thought book essay - 4

Merchants of Magis

(Inspired by the National Situationer activity in BOS by KKP-SIP XU-ADC)

In antiquity, the guilds of merchants are the movers and shakers of society just next to the town’s council and clergymen. This guild is blessed with just enough intelligence and possessions to muster their position in society’s triangle. The movement of products from the countryside to the town square and eventually to the town’s folk mediated in their hands. The humble beginnings of the middle class came from this pool of people. And the middle class then multiplied into the very bulk of today’s society. So with this simple logic, we can never deny the significant contribution of antiquity’s merchants in building society to its present structure. But behind this glorious façade lies scattered seeds of corruption that grew with the merchant’s greed. With the growing market of the town comes growing temptation to corrupt – the easy way of accumulating personal wealth in the expense of others. Some succumb to this seductive enterprise and soon, the town was engulfed into an air of despair, distrust and anger.

bah?!

Needless to say, the men of who brought goods to the people became the very enemy of the folk. Certain ideologies may call the people to-arms and revolt. They say revolution is the only way to fix society’s disproportioned triangle.

The air maybe ripe for a revolution, the stage maybe set for “glorious” leaders to rise from the abused bottom ready to fight the unjust with swords and guns but in the mind of the magna anima, the great soul – the only option and most effective is to combat this injustice without bloodshed through people who have the sharpened weapons to do it. Weapons not of steel or iron but weapons of the spirit. These are the weapons of love, hope, and faith animated by a blessed few. These men who understood it and relentlessly spreading it are the merchants of Magis. A revolutionary whose heart is engulfed with the flame of passion for excellence and compassion for others, a precious spirit of the guild gained only with the coinage of sacrifice, the relentless pursuit for the best, the willingness of lifelong growth, and the motivation to use those developed capabilities for others.

The merchants of magis are staging their own revolution in every corner where injustice lurks and it is through this “magis” that the seeds of love, hope and faith becomes real in the world.

Magis ka na ba?!

thought book essay - 3

Magnanimity Mechanism

I read an article entitled “Meditations on Magnanimity” of Ateneo de Manila’s “The Hill”, their community newsletter, and while reading it; my blurry abstract understanding of a fundamental Ignatian trait simply condenses into a humble crystal that may start a whirlwind of contemplation and action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what I call the “Magnanimity Mechanism”. Magnanimity or generosity is the corner stone of our Jesuit education. Magnanimity or magna anima, which means great soul in Latin, is the very virtue that encapsulates Ignatian spirituality, the thing that marks us different from the rest – the search of the great soul inside of us. Being generous, what does it mean? How do we attain it? I am no Jesuit, so as the Consul but after reading several articles about this. I hope I could share a precise shot of it.

It is in self-awareness which leads to self-acceptance where the dynamic of formation begins. Two powerful words that have countless philosophical interpretations but are the simple end result of a rollercoaster ride called the Spiritual Exercises. As what Carmelo Caluag mentioned in the article, self acceptance results one to be more grateful for the blessings in one’s life and also for God’s compassion towards our shortcomings and sinfulness.

Gratitude, genuine and deeply rooted gratitude, always leads to humility, the acknowledgement that everything in life is grace, that everything in life is a gift. Being humble and grateful of the graces received results to a sense of freedom from self – knowing and understanding that we are not the center of the universe. With this in mind, one focuses this question, “what will I do in return?” Or in the words of Ignatius, “What more ought I do for Christ?”

The sense of mission then follows, the mission of doing something more, the mission of setting one’s life within the horizon of a dream larger than life (in the words of Fr. Arevalo,), the magis. This mission becomes the very driving force of our lives. Life is mission as what it’s called. One is then called to give the self totally to the work. The great soul dedicates his whole in his life mission.

As Ateneans, we live as this magna anima, the great soul. Never forgetting that what ever we do, we do it for God’s greater glory and we do it for others. And the giving is not only for the sake of giving but a deep rooted desire to extend God’s love to those who despair, to those who have seemed lost in the light of the Lord.

God loves you!

thought book essay - 2

Why is Lego the most ingenious toy in the world?

