thought book

BOOK EXCHANGE

Today, June the 28th in the year of our Lord 2007, is a day where it seems that the randomness of reality contrived to setup a meeting of an old and interesting friend that would very well change the course of how I see and engage in things. It can be called an intervened moment by Divine Providence but an amazing incident nonetheless. Here are the series of events which led to this magnificent moment that a bewildered human mind would reflectively categorize as an intervention of God. It was a hot but cloudy afternoon when I began to procrastinate on a piece of letter for the approval of SBM GA on a “non-activity” day. It was 12:00 noon. After I would complete this simple task, I would consider this week’s GA target tasks complete enabling me to shift to Phase 2: “The sit, think, talk, and move” phase. Council consensus is now achieved (Phase 1) so the next logical step is to micromanage the working units. All systems are still on track and yes, I accomplished the letters. Well aside from this nitty-gritty org affair, Larah Fermill and I agreed earlier to award ourselves after the overloaded academic week by strolling and enjoying the jewel of Capitalism – Mall specifically Ketkai. After I’ve finally finished all the letters, I went on with the awarding-the-self plan with a school bag pack tightly gripped at my back heading to the mall. I rode a blue colored jeepney and while I settling my mind to an observant/reflective mode watching the people move like water molecules in Cogon, my phone vibrated. I grappled to catch my phone in the seemingly unending black whole called my pocket. I viewed the message and behold! I am going with myself because Larah seemed so attached to her bed. So it’s me and the mall. Finally I arrived, scouting around, walking without any concrete destination just following my impulse. Stopped over at Saint Paul’s, at the different books store, looked at clothes, the normal window shopping protocol. I then decided to spend 20 minutes or so in National Bookstore. It is where I saw a familiar face. It was Jigz, an old friend from the Rotary Youth City Council (He was the Secretary) who was also a curious truth seeker like myself. We chatted a bit but the main topic focused on a book named the 48 Laws of Power. We exchanged thoughts about it because I happened to get my hands on it before. I didn’t quite love the book because it enumerated an anti-thesis of the very Ignatian principle I try to nourish. We didn’t prolong the talk because I felt I need to go somewhere. I exited the Bookstore and tried to extract meaning in why we met (a usual protocol) while I walked away. Then a surge of “right place at the right time” feeling consumed me when I realized there is something more than that petty conversation. I went back to the store hoping Jigz is sill there. He was still there scanning books. I managed to open another conversation with him finally it ended with him offering to let me borrow his treasured books which he is coincidently carrying. He did without any sign of hesitations, a grace I called it. There in my hands, he turnover a total of 3 books namely: The 48 Laws of Power, How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci and Da Vinci Decoded, a collection of books that seems to overflow with intrigue resulting to a curiosity overdose. I thanked him greatly and went on to satisfy this overdose. I ate at the same time read the Da Vinci mind book over at KFC. It was simply an exhilarating as I read word-by-word of a genius’ “modo procedure” and how I could apply it in real life and real time. Much to that, what I uncovered and discovered in those books is another story. The real essence of this marvellous yet simple meeting of souls is the keeping of friendship even time seems too far to bond it and the consistent mindset of never letting an opportunity pass by. Embrace the richest possible potential of every moment. I know I did when I decided to turn back and talk to this interesting soul.

thought book

EXPERIMENT ABOUT A SEED

The first week the school year gave is a week that will surely mark an inerasable imprint in the way I engage in things. As what I prepared for, this week became a living laboratory – a personal and reflective experiment hinged in the context of God, others, self, and school. This personal experiment which I designed to be retrospective in nature aims to let my self see how I manage my moment-by-moment life in an “out-of-the-body” perspective much like an alter-ego – the consul observing and studying his very self. The experience of detachment from the self serves as a major breakthrough in analyzing and eventually nurturing the “seed of infinite” in me. A “seed” that Fr. Chris, my high school Jesuit mentor metaphorically reiterated as the source of the flame – the source of the passion. Why so? Mastering the notion of removing my thought from myself actually sharpens my self-awareness making my personal identity anchored in an alienable and vivid reality which imbeds deeper each time I pause and reflect in an out-of-body-state. This realization is the result of this experiment with the premise of contemplative in action and in this case, the intense action of balancing studies and involvement. As I was sitting in a corner and looking at the clouds looking at myself from another point, a surge of excitement consumed my entirety when a uniquely divine thought suddenly surfaced in my consciousness; that what I passionately do such as “overly” engaging myself is actually an expression of my spirituality; a late notion perhaps but an inspiring one nonetheless. This spirituality grew with time and experience synthesized with daily reflections which ultimately constructed an intangible ATP factory of action inside me operating in maximum capacity each time the seed of infinite is watered and touched by the sun’s rays. This is a seed born through an enriched spirituality and cultivated by God’s hands and others’ bread. Undeniably, this new approach to life or a way of thinking made me feel burdened at the same time humbled that out from a text message having a line “a seed of infinite” I could reap plenty of wisdom. Hence, the technique for us to achieve a heightened sense of self-understanding is to detach our mind from the body and see things with a mighty faculty of wonder.

