This has been the question posted by some friends of mine these past few days in their hopes of receiving some form of intuitive guidance from me. I myself have also been caught up in a similar dilemma lately, one way or another. Confusion and excitement forms a lethal duo on whether or not to accept the offer – a job, partnership, intimate relationship, project, etc. – which is way too promising to miss out on.
Instead of answering each inquiry down to the specific details, I felt inspired to address this concern in a more general note. Here are some suggestions for all concerned people: 1.) Start off with a clean slate
As with all new beginnings, it is best to start with a clean slate. Make sure you have honored prior commitments before accepting new ones. Believe me, this will save you from a lot of trouble in the future. And I mean a lot. 2.) Return to your roots
As tempting as any offer may sound/appear to you, it would be wiser to take a step back and try to recall your core values as a person. Reach out to your “roots” so to speak; like a tree probing deeper and deeper unto the ground. Remember who you are (authentic self), your foundations as an individual, and your higher purpose in life as of the moment. Your symbolic roots will help you be able to remain grounded so you don’t get easily blown out by a “too good to be true” offer. 3.) Gather the facts
A common mistake people make is believing that they are left with no choice. The truth is we have a choice. We always do. But in order to exercise our power to choose, we should first explore all our options. Knowing your options helps one arrive at an informed decision. 4.) Rise above
Soar high like an eagle and try to see the situation from a bird’s eye view with discernment and objectivity you can muster. Look into it to discover the pros and cons of the situation in relation to each options you hold. Is there something that needs to be sacrificed in favor for another? Most importantly, are you willing to make sacrifices? 5.) Explore your motives
Perhaps the hardest of all. Delve deeper and discover your true intention behind your choices. What is your main purpose for accepting it? Does your motive matches your values in life at present? A little honesty here will be very much helpful. 6.) Pay attention
Watch out for signs from the Universe. Remember, the Great Spirit communicates with you every single moment whenever you are ready to listen. Keep in mind that there are no such things as accidents but only synchronicities. 7.) Surrender
Surrender does not mean giving up but rather being open to possibilities and trusting the process of life – that every thing will fall into places on the divine timing. Generally speaking, it is not advisable to venture into something new during the Venus retrograde cycle in Aries. Instead, use this phase to reevaluate the situation/choices then be ready to implement changes after it finishes off on late April. 8.) Take responsibility
Whenever you feel it’s time to take action, take ownership of whatever choice/decision you make. Put in mind that your actions will bear either good or bad consequences. Ultimately, flow with the outcome whether you are pleased with it or not.
Hope you find these helpful.
The Sunday Times
PROFILE
Sunday, March 01, 2009
John Angelico “Lycoh” Pinlac, a Haribon member thinks that many modern day people have forgotten that we are living in one big ecosystem and what affects one affects all. This kind of understanding has the potential to cultivate a greater sense of responsibility among people and encourages them to take a proactive stance in environmental conservation efforts. What he does is to help people rediscover and realize that special link they share with Mother Earth, Gaia.
Also known by the name Ishilta, his pen name, he is a sacred ecologist who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geography at the University of the Philippines Diliman; is a freelance writer, holistic healer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Through the years, he has been invited to speak in a number of conferences about queer geography and Philippine earth-based spiritualities.
When asked how he became a member, he replied: “I’ve been hearing about Haribon way back college. I had an innate interest in environmental conservation but had no opportunity to involve myself. After I graduated, I started job-hunting for job placements that have something to do with environmental conservation then I stumbled on Haribon. I luckily had a chance to attend one of Haribon’s seminars in Ortigas. And then a few months later, I filled up the membership form in the website and finally decided to give my passion a concrete form.”
“In addition, my skills and knowledge as a geographer, I believe, have great potentials to be utilized in areas such as resource management, mapping species distribution, land use planning, and integrated urban planning. “
As a member, Ishilta does not dwell on how great or small his contribution is to the organizations he joins. What is really important for him is that he is able to help in the implementation of the organization’s goals to the best of his abilities.