-question to Sophie Amundsen by Alberto Knox [Sophie's World]

The memory never fades of me building mighty and towering towers. Building blocks are my favorite piece of toy in my childhood days. The feeling was overwhelming. I was amazed in the magic of these toys. This is the magic of building great things through the interlocking blocks. What amazed me most is the thought of shaping the blocks to fit my vision of a great building, the thought of influencing things to create something great, something good. Toys do have an effect on our mind that somehow evolves as we grow. As a child, we see it plainly as a play thing, as an adult, we can see it as the external things that “in a way” formed our view and response to the world. I am sure Lego did it to me. Now, I am instilled with that notion of being an instrument. I am a repairman of a collapsing or decaying tower using its existing blocks to strengthen its foundation, a builder of something good, something beautiful. Humanity has always been like this. A builder building great feats, great marks of civilization but he himself has the tendency of destroying it all to oblivion.

The world is a colorful bucket of building blocks so let us use its interlocking characteristic and build something great, something beautiful, and something good with the help of our creative mind and our loving heart.

thought book essay - 1

The Ship of Possibilities

A ship full of souls sails into a vast ocean man by a committed crew and captain towards the horizon, towards uncertainty. This image telescopes how I see student organizations. A sailing ship bound somewhere, but in this case for something - something greater. In my history bank, a galleon ship perfectly emblematizes this. The ship is guided by dedicated men bearing the pride and glory of their name and motherland and these men stand as a conquistador/captain ready to conquer the mighty challenges of the new world and heroic priests delivering a new faith of love to natives; these are the souls who faithfully and courageously man the galleon traveling years into an ocean of uncertainty but hopes in a vision of hitting dry and fertile land to call their own.

Student organizations are ships of this sort. Students called upon in the name of service for God and others, leading a sophisticated and structured organization into an uncertain future but guided by an inspiring and promising vision. In the other hand, a galleon filled with heroic souls but with no vision is the same as a paper boat in its endless trip in a stream. A galleon with a noble vision but no brave soul to follow it is of the same sort. How can a galleon be legendary in that case? Simple, it becomes a testament of heroism through its journey. The journey molds heroic people, heroic people chisel noble visions. The galleon guided by the wind of God’s breath and the sail of man honing that wind travels vast distances safely. The interplay of these two creates that journey, that vast distance ready to test the crew for the greater challenge of hitting dry land. Like the student organizations, they implement directions (programs and projects) with a long-term eye much like the crew manipulating the direction for their sails to harness the wind. The journey is made fuller through faith and action-the correct alignment of the sail to the wind, and the great distance made shorter through vision. After a school year of sailing, the galleon finally hits dry land. A land filled with endless possibilities and countless obstacles. For the heroic crew who had just faced unfathomable challenges in the ocean, they know that it is only the mean that had been satisfied. The end is still very far from the horizon. The story of the conquistador, crew and priests has just begun.

God loves you!

The 7th session with the Republika’s Consul On
"Personal Brand"

Ton: after 47 years Consul, hello! Daghan lng gyud trabaho. School life is intensifying now a-days. Finals na baya. Been dancing, studying, accounting, debating, praying, partying. . . wow! Bottom line, the activities had brought to mind this term consul: “Personal Brand” because it deals with the interplay between the self and the experiences. The same with a product brand, we have this “personal brand” which is distinct in every human person carved by his or her personality, skills, interests, experiences, principles. So consul, how can we carve and develop our personal brand? How could I say this is distinctly “tontonnerish” or “whoeverish”.

Consul: Hahahahaha! A unique topic young one and a delicate one for that matter. Your personal brand is a firm impression or image that comes to mind when people think of you. Thus, it is with great and utter importance to take care and nurture this so called “brand”.

Ton: Ohhh! How could I create and nurture a personal brand?

Why me?

Consul: Simple young one! Start with the mind and heart, the rest will follow. Having a personal brand is all about having first the belief and love in yourself. If you accomplish this, it is easy for you to create that so-called “personal brand”.

Ton: Oh…so confidence and love gyud ang pinaka fundamental. So if have a strong sense of this already then what?

Consul: Then you could play with things. You can now conquer knowledge and relish it, build relationships and accomplish heroic deeds. BUT young one, all must be bonded with a principle that serves the very core of all of this. Yours young one is of that of the Atenean. The very core of that identity that radiates in multi-colors.

Ton: Ya! Come to think that I’ve been is XU since nursery! Radiates in multi colors? What do you mean consul?