thought book

1ST DAY HIGH

What really fascinates me every time a new school year begins is the idea of starting a new; starting with a fresh line of empty spaced class records, applying new and innovated approaches to life, knowing new and reenergized personalities, pursuing a new level of a personal philosophy and spirituality and finally experiencing a new set of challenges which ultimately sustains our desire to overcome it and grow. Now, I’m a second year college student with a personal theme of “living out the magna anima in me” ready to engage the world with an open mind and heart, ready to focus on the richest potentials of every moment, and ready to reshape the world one idea, one soul, and one action at a time. I aim this year that I could practice a more reflective mode forming insights that translates into a multidimensional blueprint for action. “IPP in action” – I keep on integrating this in my lifestyle and I hope this school year serves as its strengthening stage fully imbedded in my way of doing things.

God loves you!

thought book

BAWAT ATENISTA, BAYANI

109 years to this day, a nation destroyed an ancient and deep political chain that would later serve as a momentous example for the rest of colonized Asia. Now that the colonial political bond dwindled into mere texts in history books, the very spirit of it remains vividly alive in today’s reality. Today, the flag of our nation’s colonialists may not be waving in our flag poles but still remnants of colonial influence remain malignant in the very nucleus of our society. The bottom of this society is mostly chained and held hostage at the same time exploited even in its dyer state by an eroded structure and by a selfish and indifferent few who runs it. Hence, internalizing this abhorrent context we Ateneans are called to experience this state first hand. Immerse our soul into it and understand injustice’s roots and dynamics. Go back to our very core and reflect on daily actions that contribute to its malignant growth, extract insights and see the aerial perspective of the problem which will eventually serve as a multidimensional blueprint for a committed and compassionate action.

Start it small, start it in school. Know where the battle is, and most of the time, it is from within.

God loves you!

editorial 1

RED ALERT 2

Packed with its own philosophy of history, labelled on the side with a utopian brand, and tightly sealed with dialectical materialism, Marxist communism is still by far the best ideological package great visionaries created in a zealous response to an era where a fast and great revolution is reshaping the very face of the earth.

Who doesn’t want this package? It offers reasons and solutions to almost all questions humanity consequently raised while experiencing a massive socio-political revolution. The ideology offers a utopian vision of an egalitarian future, an understanding of the dynamics of history, and a promise of uplifting the oppressed. With a very appealing aroma of a grand promise, who in the right mind doesn’t sit and think about it? In history, these ideological features which explicitly addressed the need of the time attracted the disillusioned and the oppressed in cities and towns creating a growing movement that soon worked its way up to the echelons of power. How awesome this ideal is, mobilizing the masses for revolution, collectively owning the means of value, and a future that is substantially a paradise where everybody is “equal”. The idea seems close to perfect BUT in my personal opinion the ideology’s vision as extolled by its doctrine is accomplished only through the use of chaos, arms, and tyranny bounded by materialistic philosophy which are incompatible to the moral design set by our God.

Communism emphasizes the need of revolution to overthrow the ruling class. Experience of our own history may suggest that a peaceful revolution is possible but in the case of this ideology, Class struggle is an utmost necessity for the advancement of the oppressed class. Constant revolution utterly means constant chaos. A society which constantly descends into a state of chaos is a failed society. The sanctity of life is ignored thus the society can never reach its fullness rather it crumbles under the weight of its own violence.

