Your mantra for the week: “I am letting go of worn-out things and relationships, making space for greater good in my life.”

Granting that you practiced last week’s first seven exercises that can improve your capacity to love yourself and others, here are nine more:

8) Cease all criticism of yourself. Many castigate themselves in thoughts and feelings about their weaknesses. How often do you speak ill of your memory?

9) Be gentle, kind and patient with yourself, like you treat a child, for there will always be a child within you that needs it.

10) Praise yourself often, especially when no one does.

11) Having a sense of humor is a must because seeing the funny side always helps in maintaining one’s equanimity.

12) Take care of your body temple. Treat it with respect and consideration by feeding it with healthy, nutritious food— just the right amount to keep your ideal weight. Keeping your body in good shape gives you confidence and a great sense of well-being. Strive to make it look better constantly.

13) Be kind to your mind through positive affirmations and mantras. Become aware when you are thinking negatively so you can mantra them away.

14) Stop scaring yourself making mountains out of molehills. A little bump is not a tumor, and a tumor is oftentimes not cancer.

15) Accept yourself the way you are, but be open to change, and consider the change a friend.

16) Don’t stay in unhappy relationships. Love yourself enough to let go.

‘Kapuso’

The latest to practice letting go is GMA 7 president Annette Gozon-Abrogar who has recently married former actor-turned businessman Shintaro Valdes. The broadminded father of the bride, Henry Gozon, apparently has acquiesced to the relationship—talagang iba ang Kapuso!

Birthdays

Today is the birthday of two close friends. One is the beautiful Lorna Perez Laurel, one of the best friends of my mother and one of my sister’s baptismal ninang. The other is the enterprising Gina Mendez, who runs, with her partner Camille Ilagan, five Jesi Mendez Salons, three Aqua Salons in Tagaytay, Glorietta and Alabang and, of course, Hombre on Pasay Road. A grandmother of two, she is truly indefatigable!

Legit Sultan of Sulu

The still officially unrecognized 35th Sultan of Sulu by genealogy, HRH Muedzul Lail Kiram, celebrated his birthday last week quietly in Sulu.

In 1981, his father HRH Mohammed Mahakuttah Kiram, the officially recognized 34th Sultan of Sulu, bestowed upon me the title of Maharajah Adinda (heir apparent) and gave me the name Ismael Abdullah in a ceremony held in Makati. It was the first time such an honor had been bestowed on anyone.

The Maharajah Adinda takes over the duties of the crown prince in the event that the prince is incapacitated or, in this case, is at the time a minor. After which, the Maharajah Adinda automatically becomes adviser and representative of the Sultanate and will act on all claims, as well as issues, pertaining to the upliftment of the Sultanate and its people, which Sultan Kiram believes will ultimately result in peace.

I am writing this as an acknowledgment that the legitimate Sultan of Sulu is Muedzul Lail T. Kiram. I trust that his birth anniversary will find him officially recognized by the government as the 35th Sultan of Sulu

ArteFino exhibit

Today is the last day to view the ArteFino exhibit at the Penthouse of 8 Rockwell featuring “Filipino Artisans at Their Finest.” There are 35 participants listed from A to Z—Ai She to Zacarias 1925 and includes the “Alegre” label by Techie Hagedorn, pottery by Joey de Castro, creations by Tats Manahan, Michelline Syjuco and Maco Custodio.

The ladies behind this project are Cedie Vargas, Maritess Pineda, Marimel Francisco, Susie Quiros and Mita Rufino. Maarte nga, pero fino naman!

Outselling Luna

On Sept. 5, León Gallery will hold an auction, “The Magnificent September,” including Ronald Ventura’s “Ang Plastik Mo!” Sounds like a description of many “members” of Manila high society today.

Recall that Ventura broke the auction record twice at Christie’s Hong Kong, the only Southeast Asian artist to do so. Yes, he even outsold Juan Luna.

Crazy rich Asians

A recent intimate dinner at an exclusive function room of a 6-star hotel had four ladies, who own major Bulgari treasures, decided it was an opportunity to “air” their favorite pieces amongst close friends where envy would not be an issue.

These ladies are not in the habit of displaying their precious items just to show off. Rather, they just enjoy their jewels for being the finest in craftsmanship and beauty. This of jewelry is seen only at grand balls, but these ladies made up their minds to have their own kind of “ball.”

The joke of the evening was that the next get-together would be to have breakfast at Tiffany’s at the corner of 57th and 5th Avenue, New York. Truly, the Filipino version of “Crazy Rich Asians!”

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