Consul: An atenean way of living young one. God as the hub and source of everything you do serves as the lunching pad of plenty of wonderful things. These wonderful things are colorful and heroic. Just give it a ton of Magis and it will surly explode! That is a personal brand, a harmonious mix of principle, love and deeds that will surely create a unique mark to each who nurtures it.

Ton: Thank You Consul! You again gave me a new perception about personal brand ha that is out of the conventional “corporate” notion of it. It is simply living out the principle with love and magis and the “brand” will simply follow.

God loves you!

The 6th session with the Republika’s Consul On Detachment

Ton: Good evening consul! Long time no talk ha. I was really busy. Busy in studies and specially work. Things are running fast around me so that is the reason why weren’t able to chat. In the course of these events consul, I finally have this great idea to talk about. It really fits my present predicament as a person placed in a very fast moving, demanding and challenging environment – the School.

Consul: Indeed young one, this is a golden opportunity for me to talk to you about detachment for you to see a greater sea.

Ton: Detachment? You mean giving up things?

Consul: No young one, it is overcoming things, people and ideas.

indifference dude!

Ton: Diba that’s really difficult consul? How can I detach myself to things or people that basically are part of my lifestyle?

Consul: That is the great challenge for you young one. It must begin in the depth of your consciousness. You ought first to recalibrate your world-view, nourish a positive one and then begin to practice it.

Ton: yah.. I got the point. So I need to develop a positive point of view then what? Practice? Practice what?

Consul: With that loving vision of the world, practice and learn to accept everything good young one as a grace from God but at the same time be apart from them. Don’t let those things be the source of your decisions because you will loose your inner freedom. Learn to listen to that inner voice, the voice of God. It can only be possible through refining it with all inordinate attachments.

Ton: Oh… consul, it’s a matter of practice diba? The best way I could do that is by using the ultimate recharger – a prayer.

Consul: Yes! Practice and prayer. You will soon realize young one that if you constantly ask for guidance in cleansing your heart of all inordinate attachment daily, it will elevate all sufferings and at the same time open a new level of happiness. It will lead you to this because your inner freedom is clear for God’s voice to be heard and not buried by the noise of attachments.

Ton: Yes consul! I resolve that in my daily prayers I ask help in this quest for detachment especially now that my school life is in the high note.

Consul: Just think of it this way young one. If you are removed from one place to another, from a wealthy to a poor environment, accept it full heartedly without prejudice. In your school, learn to detach from all the haste and noise because it is in this level of detachment that you relish a true vision and you making the right decisions.

Ton: Thank you very mush consul! One way or another you made me realize that the sufferings of students for that matter comes from inordinate attachments of grades, recognition, fame and wrong friends. Bottom line, be indifferent and never let things and feelings influence my decision.

"Learn to live outside the box."

God is Love.

The 5th session with the Republika’s Consul On Learning

Ton: Whow! Consul! Midterm exams are finally over! Another major battle is over but the casualties are yet to be counted. Basically consul, I don’t have any apprehensions about the scores but there is one thing we need to talk about. It is not the score results and dealing with them but it is about learning in general. Can you like you know, give me one of your “philosophical” discourses about why I need to learn aside form the fact that my parents pay for it.

Consul: Young one, 1^st I would like to congratulate you for being confident about your exams. Confidence in any action signifies a well prepared spirit. You did your part, let God do the rest. Hmmm… learning you say? Young one, simply being a human person endowed by intellect by a Being gives us the drive to learn.

Ton: Bitaw bah, I just realized that having intellect and ability to love differentiates us from the animals. Intellect basically is nurtured through learning.

Consul: Correct! Intellect is a gift, a gift from God. As a borrowed thing, we have the obligation to take care of it. Not just take to take care but to nurture it. Learning is not enough, what is complete young one, is reflective learning then action to apply that knowledge.

Ton: Wow! That is nuclear! IPP na yan ha! You made me think consul. I realized that learning must not be treated as a “habit” but as a life process. It needs an active mind. We learn everyday, every moment and with the use of our minds translate that learning’s into action. It is action that leads to a change for the good but with that component called “reflective” in it. It seems like I am urged to process all knowledge as coming from God, a grace that must be cultivated, a knowledge that can never be complete without it being applied for the good.

Consul: Yes, it is indeed in learning that humanity evolved. But I warn you young one, be cautious in acquiring knowledge. Be mindful of its substance. Never let a distorted thought infest your mind. Be critical and analyze. Use your conscience to filter all ideas for it to be free of biases and errors.