Communism reduces the human person merely as an economic unit not a person with inalienable dignity. The value of a man can only be derived from his economic output. Judgement is rendered not in the basis of universal rights rather the productivity the person could offer to the state. A state which engages its people with complete disregard of dignity violates the very purpose of its existence.

Applied communism as what is written in history has deprived the human person of freewill and participation. Confined by fear, intimidation, and a tyrannical leadership, the people in a communist state can’t grow and pursue their right of self-determination. The people are compelled to commit themselves only to the will of the state and in this case the leader. The leader as the personification of the state is absolute. He is the state thus the individual person is emptied to an insignificant individual whose aim is only to follow the leader’s will.

Hence, Communism as a radical ideology is twisted in a way that it neither coincide the social teachings of the Church nor upholds the fullest possible development of the human person in its society.

what i learned today

Conversations with Greats 1
On the art of war
a. He explicitly mentioned the importance to know the enemy its personality and weakness, an aphorism that Sun Tzu extols in his book the art of war. Through that knowledge, you now have the strategic advantage to attack their weakness. But always put in mind, attack not the person but attack their actions or ideas. Attack strategies come in a trinity; the manner, the matter and the method. Use these three as a battering ram.
b. In the context of debate, have the daily practice of mentally arguing with the self. Formulate in the mind the pros and cons of everyday decisions. This practice not only sharpens your critical thinking but also improves your argumentative skills. Its possible negative effect is delaying your decision making especially when the situation demands a quick decision.
On growth
a. Always associate yourself with intelligent people because you can learn plenty from them. Also take note not to patronize a single mind but have a pool of mentors because this shapes you proportionally.
On Leadership
a. A true leader has initiative. He can follow instructions when told and in doing the task, innovates and improves the task which will eventually yield better results.
b. Try to spot the difference between an idea which is “pa-believe” or ideas which is feasible, clear and concise. In idealism, it is always ideal to strike a balance of what is ideal and what is realistic. In my opinion (tonton), that is where magis could be found. Thinking of great ambitious things is not magis per se rather magis shines if the great ambition is accompanied by a realistic plan of action which eventually animates that sparkling ambition into reality.
On public speaking
a. The best way to have substance in your speech is to follow the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm. The “CERAE” (Context, Experience, Reflection, Action, and Evaluation) is a logical and substantive approach in expressing ideas.
On Jesuit Education
a. Being a true blue connotes a higher degree of responsibility. Growing under this Jesuit institution in a longer period of time translates that we have a deeper understanding and a more committed and compassionate response to the needs of others. Being an atenean “since birth” is a title not to brag rather a mission to live up to.

creation 1

POWER LEGIONS

Passionate: The very heart of a volunteer beats because of a deep and loving desire to give back all the graces God showered upon you through an act we call service, through selfless student service. This deep desire grows in a pace which ceases to stall but rather it accelerates into a compelling emotion we call passion. A volunteer is passionate. He ticks because of it and passion makes him do things not because he has to but because he wants to. Passion builds up energy while hard work consumes it. Passion then is the very fuel of a volunteer’s heart.

Openness: An open mind and heart to new experiences and ideas incites growth. It is in this growth that the volunteer finds more of himself. It is in this openness to growth that the fullest possible development of the volunteer’s capabilities is realized. He uncovers magnificent and new ideas about the world that acts as a springboard for more ideas, ideas that may change the mind, the school, and the world for the better.

Walks the talk: A volunteer’s mind and heart is rich with wisdom gained through experience joined by that passion to serve. This richness can never be kept in the mind and feelings alone, it will never grow. The volunteer has to animate this richness into concrete action. These actions, bold or simple, reveals what a true volunteer is.

Efficient and Effective: The two E’s governs the work of the volunteer. Efficiency is doing the best possible manner with the least waste of time. Effectiveness is accomplishing the purpose. These two E’s work hand-in-hand in producing a competitive volunteer who embraces each task with optimism, focus and an end in mind. A volunteer who walks and masters these 2 E’s emerges as a champion of his time and energy.

Resourceful: Seeing the three – dimensional world with a zillion point-of-view forges the genius in you. This notion that the world is a treasure throve of possibilities triggers the resourcefulness within you. Resourcefulness is not simply dealing with new situations skillfully but it is focusing in the richest possible potential in every moment, person, idea or object. A volunteer masters this art of finding countless possibilities and knows how to extract, create and develop it to good results.