“I can say that in my small humble ways, I am able to contribute to the fulfillment of Haribon’s mission and objectives. First of all, the mere act of becoming a member is, already in itself, an act of supporting the organization’s cause. Secondly, by educating my self on pressing environmental issues and equipping my self with the necessary knowledge, I believe I can become a better and effective campaigner of Haribon’s environmental advocacies. Finally, by helping people become aware of their profound relationship with the natural environment encourages them to work hand in hand with Haribon’s mission-vision, directly or indirectly. “
Ishilta believes that change starts within an individual. “The best thing I could do as an individual, I believe, is by becoming a living example to many others out there. This way, through my works and examples, I can inspire people to become better stewards of nature and help increase their level of awareness of how empowering it could be for every one to conserve biodiversity and live in harmony with the natural world.”
You too can become an environmental champion! Visit www.haribon.org.ph for more info.
Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/01/yehey/weekend/20090301week10.html
I have been noticing lately that in most of my conversations with close friends of mine, we tend to end up discussing about love, relationship, and intimacy. It has suddenly became a pressing concern for almost everybody (Besides, isn’t love (and sex) an all-time favorite topic?). It’s either they’d ask me for a relationship advice or they’d throw me the question, “How is your love life doing?”
I must admit that, in many instances, interviewers have had caught me off guard in answering The Simple Question. I just didn’t know what to say, where to start, and how to explain it without being so defensive about my self. I just hate ambush interviews. They don’t give me the luxury to collect myself, to find the right words to say and to edit it before it goes public just like in my writing.
Perhaps, I’ve been trying so hard to avoid the topic for quite some time. One reason being is that I want to move past my two-year emotional attachment to One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken (which in my belief, I did!). Second, maybe I got myself really busy taking care of my sick mom, who is battling ovarian cancer, among other things.
And so I would like to take this opportunity to really share some thoughts about the topic. I feel that the topic is really timely since I believe many of us are still experiencing a post-valentines frenzy and due to an upcoming Venus retrograde cycle in Aries starting on March 6 until April 17, which will touch the area of love, intimacy, and relationship. To do this, I have to share you a glimpse of my life experiences.
Contrary to being single since birth (although I had many flings in the past I need not to elaborate here. LOL), deeply in my heart, I feel that my life’s greatest lesson is centered on love, intimacy, and relationship. I never saw my singlehood as an obstacle in experiencing and understanding the sacred teachings of the heart. In fact, I have seen it as an opportunity to learn and discover my self even more in relation to others.
The romance area of my life has always been a challenge area for me ever since. I actually consider it as a major blind spot – my personal kryptonite to be exact. But just like a mountain could represent a standing block in one’s life, a mountain can also be seen as a depository of great treasures when conquered. So instead of feeling powerless, I learned to embrace it and make this aspect of my life a great symbolic teacher to me. The Quest Begins
Surely every one wants to love and be loved. We are naturally inclined to seek for the experience of love – a special someone that will complete us, give meaning to our ordinary lives, and keep us warm during the cold nights. Someone that can accept us for who we are and who we are not.
The endless pursuit for love is like a quest for the holy grail of immortality. It holds the promise of everlasting joy and happiness. To many it remains a myth until they have come face to face with it. Such is the thirst for it that many people have sought it in unimaginable ways. Hence, the quest for love begins.
My quest for love began during my early childhood. All my growing years, I tend to believe that I was such a weak and incomplete being. I’ve always believed that, someday, someone will have to walk into my life, wave a magic wand, and – presto! – make every thing look perfect for me. I felt like I was some kind of a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be solved and all that needs to be done is find that missing piece of me (in human form).