Ton: Thank you consul, you basically drew a flow chart about reflective learning. Basta. Embrace all learning’s as a grace from God. Then, Practice myself to process through my experiences and reflect upon it and finally act.

Consul: We never cease to learn. It is a life long process. What makes it worth while is applying it to extend God’s love.

Ton: Wow! Thank you so much consul! You indeed gave me a new insight about knowledge, learning and those kinds of things.

See God in all things

God loves you!

Heroic Leadership 1

The 4th session with the Republika’s Consul

On Mission

Ton: Consul, I have something to tell you with absolute significance! I am actually running for a public trust these coming XU elections 07! Basically consul, I am kinda nervous.

Consul: Excellent my young one! It is indeed a noble act to give back what God gave you through this line of service. What are you running for?

Ton: I’m running for year-representative in the School of Business and Management Student Council. It is not relatively a big burden.

Consul: Hmmm… burden you say? All responsibilities are not a burden young one, it only becomes one if you consider it a burden. It is more of a mission given to you by your peers. You and your co-officers are now mediators, implementers and planners of sorts. You and your co-officers are now catalyst for change young one with a bigger pool for the magis.

Who’s your daddy?

Ton: Cge consul, I am really setting my mind into it. I’m setting it every moment to receive this trust as a mission, as something more, as something divine consul! But still there is that feeling of what if.

Consul: Young one, it is normal for you to feel that uncertainty but you can always reinforce it with a prayer. Continue to nurture the principles you believe in because at the end, these principles are your strengths for this mission.

Ton: Thank you very much consul! The Heroic Leadership book is really of use ha! I’m really trying to furnish my self-awareness exercises. It seems like the spring board of re-energizes spirit comes to the fact that I now slowly realize my weaknesses, strengths and mission in this present time.

Consul: Yes! Self-awareness is the core of any Heroic deeds because it is our understanding of ourselves that feeds our consciousness to the fullest and act through it.

Ton: Thank you very much consul! You indeed gave me a boost! Next time, I hope we could talk about the three other pillars that practically fuelled the Jesuits to do heroic deeds.

See God in all things

God loves you!

a pale blue dot

The 3rd session with the Republika’s Consul

on the cosmos and learning from it

Ton: Consul, I came along with this picture. I 1^st heard of it in An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. This picture is about us. All of us. Well, actually it’s a picture of earth taken from a satellite millions of miles away from earth. Earth simply appears to be a small pale very pixilated blue dot floating in the dark cosmos. It really made me think. And think deep.

Consul: The pale blue dot is us. It is indeed where humanity evolved, all human wrongs, all human accomplishments, all the things, places and people we know of is on that pale blue dot young one. It indeed radiates something, something humbling, yet marvelous.

Ton: Exactly consul! It seems like, even how great we think we humans are, it just happened on a tiny dot in a film. All the wars, the famine, all we strived for, all we fought for happened on that dot! It really amazes me because the very idea of our existence as microscopic bits of life in the universe translates into a wonder, a divine wonder.

Consul: Young one, this image constantly reminds us, all of us that there is something greater than this reality. That in all of humanity strived for; we still are small living things In God’s vast universe. At the same time, it reminds us to be caring. Caring for our home for this is the only one we have in the vast darkenss of the cosmos.

Ton: Thank you consul! It is indeed true that when I think about this picture, it really has that divine effect in me. It enforces my faith and urges me to act about the environment. Whoh! What a great fundamental idea for a new environmentalist! Thanks consul!

God loves you!

constant war within 2

The Consul’s 1st discourse on the dark side and how to combat it part 2

Socrates’ immortal words – “An unexamined life is not worth living”. St. Ignatius really took this statement seriously. In his Spiritual Exercises, he created an innovative prayer designed to recall a day’s event examining all our thoughts and actions. A daily silent recollection which starts in the morning, noon and evening recalling all our actions; good or bad, recalling our core values, reminding us of our mission, thanking God for all the blessings from a stranger’s smile to a cup of milk and resolving to do better for the next day. A simple 5 minutes of silence and prayer twice a day gives something to the soul which worldly pleasures could never substitute. It acts as a spring board for new energy to win the day. It reinvigorates our soul. It re-energizes our spirit. It pushes us to be more heroic. This is the Awareness Examen, a prayer that helps us to become more aware of God’s presence in our day. With this very fast moving world, it is essential for the soul to pause daily even for five minutes just to talk to our God, the ultimate source of all our energy thus combating laziness, pessimism and other traits of the Dark Side. This is an essential practice as a soldier for God.

