A television drama depicting a man suffering from the unbearable pain of cancer, reminded me of the similar agony my loved ones endured—my father Jose, my best friend Nina, and lately my cousin Ate Fely.While lying down in my bed, I was thinking why God has let man go through this excruciating torment.I did not know if I dreamt but I remembered hearing a very clear answer to my question—God did not cause our physical misfortune –man did—the hard truth that we continuously ignore. Aside from our polluted environment, we are unmindful of what we eat– like over-processed, chemical laden food ; thus wrecking our bodies.
After a year of dillydallying,I finally decided to go the healthy path. I searched the internet for an affordable wellness center and I stumbled on the Ananda Marga Wellness Center in Cebu.
The Center is a simple dome shaped structure in a quiet neighborhood of Barangay Pagsabungan,Mandaue Cebu.
It is ran by members of the Ananda Marga, a worldwide spiritual and social service organization founded in India.As I learned later, the Center which offers instruction in meditation, yoga and other self-development practices is operated on a non-commercial basis, which explained why their rates were reasonable. Upon arrival, I was instructed to fill up my medical history and any ailment.After some consultation with Chinchinati, the staff nurse, I was given the diet and exercise regimen best suited for me.
I remembered my daughter teasing me before my flight to Cebu that I was going to EAT,PRAY, LOVE in Cebu. I just laughed her off because my goal was only to fast in order to get rid of bodily toxins ,shed pounds, and also to learn how to cook healthy.But she was right….
Mealtime was not only about food but also conversation. The vegetarian buffet was delicious. I was not that fond of vegetables but the meals served at the Center , although simply prepared, tasted much better than what we cook at home.Even if I ate a lot, I felt lighter not bloated, maybe because vegetables were usually steamed and not loaded with oil.It was also nice to have Dada Dharma Vedananda , the head of the Center ,having meal with us because he regaled us not only about his experiences at Ananda Marga but also about his spiritual and social philosophies which were enlightening.
The Center followed a daily time schedule. The students, as we the patients were called, wake up at 6 a.m. to prepare for a bustling day.We begin with yoga, instructing us with the correct way to do the postures or asanas. This activity not only relieves stress but through proper breathing , is therapeutic and increases flexibility. Sometime during the day we also had schedules for light cardio exercises, with the choice of either treadmill, playing badminton , or following the aerobics or belly dancing videos. Of course, we had time for pampering too. I enjoyed best having mudpacks for the whole body while letting it dry in the sun.
I considered it the best facial I have had because I felt my skin tighten hard with the resulting pinkish glow.We also had a daily regimen of either infra red bath, steam bath, hip bath, or whirlpool bath. It was like being in a spa resort without denting your pocket.That’s not all– before bedtime, we were given warm cider vinegar bath, which I discovered was sleep inducing.
For the prayer part,thrice daily, we did the Kirtan or the repeated chanting of a simple mantra .At first I had a culture shock, asking myself what have I gotten into! But as days went by, I discovered that repeated chanting of BABA NAM KEVALAM ,(a Sanskrit word which means infinite Love feeling only, or personally, I translate it as “God’s infinite love”) helped to quiet the mind ,to relax and have peace, and prepare for the next activity which was meditation. We sat in a relaxed lotus position in total silence listening only to the guided meditation of Dada . During this time when the mind was still ,did I finally experience a sense of connectedness with myself, with the people around me, and the One most High.For me, mental silence where daily chatter was tossed away,facilitated an intimate conversation with God, more powerful than robotic prayers.
While staying at the Center, I felt right at home.The staff who were all Margis, o members of Ananda Marga, was friendly, caring and very helpful.There was no dull moment here .The talented staff taught us not only cooking the healthy way but also the basics of playing the kulintang and the African drum.
We also made dreamcatcher decors and friendship bracelets. I admire how they live healthily and simply .They told me dishonesty is a ground for expulsion. No chance of having a politician as member then? I was also fortunate to have as classmates Pritilata, a yoga teacher from Germany who gave me helpful advice, Edna from Cebu, whose blog is also a wealth of delicious recipes, and Mary Anne from Dumaguete who related her quests for well-being.
Where was the Love part? Well, during meditation , when I felt a sort of connectedness with those around me and the universe as a whole, I caught a glimpse of what the various religions espouse, that is–,all created beings are His children, so we are all one family. Remember Jesus said to Love one another?And I believe we must begin with loving ourselves. We must start with the body entrusted to us by taking care of it.We were taught since our schooldays how to be healthy—eat mostly fruits and vegetables, exercise ,drink eight or more glasses of water, sleep well,etc. We know all of that at the outset. So the choice is really ours. Don’t blame our afflictions on God.
Just Passing Through 