In my search for the missing piece, I took a lot of bold steps that even my present self could not believe I have done it. I practically ventured into an unknown territory. I’ve search for love in many (wrong) places; grabbing every opportunity that came my way to meet my potential soul mate. I was so desperate that, in many instances, I willingly reached out to meet a compromise. But in time, I realized that with every step forward I made was, in fact, two steps away from love/authentic self. One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken (OWNCBS)
Over the years of my life, I’ve fallen in and out of love so many times. Every person I met up with was a suspected soul mate. So much was my anticipation that I grew addicted to each of my current love interest as days grow by. Among them, I consider my encounter with One Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken to be the most meaningful learning experience for me so far.
I met OWNCBS some two years ago in a healing circle. I remembered it was a time approaching a Venus retrograde cycle (Venus retrograde cycle occurring every one and a half years). During the first meeting, never did it occur to me that I would be getting myself emotionally involved with this person until the third meeting. Although we never had a chance to really get really close due to the many invisible barriers at that time (langit siya at organic garden soil ako), OWNCBS surely put me under a spell which lasted for quite a long time even though both of us were practically spending our individual lives several miles apart from each other.
OWNCBS was an embodiment of security for me. I have perceived OWNCBS to be an accomplished person, economically stable, artistic, highly educated, sensible, spiritually inclined and assumingly, well versed in life (due to biological age). Perhaps, OWNCBS has become the human manifestation of all the good things in life that I can ever dream of.
I was drawn to OWNCBS for all the obvious and strange reasons in the world. Time came when OWNCBS had become like an addictive substance I craved for from moment to moment that just a thought of OWNCBS gives me a taste of Dewachen. OWNCBS, I thought, was the perfect piece to complete my puzzle-like being.
On the irony, OWNCBS also had come to mirror the qualities that my inner self lacks or needs working. OWNCBS was a reminder to me of who/what I was not. OWNCBS allowed me to see and uncover all the unlovable parts of my self. I could say that being with OWNCBS is akin to opening my Pandora’s box – triggering all my issues and insecurities that have been kept intact in my symbolic closet. It was close to being stripped off naked leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. This had caused so much discomfort in my part.
As much as I crave for OWNCBS’ attention and presence, I tried all in my power to avoid OWNCBS. But despite my avoidance tactics, the Universe had somehow started playing tricks on me. There was a time I can remember when every place I go and every thing I do I would be reminded of OWNCBS. I would see OWNCBS’ name or surname in the names of the streets, buildings, movies, in my dreams, in my visions, etc. Although we were not seeing each other for years now, I felt like OWNCBS has been with me all this time. Learning the Lesson
For the past two years, I tried really hard to make sense of my so-called connection to OWNCBS. I searched for answers. I wanted to understand what brought OWNCBS to my life. I wanted to be sure that I still have my sanity with me and that we have a higher purpose to fulfill together sooner or later.
I asked the Universe for personal freedom. It answered. The Great Spirit gifted me with freedom – freedom to experience love in all levels without expectations. And with the gift of freedom comes revelation and an understanding of the purpose of my experience from the greater scheme of things.
My missing piece was not OWNCBS neither can it be found in anyone else. It does not exist outside of me for the missing piece has been always inside of me all along – a treasure right on my own backyard waiting to be uncovered. I realized that no other person could ever complete me except me. The missing piece all of us have been searching for can only be found when we are truly able to learn to love and to accept ourselves unconditionally.
Ultimately, OWNCBS served as a catalyst, a symbolic doorway which led me to the rediscovery of what I was looking for. OWNCBS embodied the qualities I wanted to cultivate within my very self. OWNCBS was an instrument to remind me of my higher potentials – the person that I can become like someday if I choose to. That what I seek outside, is in truth, can be found within.
As of the moment of writing, OWNCBS and I still haven’t exchanged messages. And whether we have a future together or not, OWNCBS and the lesson of my experience will forever remain in my heart.
Photo taken from: http://videogames.lovetoknow.com
I have been noticing lately that in most of my conversations with close friends of mine, we tend to end up discussing about love, relationship, and intimacy. It has suddenly became a pressing concern for almost everybody (Besides, isn’t love (and sex) an all-time favorite topic?). It’s either they’d ask me for a relationship advice or they’d throw me the question, “How is your love life doing?”