1. Asking for Insight from the Holy Spirit.
2. Looking at my day. Recall a moment by moment account for the past hours.
3. Thanksgiving. Thanking God for all the graces received for the day. It can be from a simple new lesson, a meeting of an old friend or a new life realization.
4. We ask Forgiveness. With the gifts, we note the gaffs. We recall our failure to respond to God’s love and all our errors.
5. Looking to Tomorrow. Ask God to invigorate our spirits more, affirm more our core values, and resolve to be more heroic as a soldier of God.

God loves you!

constant war within

The Consul’s 1st discourse on the dark side and how to combat it part 1

Lust for power, deep attachment to fame and riches, the passion and desire to be the most important, the most needed, the sought after and the most recognized and an oversized ego led to the self-destruction of countless heroes. The dark side is within us all.

Think about it. Not being still, not listening, not praying and always preoccupied of thinking about yourself will lead the dark side to control you.

Pride young one leads to jealousy, jealousy leads to anger, anger leads to suffering and suffering leads to hate. It is the most contagious and most common disease in humanity. People fall pray to its seductive ways and when engulfed, it will for ever lead your destiny. Do not despair. As human as we are there is always the seed of goodness which lays in every one of us. Goodness that grows when we resist our own dark side by knowing our weaknesses, our values, our principle, our strengths, our actions and our emotions hence, by knowing ourselves fully. Goodness that grows when we examine ourselves constantly in morning, noon and evening. Goodness that grows when we embrace God in our lives.

Defeat them!

Be still once in a while, look and listen to God’s presence in all things, correct the errors, give thanks and act in response to His love. Daily.

God loves you!

learning from the general

The 2nd session with the Republika’s Consul on looking and learning from a mentor

Ton: Consul, I finally have the time to share a thought or two about people we call mentors.

Consul: Yes. Mentors young one are the people older or even younger than you who you consider formators and molders of your mind and heart. Seek one with caution and observation but be generous and open for you will grow well with them. Mentors are the one who inspires you not the one that makes you insecure. They have this uncanny ability to fuel your drive not to suck you of your energy. So learn from them because they are learning from you.

Ton: Yah! Basically I consider all the people mentors. One way or another they contribute a nugget of lesson to me and you but there is always a top in every list. Consul, I wish to share to you my mentor, Fr. Xrysz, sj. A brilliant Jesuit who not only reminded me of who I am but tapped the infinite seed that grows in me. He was actually the moderator of the Light Cavalry Leadership Community and I chaired that organization so it is only natural for him to be my moderator slash mentor.

Consul: Ah. In just a brief collection of sentences, what have you discovered about yourself and the world?

Ton: Wups! To long to enumerate in detail but can be summarized into one word. The mushy word we call – LOVE. I feel that this notion he implanted in my heart almost a year ago grew into so many branches that I can’t enumerate them all. The ambiguous and abstract word called love evolved into a notion that dug deep into all aspects of my life from my studies, my ideas,my human relations, my management and organizational values, leadership values, my prayers, and my technical stuff. Imagine that! It is the word that binds the seemingly impossible thoughts into one! God is love. God binds it all. He always reminded me that the people who are to powerless to dream for themselves and even those who don’t even care be the forefront of my heart. To sum it all up Consul, I rediscovered the beauty of God in Fr. Chris. In how God works in all of us. Making us do great things for others.

Consul: Yes. It is indeed a good realization that this man helped you ignite something that is already in you and not just in you but in all of us. We all have that seed of infinte. That realization of “Love”, the seed that grows is being buried today by too much materialism and by a world that simply wants to fast track everything.

Stop, look and listen.

Ton: Exactly consul! Fr. Chris made me still, listen, pray and respond! He somehow made me embrace each experience, each second as God’s way of giving me gifts because in each experience I learn something. Amazing notion!

Consul: He has given you much indeed. It is indeed up to you young one to nurture this “divine” realization. Be still. Do listen and pray. And respond with heroism and innovation. The seed is growing with the correct fertile soil.