Loving: It is in a loving heart that a volunteer sees the richness of the world around him. A volunteer can only love if he recognizes first himself as a unique being and personally and unconditionally loved by his Creator. Knowing that you are loved transforms how you look and deal with others. Engaging others with a loving attitude unlocks their potential and as an effect, creates a loving community poised to do great things. It is love that binds the passion, the openness and the eagerness into one powerful driving force inspiring the volunteer to do heroic deeds, deeds for others especially those who have failed to recognize God’s infinite love.

Excellent: “Go as far as the eyes can see, and if you reach it, go even farther.” Magis or more encapsulates the very being of a volunteer. His passion for service is joined by the passion for excellence. Excellence is the yardstick for our performance. Magis doe not imply comparison with others or measurement of progress against an absolute standard; rather is the fullest possible development of each person’s individual capacities at each stage of life, joined to the willingness to continue this development throughout life and the motivation to use those developed gifts for others.

God centered: The volunteer recognizes that the God of the universe dwells within and this loving God is the ultimate truth, the ultimate source of everything and everyone. It is because of God’s grace that we are called to this mission and it is still God who is our ultimate goal. Thus we acknowledge that all the things and talents we have are only given for us to use to glorify God further, all for the Greater Glory of God.

Ingenuity: A volunteer placed in a fast changing world can get lost into if he lives with a deep inordinate attachment to the past and never innovates. Ingenuity or innovativeness is the proper means in facing a fast paced world. Ingenuity is embracing change. A volunteer relentlessly pursues new means and methodologies in doing things better with the greater effect.

On time: A volunteer is a master of his time. He acknowledges time is of the essence and engraves it in their daily routine. A volunteer manages time not as an enemy to beat but an ally to benefit with. A volunteer’s only enemy is himself, his idiosyncrasies that costs him valuable time. He knows the art of focus, zooming-in all energies in one particular task at each moment. It is the combination of awareness of habits and high energy points of the self, critical thinking, proper delegation, anti-procrastinating attitude and focus which makes a volunteer a true master of his time.

Not Many, But Much: A volunteer sees the quality rather than the quantity of his actions. It is not how much you have accomplished in a day but rather it is quality that yields through that accomplishment. Thus a volunteer sees to it that in the things he do, what matters is the quality rather than the quantity.

Self-Aware: Last but definitely never the least is the mastery of the self, the bedrock of all things. It is in the awareness of the self that a volunteer becomes a leader. He knows what he values, what his strengths and weaknesses are and where he wants to go. Knowing your values makes you stand firm in a fast moving world. Spotting your weakness can lead you to conquer them. Knowing what you want energizes your pursuit of it and in the process it inspires others. Know thy self.

speech 1

Address given to the LCLC Graduation Ceremony
XUHS ~ Ateneo de Cagayan Chapel
May 19, 2007 - 5:15 pm

Dear Cavaliers, I was actually texted by ma’am Alice to give you a so-called "inspirational speech". Now, I really find it difficult to inspire you because you joined this community with that sense of inspiration in the 1st place. So, how can I inspire the inspired? It’s quite difficult and this though kept me thinking. In that moment when my mind was suspended, I clicked my fingers to browse the internet and search for the definition of “Inspire”. In Dictionary.com, there was an array of definitions ranging from the divine to the physical implications of inspire. Of all the definitions that appeared, the one that struck me most was this definition of inspire.

Inspiration actually means to inhale, to take in. In our case, breathe in oxygen for us to live. Now with this meaning of inspiration in mind, let us imagine the millions of microscopic oxygen molecules bouncing in space. We then took a deep breath. The oxygen molecules then run through our nostrils, trachea, bronchi and finally into the little air sacks we call the alveoli where the oxygen diffuses into our bloodstream, where the oxygen is carried all around the body, flowing into our muscles, delivering fresh oxygen supplies, providing us energy and that energy drives the passion, that drives you to serve...that drives you to accept this noble mission and to be a cavalier spreading the light where darkness lurks.

