a consequence but we all end up in heaven anyway. We must remember, however, that the quality of our next life is totally dependent on how we lived a prior life. Let us, therefore, stop comparing our lives with others who seem to be luckier than we are. Just keep in mind that they probably lived more virtuous lives than we did.
It is only in our country that All Souls’ Day is such a big thing, as if our dearly departed were still living in the cemeteries where we buried them. They should be living in our hearts and minds, not in the memorial parks which we visit once a year. Our dearly departed deserve more than a token visitation once a year.
The Bulgari reopening
When Mario Katigbak organizes an event for Bulgari or Hermès, you can expect a happening like no other, for only he can create events that are full of surprises. One cannot imagine how a small shop in Greenbelt 4 would dare send out 250 invitations and expect all to be contained in an 80-square-meter shop.
But Mario surprised everyone. Once the Bulgari shop was overflowing with guests, he announced that everyone was to follow the carpet that led to the Ayala Museum where a cocktail buffet awaited. At the lobby, hundreds of guests sipped Moet & Chandon and feasted on fabulous canapés and near-dinner dishes.
Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco graced the occasion with daughter Maritess and son-in-law Renato Enriquez. Also present was Bulgari aficionado Duday Tuason with doting Noel; Helen Ong who is also in the jewelry business but confesses that buying Bulgari items is always a good investment no matter how expensive because of its resale value. The following agreed wholeheartedly: Nick Locsin and wife Lucille; Agile and Wopsy Zamora; Tess Schauffer; Marilen Tomacruz; and even lawyer and former Inner Wheel Club of Makati president Carol Llanillo.
7 planetary cycles
The suave Emilio Mina of Caruso Restaurant and its super chef Dario Gardini tendered a dinner for recently crowned Miss World Philippines Valerie Weigmann. I finally got a chance to meet her personally, after having chosen her as my personal winner online and during the gala charity night. I expected Nelia Ibe to be the first runner-up, but then her 4th cycle did her in. This particular cycle will bring one’s immune system and physical well-being to a low point. When I told this to Valerie, she confirmed that Nelia was always feeling unwell and had to fight it throughout the competition.
The cycles in our lives are important to know because it helps us decide how to program our activities during the year. I have been barraged with questions as regards the Seven Planetary Cycles we go through from one birthday to another which covers 365 days. Divide this by seven and you get seven 52-day periods.
The Sun cycle starts on one’s birthday, which compromises the first 52 days. During this period, one can look forward to blessings of all kinds from both expected and unexpected channels.
The next 52 days is known as the Moon cycle. The moon gets its light from the sun and, in like manner, is a reflection of those we received from the sun although they are not as constant because of the waning and waxing periods of the moon.
The Mars cycle follows and, during this period, one’s physical prowess reaches a high point and gives us all the energy for activities that necessitates a lot of movement and exertion. This is a perfect cycle for athletes in competition or for anyone who might need the excess energy Mars can give.
On the Mercury cycle, often referred to as the 4th cycle, rest, recreation and mentally relaxing activities are recommended after coming from a high period of physical energy. Nelia Ibe’s experience of unwellness during the Miss World pageant is typical of this cycle. This does not discount, however, blessings that come forth in the form of great and original ideas.
The cycle of Jupiter promises success and this is where Megan Young was when she was proclaimed Miss World 2013. Megan’s story is truly unusual. She won Miss World Philippines despite her being on her Mercury cycle.
Her beauty was outstanding. It overcame all odds just like Valerie, who was proclaimed Miss World Philippines on her 7th or Saturn cycle, which I will explain later on.
The cycle of Venus brings about our attractiveness and magnetism. People will always notice how well and pleasing we look. This period acts like a charm in our relationships, whether it be in friendship or romance.
The Saturn cycle is the cycle of good and negative karma. This is the period when we harvest from our good and not-so-good deeds of the first six cycles. We get rewarded for our positivity or receive disciplinary action for our negative thoughts, words and deeds.
Many are not aware of these birthday cycles but they do know that at certain particular periods of the year, they do experience positive or negative situations which they dismiss as mere coincidence. Well, that’s their prerogative. My choice is to go with the cycles’ method because it gives me the opportunity to plan my year more efficiently.
Whatever cycle you are in at the moment, there is a blessing that awaits you. Accept it with joy, because you deserve it.