Ton: Thank you Consul! Until next time.

God loves you!

A day before battle

The 1^st session with the Republika’s Consul
on preparing for battle with new weapons

Ton: Tomorrow will finally be the 1^st day of the school year 2007!

Consul: Back to the routine way of living you say?

Ton: I think not. The holiday break led me to a new soul and God searching sessions that pretty much resulted to a beef up of my energetic spirit, new motto and new inspirations. Nothing beats the old Jesuit practice of self-awareness, discernment and prayer! Diba!? Imagine, after 13 years of Ateneo education, the teachings are finally touching my heart! Hahahaha! I am now training my thoughts to constantly do these exercises. To be contemplative in action! Reflection on the move! To destroy the sith in me, to help souls!

Consul: Ah, inspired you are. Much the ateneo have given you. What inspired you?

Ton: Actually it was triggered by a book. I borrowed this book, Heroic Leadership a couple of times already and have been reading it twice. This book is my inspiration and I wish all of you will read it. Oh yah! I also reviewed my Ogilvie retreat palancas and a certain palanca invigorated more of my soul. The palanca of Xrysz, sj. It reminded me of my mission and who I am. Soon, I wish to quote some of it to you.

My mentor and I

Consul:He is indeed a great mentor. In the other hand, do you sense fear tomorrow?

Ton: Hmmmm… I sense fear within myself aside from the fact that tomorrow is our PE practical exam!!! . I fear with what will I respond tomorrow’s experience equipped with this renewed spirit and mission. But mind you consul, I am exited for tomorrow’s battle. I just hope I can face the pressures of academic life fully armed and responsive with this new spirit and new way of doing things.

read this! it will fill you!

Consul: You are much prepared in spirit. In any battle young one, it is the spirit that must be sharpened. Recall all your values and feel the presence of God in you. This will catapult a new and more energetic spirit in you ready for any battle. May God be with you!

Ton: Thank You Consul! i wish to talk more about this mentor of mine soon.

God Loves You!

New Year Party!

2007

Happy New Year to one and all! New Year means new hope, new challenges, renewed energy, new horizons!
Here are some pics of the Neri household New Year Salo-salo.

Boom-tarat-tarat

Eating time!

My Mother and IThe Table

Happy New Year!

God loves you!

Happy New Year!

Thanks for the ride 2006! Please be kind 2007! So what’s the fuzz several hours before the New Year? Starting with this blog! I finally updated it, reformatted it and planning to be more dedicated to the Republika. From time to time I will have an interview with myself. The interviewer is The Republika's Consul (Ideal self) and I will be the interviewee. Weird! I think this method might actually be more effective in letting out my ideas, thoughts, experiences and feelings in a creative and real way. Aside for being an EBN journal, The Republika also wishes to be an advisor or helper in how to face all the challenges of life. Simply to help souls (inspired by the heroic missions of the Jesuits portrayed in the book-Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney). Enough about the blog!

What are my New Year’s resolutions?

1. To Conquer more of myself. Destroy the Sith in me.
2. Help more Souls
3. Be true to love
4. Be more forgiving about sleeping
5. Constant examination of Conscience
6. Apply heroic leadership
7. Understand more about God
8. Be more responsive of God’s will
9. Maintain Weight
10. Dance! Sing! Study! Magis

the resolutions are there to provide a vague direction for next year. Man’s testament to always seek for self-development.

God loves you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Great Joy!

Feel the Love

Let love flow through us all

Our Savior is born!

Give more Love!

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Order

This is another thought post.

Man’s desperate need to create order in the chaotic universe. Order governs us all. Try to sit and see the world around us. For half an hour, look at the world in the point of view of an extraterrestrial intelligent life form visiting on earth. What have you realized? Man’s intelligence is set in a direct course to create order in nature. Now morph back to being a human. Open your history book; see that man’s first actions were to create order out of nature by creating cities, farms; concepts such as language, arithmetic, law and order and the sciences; Things such as weighing scales, lists and calendars . Order is unquestionably the very fabric that drives man to tick. Try to imagine if order no longer exists. What if it simply vanishes? Man will simply cease to function. Observe…from a common 5-letter word, we could extract a lot of wisdom form it!

ORDER (Jediism)?

I treat order not just an abstract term but a living force governing the thoughts of man.
GOD IS ORDER.

SO WHAT then?

