Your mantra for the week: “I love money and money loves me in return.”
Many days of August are part of the ghost month which the Chinese believe are not very fortunate. However, being the 8th month of the year, and number 8 in numerology is regeneration to many including the Chinese, August can also mean prosperity.
So, let me call every day of this eight month a day of wealth; listen to these words with your inner ear:
My beloved child, today is wealth day, a day when you remind yourself of all the wealth you already have, of the abundance that surrounds you.
As you look around the universe, you find the many gifts of nature flourishing everywhere. From the beautiful dawn to the glorious sunset, your days are filled with God’s abundance.
Take the word “wealth” as an acronym to make you remember that you can increase and multiply your riches. The first letter, W, reminds you that worthiness is the first thing you must consider in increasing and maintaining your prosperity.
Ask yourself: “Do I feel worthy of great riches, of overflowing abundance? How worthy am I of all the good that is my Divine Inheritance? Have I opened my mind and heart to accept all the blessings that the Universe desires to shower me with?”
You can answer, “Yes, I am worthy because I am a beloved child of God, made in its image and likeness.”
The second letter, E, stands for enthusiasm. It originates from the Greek word enthous, meaning, “from God.” How enthusiastic are you about your prosperity, about life? How much energy do you expend to make your dreams come true? The enthusiastic person in you brings forth so much good as it reminds you of your oneness with God, the source of all your blessings.
Affirmations
The next letter, A, is for affirmations. You are reminded to affirm the good, to affirm the reality of your dreams and goals. Remind yourself every day: “I am worthy of all the good in the universe. I am enthusiastic about life. I affirm the good in all people. I affirm that good is the only Power there is, for God is the only Power.” Yes, affirm all that you desire to have in your life. Believe you are worthy of it, and move with enthusiasm in the direction of your dreams.
L is for love. Along with love comes the great capacity to forgive. Love is care in action. When you truly care even just for yourself, you will forgive. Love stands for laughter, too. Each day that is filled with laughter is truly a wealthy day.
T is for trust and thanksgiving. Trust that all things are working together for good, that God is at work everywhere. Trust will see you through your challenges and whatever changes are happening in your life.
Give thanksgiving for all the things you are enjoying, for the capacity of your mind to image all the good that you desire and to look beyond appearances. Be grateful for your wonderful talents and abilities that bring you success after success.
Lastly, H is for health that enables you to enjoy your wealth, your prosperity, your dreams fulfilled. H also represents your realization that your body is the home of God, the home of the Holy Spirit.
These six letters spelled as “wealth” give you the key instructions for true prosperity and abundance: worthiness, enthusiasm, affirmations, love, thanksgiving and trust, and health. Prosperity and abundance are yours, for they come from the One Source that is within you, always awaiting your recognition.
Greatest pleasure
It was my greatest pleasure to accidentally watch “33 Variations” by Moises Kaufman the other Friday at Whitespace as presented by Red Turnip, whose wonderful founders are Ana Abad Santos, Topper Fabregas, Jenny Jamora, Cris Villonco and Rem Zamora.
Former Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar-Perez invited me to the gala night because her daughter Roselyn plays one of the major roles in the play directed by Jenny Jamora, whose brilliant guidance gave life to the playwright’s distinguished work.
In Broadway, Kaufman the playwright himself directed “33 Variations” starring Jane Fonda. It received five Tony nominations.
The play revolves around the relationship between a scholarly mother, Katherine Brandt, and her artist daughter Clara. Katherine has set herself to discover why Beethoven wrote 33 variations to Diabelli’s simple waltz while Clara is trying to find her own meaning in the world while making sense of seemingly incomprehensible relationship between her and her mother.
While all these are going on, the audience is treated to the 33 Variations of Beethoven as played marvelously by pianist Ejay Yatco. This was the last of Beethoven’s known works which I believe was some kind of a clue that the composer’s end was near—metaphysically 33 means it is time to go on a retreat, and in the I Ching, the book of changes, hexagram 33 is also entitled “retreat.” And so Beethoven passed away but his music lives on and on.
Katherine Brandt and Ludwig Van Beethoven are superbly played by Shamaine Buencamino and Teroy Guzman, respectively. I was a bit taken aback when I realized that Shamaine was the mother of Delphine Buencamino, who played Apolinario Mabini in the musicale “Mabining Mandirigma,” and that Katherine in “33 Variations” would end up similarly handicapped like our national hero.
Ina Fabregas as Carla Brandt, Franco Chan as Mike Clark, and Roselyn Perez as Gertrude Ladenburger admirably provide the perfect framework to move the play to its dramatic conclusion. Paolo O’Hara as Anton Diabelli and Rem Zamora as Anton Schindler give excellent performances as well.
There were many familiar faces that attended the gala evening sponsored by Fila.
This, of course, was led by Fila Philippines’ Cris Albert; fashion designer Rajo Laurel; Metrobank Foundation president Chito Sobrepeña and his son, former Shell Visayas regional executive Rafael, who is now preparing to become a farmer in the Sobrepeña farm in Nueva Ecija, “to plant strawberries” and the like; Chris Badiola, who is often seen escorting the likes of Mega magazine’s Sari Yap and counselor Mela Bengzon; the glamorous duo of Duday Tuason and Linda Ley; Helen Ong and daughter Marian.
I am grateful to Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo for helping bring this play to the Philippines.
The proudest guest that evening was Wanda Louwallien, mother of Cris Albert and Ana Abad Santos. Wanda is still as beautiful as when she was one of the Philippines’ top 10 models along with Anna Bayle (who later on modeled for every well-known designer in the world), Menchu Menchaca, Gina Leviste and, of course, Melanie Marquez.
And speaking of Melanie, here’s something she could say about our politicians: “Birds of the same together, they flock each other.” And how!
The play “33 Variations” runs weekends until Aug. 23 at Whitespace, Chino Roces Ave. Extension, Makati. Call Ticketworld at 8919999.
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