Jeprocksdworld

3sulok ang makikita dito… isa para sa tupi, isa para sa aninong tupi, ang isa? nasaan na, idilat ang mata… maaring ika’y namamalikmata.

Since it was declared holiday last monday, my ragtag group of friends decided to go on a roadtrip, via Viaje del Sol. Unfortunately, we only got less than 24 hours for the trip, so we just opted for 4 destinations in the route.

Viaje del Sol is a route in the southern part of Luzon, which I think was initally conceptualized by artiste Patis Tesoro to encourage tourism activity in that area.

We stayed at Casa San Pablo for the night and had dinner at Kusina Salud. The following morning, we went straight to Ugu Bigyans’ pottery workshop for our lunch. The piece d’ resistance was Pandin lake, after walking for about 10 minutes from the highway, you will be surprised to discover an oasis in the middle of the town. I think you should see the lake for yourself to appreciate it. Our last stop was in Liliw Laguna, a haven for those who have footwear fetish, this is where you could unleash the Imelda in you.

You could visit my jeprocksdworld.multiply.com to see the whole trip in the album section.

This tag is for litratong pinoy, at syempre ang pangako ay di dapat napapako, huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din. Mama thess, sana ay kinagiliwan mo ang larawang ito… an outside the box BILOG (pun intended).

Got this article from an email subscription I made with Daily Om. I feel  fuzzy and new-agey lately.

Harmonizing with the Universe
The Benefits of Singing

Singing is an act of vibration. It takes music from the realm of the unformed– whether that is in your mind or from that magical space of inspiration–and moves it from within to without. From the first breath singing moves the energy in a circular way inside your body. As the breath fills your lungs, it brushes against the second and third chakras—the centers of creation and honoring self and others. Instead of merely exhaling, pushing the air past the fourth and fifth chakras where heart charka and the center of will and intention reside, singing engages both the heart and mind. Sound vibrations from vocal chords resonate in the sinus cavities, filling the head with motion and sound while the brain lights up with the processing of the mathematics of music. This marriage of activities brings the third eye into play and opens the door for inspiration from the crown chakra before sending the sound out into the world.

Once the vibration begins, it is sustained with each note, moving throughout your body and the space around you. This can help you to harmonize your frequency with the world and with the divine. The use of the voice can bring about catharsis, a cleansing from the expression of emotion, which is why we feel better after singing certain types of songs. All of this occurs even if we are not conscious of what we are singing, but when we really connect with an intention, the power of the voice and music together are powerful tools in creation.

Even if you are not a singer by nature or talent, you are not left out. If you have a voice, it is your birthright to celebrate life with song. It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel you have a nice voice. Chanting or humming, singing solo or with others, your voice is yours to enjoy. Whether you sing along to the radio or use vocalization as part of your meditation time, singing and harmonizing are healing activities that bring your body’s vibrations into alignment with the universe.

Few days from now and it’s already Maundy Thursday. We’re all set for the Visita Iglesia! so let’s have a recap:

Hotspot no.1 Diocesan Parish of Peñafrancia
Hotspot No. 2 San Marcelino Church
Hotspot no. 3 Iglesia de Sta. Ana
Hotspot No. 4 Ermita Church

And lastly, Hotspot No. 5 Malate Church

Declared as a national historical monument by the Philippine Historical Commission, this church houses the Nuesta Señora de los Remedios or Our Lady of Remedies. Flocked by devotees, the church attracts young Filipino mothers praying for swift recovery from childbirth or cure for their sick young children. The practice became customary with the passage of years thus the image came to be known as the Virgin of Remedies and Patroness of Mothers and Children.

This tradition of women-centered devotion is both indigenous and universal as explained by Niko Rio Arevalo in his papers entitled “Origin of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios”

Traditional in the old days was the “churching” of women who had just delivered… [When] a mother rose from the childbed, she was supposed to go to the church to be blessed. The practice recalls the “churching” of Mary after the nativity in Bethehem. But in the Philippines, the favourite church for this ceremony was the Shrine of Malate… for the Remedios was famed as the Virgin of Healing especially for women’s ills and children’s diseases.

Visita Igelesia map illustration by jeprocks