Order maybe taken for granted but it is the very force that governs man. In our daily lives, do not only strive to be excellent, strive to be one with order because being one with this force puts our place in this chaotic universe.

Dec. 12, 06

It was awhile.

The 2nd semester is finally sinking in my thoughts, actions and heart. Life in a new course is not easy. Paradigm shift is to be dealt with in the deepest understanding of the mind because the external world is new that is why i somehow developed this daily meditation thingamajig. Being an Irregular student and squatter at the same time gives me the perfect opportunity to be friends with myself. The beginning weeks of the 2nd semester are quite a reward! I somehow began a phase of self examination because I was always with myself. And you know what I discovered? I discovered that I’m a person who enjoys being alone in the University and at the same time treasures being with others; an introvert and an extrovert in one depending on the need of the situation. Based on what I observed about myself, I seem to be flexible enough not to be deformed.

Bottom line, it is a very essential practice that we are aware of ourselves and check if actions are coming from us or the dark side of us because an unexamined life is not only worth living but also dangerous.

Philosophy Project Note 2

The concept of Work, School and Studies

“Understand the Fundamentals then you can play with things”

Letting your thoughts touch only the roof of a building can’t give you any good at all. In order to understand why the structure is standing we need to go deep in its foundation and then go outwards. This practice of fundamental comprehension is a great tool in accelerating our learning in any field. We simply need to link our personal ideas to the fundamental ideas of the discipline of interest then the rest will smoothly follow.

“Work, Work: God, God”

Work without any concept of God is useless. Work not only for others but work for God. For God is the source, the process and the end of all human endeavors.

Accounting: It is basically an art. It is n art of balancing, analyzing and writing. What drives me to study accounting is the fact that in every event in this world, there is an effect. Every simple digit has a meaning and this simply amazes me! Debit? Credit? What the heck! If you only see the magnificent fundamental concept of accounting which is event and result, it simply assures you that all acts we do in our lives, there is always an effect. Everyday is the product of our thoughts yesterday. Garbe aha na abot ang accounting!?!?!?! Hahahaha

Political Science: “Human beings are political animals”; the immortal words of Aristotle. He is right! Why? Because politics deals with influence, we in one way of another radiate influence to our surroundings. So what is my fundamental thought for Pol Sci? it is the need for me to be informed of the norms and systems man have developed for themselves in order to attain the ideal society. Yup, it somehow reflects on my individuality for my development to the ideal self.

English 34.1: Simply saying, I’m part of humanity and Literature is the extension of human expression and thoughts thus I am obliged to comprehend and appreciate it.

2nd Week

Significant happenings of the week report. It has been a long time since I posted here cz my life is just too fast. This week was the official wearing of the school uniform hence forth. Honestly, I love wearing the uniform with a reason which reason itself can’t understand. Ganahan lng gyud ko. What pisses me off is the fact that my Wednesday is not washday but PE uniform day! Sayang akong mga sanina. Pero that’s ok anyway…

Work/School: I find all my classes interesting, especially PE! PE, I just love moving my body (dancing bah!). In English, I had a fun time tapping the desk trying to analyze a poem’s rhythm. Try this: If you listen to the rhythm of Stopping by Woods on A Snowy Evening, it resembles the galloping of the traveler’s horse. Amazing! Sa accounting, its really funny because si sir kay hilig mag graffiti! His illustrations in the board are full of lego size drawings! Kasabot man sad so ok lng. Pol Sci, my personal favorite! I just like the teacher! Maka in love! Brilliant kayo bai! Si Mrs. Soriano. She will be gone from Dec 2 to 9 cz she will be going to Australia to read a paper in front an international audience! The rest of my subjects are quite ok, nothing to say actually aside that it’s not really that sober.

Others: hmmm… I’m still in the shift gear but now slowly settling to normal. I am really having a great time with the new domain because people are just friendly. I haven’t felt any disturbances in the Force yet, which means I don’t sense any hypocrites around. I still have lots to develop in this new phase of life like: memorizing names, greeting people effectively, contemplative in action… Sus!

Self: My interest about the Star Wars saga is really getting a beat up now a days. I just love the concept of the Jedi thing. It is so Jesuit! So don’t mind me if I keep on saying about the Force. The Force is actually God.

God: God is the Force of All things.

Thought of the Week: “Love everyone or perish” – Morrie