So cavaliers we have creatively moved from the image of an oxygen molecule, we travelled inside the air tube, bloodstream and to energy, now we move to passion, passion that is the product of that energy. What is passion? Ignatian Leadership 101 – Cavaliers, Your very heart beats because of a deep and loving desire to give back all the graces God showered upon you (intelligence, talents, skills etc.) through a loving act we call service, through selfless service. This deep desire grows in a pace which ceases to stall rather it accelerates into a compelling emotion we call passion. A cavalier is passionate. You are passionate. You tick because of it and passion makes you do things not because you have to but because you want to. Now you may ask, what is the difference between passion and hard work? Simple, Passion builds up energy, builds up that oxygen supply from inspiration while hard work consumes it. Passion then is the very fuel of a cavalier’s heart. Did you have that experience that you worked hard for a project but at the end felt unsatisfied? Because in the process, you never put your heart into it. You did it because you have to, not be because you love to. So do things with that deep desire to give and everything you touch will turn into gold.

In ancient times, the light cavalry of kings are for scouting and screening purposes for the king to get a vision of the enemy’s position. Now as a cavalier, you are ought to see not the battlefield but the future. You are required by the Order to mold a vision for you and your class to follow. That vision is the light at the horizon where you strive to inspire others to follow and reach it. Cavaliers, vision is very important because it sets the direction where you want to go. So visualize, visualize for yourself, for your class and especially for your school. Do it daily. Never let a day pass without assessing your vision. You must monitor your vision. Ano ba ang gusto ninyo? Sit and think about it, form it, and relentlessly pursue it.
Now you reached it! You have reached the horizon but never be satisfied, go even further. That is where the M word comes in. Magis. Be cavaliers of Magis guys! Use this as your standard banner. Never settle for “ok lang”, “pwede na” but aim for the better, the best, that brings the good into the most number of hearts. Think of programs and projects that is more than the usual. Think of projects that affect the greatest number of hearts. Magis, use this as your measuring device.

And cavaliers, as you march into columns to that grand vision of yours, never forget the people beside you. Look at the faces beside you. Each one of you is unique, having his own character, having his own distinct way in contributing something for the community. I ask you to love them. Engage them with a loving heart. Personal Care. Cura Personalis. Why Love them? Because it is in love that unlocks the brightest potential of each and every one of you. Love only makes this community stronger and makes a community loving poised to do heroic deeds. So do it, kiss each other and say I love you! So Cavaliers, four simple points of inspiration: Passion, Vision, Magis and Cura Personalis all fuelled by the inspiration of Passion to love, passion to embrace every experience to serve and to spread the light. The four points in not the formula of success rather it is the substance which makes success.

Lastly, you are in this room with a purpose. Ika nga ni Fr. George, Why Me? WHY YOU?! ASK YOURSELVES?! You are accepted in this noble mission and it is God’s will for you – plain and simple. Thus serve this duty with humility, loyalty and generosity. A cavalier’s job is never an easy job but i assure you, it is the most rewarding. You have accepted the duties and responsibilities that a mere mortal trembles in sight. Thus, you are not “mere mortals” – you are simply great men and women. You accepted this mission recognizing the magna anima - the great soul – the magnanimity with in each and every one of you ready to serve others, others who don’t even care All for The Greater Glory of God!

Congratulations!

God bless and Thank You Very Much and always spread the light!

thought book essay - 5

ACCOUNTING 3 and Onwards

For the past days, I have developed a personal routine that may soon evolve in a “repetition compulsion” disorder. It’s studying. Accounting 3 or Partnership and Corporation is no joke people! It is the stage where English proficiency and logical illustrations collide for you to get the truth. And this subject is generally the waterloo of Accountancy students.

How to prepare to get the “truth”?

This needs mind set. I think that is fundamentally THE factor. It is the mindset or way of thinking which separates a winner from a looser, an anxious man from an amazed man. So what is my mindset? My mindset is that of a treasure hunter (I’m really fond if fantasizing) which always triggers my amazement or sense of wonder in all things I see. An accounting problem paragraph – filled with words and amounts is like an enclosed archeological field filled with hidden and priceless treasures ready to be excavated. For you to unearth these treasures, you need tools. The tools here are the procedures and templates in deriving the accounts needed. With the correct practice and use of these tools, the treasure will be in your hands in a minute or two. So I hope the treasure hunter mind set may give us a fun and adventurous kick start in analyzing and answering accounting problems.

