YOUR mantra for the week: “I am looking forward to a New Year of unlimited blessings.”

 

In this season, we celebrate the Christ in everyone—that phase of your Beingness that is made in the image and likeness of God. We also celebrate the teachings of one man called Jesus of Nazareth who found the Christ within himself and taught the whole world that the Christ is in each one; that God is everywhere; that there is only good in the universe; that God is love; and therefore, God is there wherever you are and wherever you go.

 

Recognize this love now and truly celebrate the spirit of Christmas. Let this love radiate from you. Let everyone who sees you see only love, feel only love. This will purify your every thought, will make every word you speak a magnet for good, for wholeness and health, for prosperity of all kinds and for success in all your undertakings.

 

In this season, we surrender to the Light of the Christ within you. All blocks and obstructions that prevent the flow of good in your life will be dissolved. You shall be guided to freedom from negative thoughts and feelings, freedom from resentments, thereby making room for all the good you are desiring.

 

As you become aware of that brightness that is within you, as you surrender to that Light, you open the gates of Heaven, and there, in that stillness, you can ask yourself, “Who is God?” And you will hear that Still Small Voice within you say, “I AM.”

 

And then you will discover the secret of secrets, the meaning of the name of God when He told Moses: “Tell them that my name is I AM THAT I AM.” As you ask who God is, and you hear the answer, “I AM,” you can now say, “God is I AM. God is the Christ. God is that Christ within me. I AM the Christ within.”

 

As you speak these words to yourself, the I AM within you speaks and how clearly you will hear:

 

“I AM all that there is, My child. And you are part of that I AM THAT I AM. For you and I are one. As Jesus said, ‘The Father and I are one.’ And the Christ in you, that part of you that I AM, is the only Begotten son that there is. For all of you are My children and are my Begotten Sons. For each of you is Me, the I AM.”

 

Third Miss Universe

 

Dec. 21, I made sure to watch the “Miss Universe” pageant knowing that Pia Wurtzbach stood a good chance of winning the crown based not only on her popularity online—a result of her having asked the AlDub fans to please support her in her quest—but also her moon position in her yearly planetary cycles, which is an extension of the Sun cycle of blessings when the moon is waxing.

 

For those who have missed my explanation of our yearly seven planetary cycles, let me reiterate its significance by reviewing it once more.

 

The cycles in our lives are important to know because they help us decide how to program our activities during the year.

 

The Sun cycle starts on one’s birthday, which comprises 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 are 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 fourth cycle, rest, recreation and mentally relaxing activities are recommended after coming from a high period of physical energy. This does not discount, however, blessings that come in the form of great and original ideas.

 

The cycle of Jupiter promises success, and this is when Megan Young was proclaimed Miss World 2013.

 

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 know that at particular periods of the year, they experience positive or negative situations which they dismiss as mere coincidence. 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.

 

A cinch

 

As for the Top 3 in the Miss Universe finals: Miss USA was born Sept. 28; Miss Philippines, Sept. 24; Miss Colombia, Dec. 25. That would put Miss USA and Miss Philippines both on their Moon cycle with the moon waxing toward its fullness.

 

I did not even consider Miss Colombia a possible winner because she was on her Saturn cycle, considered the disciplinarian of all planets.

 

When Miss USA buckled a bit during the question-and-answer segment and Miss Philippines’ spiel was flawless and Miss Colombia needed an interpreter, it was a cinch for Pia to bring home the crown.

 

When emcee Steve Harvey announced that Miss Colombia won, I was so stunned. I started talking to my TV set. There is something wrong with this contest. There must be a mistake somewhere. This can’t be happening.

 

At that point, Steve went back onstage and apologized for his faux pas. He proceeded to show the card showing Miss Colombia as first runner-up and proclaimed Miss Philippines as Miss Universe 2015.

 

Pia was so cool in her acceptance of being first runner-up and, therefore, was so surprised when she was announced as the real Miss Universe 2015.

 

I suddenly remembered what she said when she won Binibining Pilipinas Universe: “Manny Pacquiao may not have won the crown but I will.”

 

By the way, Manny lost the championship to Floyd Mayweather despite his being on his third cycle of Mars giving him all the physical strength necessary for him to win.

 

But then, Floyd, like Pia, was on his Moon cycle, and the moon was waxing toward its maximum fullness—a most auspicious site for anyone transiting the cycle of the moon.

 

In the meantime, looking back at the history of international beauty pageants during the time of Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran and Miss International 1964 Gemma Cruz, organizers did not allow any contestants to undergo plastic surgery of any sort.

 

Today, however, the South Americans dominate these international beauty tilts because they have mastered the methodology of reshaping, recontouring and perfecting facial features—so much so that they have produced real live dolls who exemplify perfection.

 

They even have documentaries showing how all these things are done. I personally prefer the days where there was a minimum of retoke, if at all.

 

Trivia

 

Here’s some trivia about our first three international beauty queens:

 

I recall an incident when Gloria Diaz had just won the crown and a director (or was she an emcee of a fashion show?) once got very exasperated with Gloria, who insisted she must take a break after a three-hour rehearsal. “Who do you think you are?” the director jumped at her.

 

Gloria very calmly sat down, primly and properly crossed her legs and said, “Miss Universe.”

 

In the case of Margie Moran, her Malaysian roommate was quoted as saying, “Ms. Moran deserves the Miss Universe title amongst all of us candidates if only because she is the sweetest smelling of us all.”

 

And our first international beauty queen, Gemma Cruz, was so stunningly tall that when she paid a courtesy call to President Diosdado Macapagal and First Lady Eva—who is only as tall as her daughter Gloria Macapagal—Gemma shook hands with her, and that image lives on in my memory.

 

Incidentally, I was Gloria Diaz’s cohost in a talk show titled “Manila After Dark.”

 

Gemma Cruz’s mother, Chitang Guerrero-Nakpil, my father Carlos Moran Sison and myself were the first guests of Elvira Manahan’s popular TV show “Two for the Road.”

 

And Margie is a cousin of mine.

 

I am so grateful for being surrounded with so much beauty in the universe.

 

E-mail the columnist: [email protected]; visit his website, www.GeorgeSison.com