hanging out

Have our gadgets and devices developed bad social posture among us? Isolating in this pandemic has made things even worse. 

Many may want to get back in social shape though the struggle is apparent. Have we forgotten how to hang out? 

Can we just drop by a friend's house. Call someone without scheduling first? Or do we just assume that everyone is super busy or super planned out? 

Do we think any second we are not being productive is a waste? Hanging Out by Sheila Liming is a call to fight against that drumbeat. 

Virginia Woolf quote @eastwestwomen

"I think of this as kind of like seizing time and taking it back from where it's been stolen from us — and that includes the work day that has just extended beyond all means of rationality. . . . Hanging out is productive, and the thing that it produces is our relationships with each other. . . . Take off your coats. Pull up a chair. Grab yourself a beverage. Hang out for a bit.”

Are we challenged to unplug? Do we need help finding our inner slacker? Maybe we have lost the art of hanging out - that's no reason to not try though. 

Who knows what can happen? We could surprise ourselves. 

purpose & meaning

As humanity evolves so too should behavior and action adjust to the delicate balance of what was then and what is now. There are bound to be missed steps or missteps along the way. It is all part of the learning process. 

As in the case of the recent bruhaha over the released video of H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama having a young boy suck his tongue. Shock waves were sent out all over the world over this. 

affection or abuse? 

As the backlash shows - where this may be accepted practice in a closed community - the Dalai Lama chose to be a world leader in an international arena. 

As such adjustment is needed to consider all others as part of this leadership. With the release of an apology from his camp we can admit this was a miscalculated misunderstanding. 

In further context here is an explanation of the Tibetan tradition, Eat My Tongue or “Che La Sa.”

@TibetCollective

The Dalai Lama retired as the political head of his exiled government in 2011 but remains the spiritual leader for 6.7 million Tibetans worldwide and a symbol of their struggle. 

His work spanning several decades involves drawing global support for the linguistic and cultural autonomy of his remote, mountainous homeland - which was annexed by China in 1951. 

In 1989, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Let us hope he will be remembered well for his good works and contribution to our world. 

stress awareness

Stress and poor mental health are one of the biggest public health challenges that we face. Sadly we are do not take its impact seriously enough. We continue to separate mental health from physical health and vice versa. 

The reality is they are inseparable - two sides of the same proverbial coin. There is no health without mental. Stress is a major deterrent to mental health that can lead to numerous health problems. 

From physical problems - like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc. To more deep rooted mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

from distress to de-stress

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 - to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic. It is time and opportunity for an open conversation on the impact of stress. 

Time devoted to removing the guilt, shame, and stigma around mental health. To discuss stress and its effects. Open up about our mental and emotional state among friends, families, colleagues, and professionals. Take action.

passion play

Here is a Lenten season commission article I wrote for Negros Season of Culture. Featuring the procession of family heirloom saints and their floats from our hometown of Talisay on Negros Island. 

“Prusisyon # 10” by Aeson Baldevia

The Holy Week procession is a re-enactment of the passion of Jesus Christ. The last four days of Lent are the highlight of the season. These saints and the floats they are carried on are polished and bedecked in all their glory. 

The prominent families who own them and have poured their time and resources into their care and maintenance take pride in sharing this commitment and dedication with all participating residents and visitors. 

The streets are filled with many devoted procession followers and curious onlookers packed along the route – eager to witness the blessed statues of saints [santos] in their opulent and ornate floats [carrozas].

These holy heirloom figures are venerated objects treated as sacred relics - having been with their families for generations. Some were brought here from Spain over a century ago. 

Our holy week reflection and contemplation coincides with the Libra full moon this April 2023. 

when a cosmic call rings out

we grab our own forms of magic

soar through the sky and glide

far above flesh-born expectations

where few dare to fly. . . .

"Come, be one of us."

We'Moon, Stephanie A. Sellers 2021

What fuels the passion to uphold these century-old traditions? Is it the hope and fervor passed on to succeeding descendants? Or the significance of our culture and identity as an essential Lenten celebration?

The Lenten season may only be an extended weekend break for some. Yet for devoted followers who continue this tradition it is a reminder of family, fealty, and a renewal of faith.