Studying is a Prayer.

God can be found in all subjects.

Accounting is a subject.

God can be found in accounting.

True. Accounting is actually an art or we need to treat it as an art. As a form of art, it has beauty. It is beautiful and it is in beauty that we find truth. The absolute truth is God. So what is with the syllogisms? I’m just excited about Philo 1 next semester. Anyway, it is appreciating the gift of the human mind in its pursuit to establish order and beauty in a seemingly chaotic and random universe. Studying accounting in a sense is actually one way of you understanding, practicing and extending a faculty of man which is creating beauty out of chaos in the context of civilizations and material exchange.

homework

Productivity and Art

Business Psychology 2 homework

Being productive is indeed an art – a personal interplay between though and action. It is an art to the extent that it is up to our personal preferences to concoct and interlock our actions, feelings and thoughts to produce or accomplish something in an effective and efficient manner. Being productive is unique to every person. Each person has his or her own way in being such.

Being productive has several fundamental norms which Judy Camp creatively extolled in her article. She made it a way that the word itself - “p-r-o-d-u-c-t-i-v-e”, becomes the acronym of these fundamentals. Judy Camp’s “Productive” pin-points certain areas in our lives that need to be improved and monitored for us to attain a higher degree of productivity. These range from our prioritizing skills up to personal enthusiasm on the task at hand adding that each letter of the word has its own domain. In a nutshell, the fundamentals can further be synthesized as the by-products of the following core concepts: self-awareness, ingenuity and personal care.

The self being the primary source of productivity should be mastered and understood. This is where self-awareness comes in. Being aware of myself makes me apart from myself thus making it easy for me to identify key enemies of productivity such as personal distractions and time wasters. With this “awareness tool” I can conquer those idiosyncrasies eliminating their negative influence in my work. Aside from identifying weaknesses, self awareness also sharpens my prioritizing skills. Prioritizing tasks is elemental in the art of being productive. It is knowing what to do now and what can be done later. Self awareness also calls us to be masters of our time. Knowing our high energy a point in a day gives us the advantage of using it to the maximum.

Ingenuity comes into play when we use simple technology. Tools that help us organize our tasks such as a checklist notebook or a planner is very useful. They keep us informed and reminded of progress and tasks. Creating my own system of prioritizing, monitoring and tackling tasks also boosts my productivity.

Last but not the least, is personal care. Personal care calls me not to punish myself by over tasking. It is about balancing my life with work and others. The care I give to myself must also extend to others. This results to healthy work relationships enhancing productivity.

Being productive is like painting. Through the mix of traits, preferences and priorities, a mental projection of the goals and tasks, and a brush of enthusiasm and care we can produce a masterpiece with artistic efficiency and effectively. AMDG

homework

What can I say about myself and how do I feel about it.

a psychology 2 homework

I first wish to inform the reader that the means in answering the 1^st question is quite difficult since I need the self to explain itself which is being self referential or circular. In order not to confuse myself in explaining myself, I wish to share through what I love to do and what my hopes are. My love-to-do-list ranges from spectrum to spectrum. Primarily, I love learning. I really do, because I know that it is through this that I can actualize myself. So I love to read a lot. I read books pertaining to human history, expressions, thoughts, ideas, aspirations and yes, also human suffering and decline.

you will also yawn.

Because of my bookish nature, I could consider myself a typical “truth seeker” always in a state of amazement and wonder. Now, this is what I get living my entire life in the very hub of a highly urbanized city. I don’t really get out a lot so I get stuck with voluminous collection of books at home and befriended them. Secondly, my “knowledge quest” fusing with my Jesuit education since nursery produced something “techno-colored” that urged me to animate that “amazement and wonder” into concrete action. My love for social/school involvements evolved from that notion earning me great friends, mentors and experience. Engagement is becoming a prime component of my life to the point that it has become my oxygen. My present affiliations with the KKP, AA and SBMSC manifest this “engaged love”. Thus, engagement with others and my love for growth in all sense simply encapsulates what I am presently - a person who embraces growth and strives to give it to others. With this in mind, I feel loved. I feel an elevated sense of purpose in life and also grateful of all the graces given urging me to do more. AMDG

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!