“Everyone seeks peace and harmony, because this is what we lack in our lives… Unhappiness permeates the atmosphere around someone who is miserable, and those who come in contact with such a person also become affected. Certainly this is not a skillful way to live.”

- The Art of Living – Vipassana Meditation

“When you meditate, the silence of the senses illumines the presence of God within.”

- Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

***

As you are reading this, I am already off to a 10-day silence retreat at the Dhama Meditation Center in Onalaska, Washington, USA. After waiting for two years hoping my name will be selected, I felt blessed to receive an email from the non-profit organization informing me that I have been enlisted  to experience this free course.

My purpose is to get my mind clear, to focus on my purpose, to feel my spirit. In the process, I am also channeling my energy on what I should like to write on my second book.

No computer, no phone, no TV, no outside world distractions. My routine, as sent by our coordinator, will be as follows:

About Vipassana

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art of Living. For those who are not familiar with Vipassana Meditation, an Introduction to Vipassana by Mr. Goenka and Questions & Answers about Vipassana are available. The technique of Vipassana Meditation is taught at ten-day residential courses during which participants learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results.

There are no charges for the courses – not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to also benefit.* (http://www.dhama.org)

I’ll be back in 10-days!

The last tsunami I’ve seen in the news was seven years ago, when walls of seawater devastated the lovely resort beaches of Phuket, Thailand. I was there last year and saw the place restored to its glory. It’s hard to believe that it fell victim to a cataclysmic event just a day after Christmas.

Now, Japan gets a worser blow. The day started out sunny, and then an 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the fifth strongest recorded in world history, hit instantly. Things started to shake, fall, and crumble. A reporter said he was deafened by shrieking sounds every where and he hopes he will never hear again.  It’s heart-wrenching.

All around the world, people stopped to see videos of the tsunami and reports of the devastation. Twitter is buzzing with the hashtags #japan and #prayforjapan. To quote US President Barack Obama: “[This tragedy] reminds us that for all our differences in culture, language, religion, ultimately, humanity is ONE.”

Tsunami waves strike Japan by CNN_International

Now the captivating country is in a state of national emergency. I gasped seeing how the the tsunami swallowed the coast communities,  it seemed like a familiar apocalyptic movie but this time it was for real.

I was in Japan for speaking engagements three years ago and was hosted by a great friend Maritoni and her family. She even inspired us last Halloween to wear the country’s national costumes. (Thank God that after three days of no contact, I learned that she and her family are safe.)

Japanese Standard of Preparedness

Despite the tragedy and casualties, I am amazed at how impeccably prepared the Japanese are. Each year, citizens go through an earthquake drill, their buildings are designed to withstand ground shaking, emergency processes are in place.

There are precious lessons from this tragedy, and that is to be prepared. I’d like to share some earthquake and tsunami safety tips*:

• Heed Official Warnings: Play it safe, even if warnings seem ambiguous or you think the danger has passed.
• Abandon Belongings: Save your life, not your possessions.
• Head for High Ground and Stay There: Move uphill or at least inland, away from the coast.
• Don’t Count on the Roads: When fleeing a tsunami caused by a nearby earthquake, you may find roads broken or blocked.
• Go to an Upper Floor or Roof of a Building: Only if trapped and unable to reach high ground, go to an upper story of a sturdy building or get on its roof.
• Climb a Tree: As a last resort, climb up a strong tree if trapped on low ground.
• Climb onto Something that Floats: If swept up by a tsunami, look for something to use as a raft.
• Expect the Waves to Leave Debris: A tsunami will leave behind sand, the remains of houses, and vehicles.
• Expect Quakes to Lower Coastal Land: A large earthquake can leave nearby coastal areas lowered, allowing tidal water to flood them.
• Expect Company: Shelter your neighbors.

Lessons of the Earthquake and Tsunami

I pray that in the face of a tragedy, we may stand strong. Life is indeed fragile, our time to go can never be predicted.

This catastrophe somehow reminds us that life is meant to be cherished.

I’ll hug my family more, love them more, live more with passion and purpose.

*[Source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1187/]

Some 20 years ago, skiing was considered the elitist sport and mountain resorts did not welcome the “nuisance” crazy sport called snowboarding. But that has all changed when adventurous men and women of the 80’s craving for an exhilarating downhill ride wanted more. By 1998 and due to its global popularity, snowboarding was officially welcomed into the Winter Olympics.

Getting On Board

Last week, I, along with my husband, youngest daughter, and some relatives checked in to North America’s #1 mountain resort, Whistler BlackComb for a 10-day winter vacation. We are fortunate members of Club Intrawest, a premier resort club in Canada with network of resorts located in Whistler, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Florida and Mexico. (I suggest you sit for a briefing to know more about Club Intrawest‘ privileges which are great for you and your family. And oh, you may want to mention my name so we can share a glass of my favorite pina colada as a referral token.)

I know how to ski, but snowboarding is a complete stranger to me. What I do know however, is that it was often considered more dangerous than skiing. Nevertheless, I mustered up the strength to learn something new – after all, that is typically Jhet. In my mind, I listed the reasons why I should get my feet on the board:

1. My goal is to learn a new sport. Not just to try, but to learn.
2. I see a lot of snowboarders jumping off the mountain and that looks like fun.
3. My two daughters are into snowboarding, so why shouldn’t I?
4. My family is with me and we are cheerleading each other, nothing beats a greater environment than that.

First things first, the gears. Snowboarding outfit and equipment are quite costly. A complete set which include the board, gloves, wrist protector, and boots for starters would cost anywhere from $600-1000++. So better take this new sports to heart. Once I invested on these, I knew I have to be committed. There are variety of shops up the resort to buy your gears from, you also have the option to rent while you are in Whistler.

My lessons were set the second day. I am both excited and apprehensive, already convinced that with fun comes bruises, and body aches. A friend wrote “snowboarding is difficult to learn but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never go back skiing again.” Avid skiers, on the other hand, say, “Skiing is better than snowboarding. If you want to get hurt, go snowboarding. Snowboarders are a nuisance in the mountain, it’s for the crazy people.”

That sounds pretty controversial doesn’t it? But up there, everyone was friendly and was willing to share the slopes whether on snowboard or ski. For me, it’s all about preference and what gives me more fun. Stick to whichever sport suits you. But hey, there’s no harm in learning both.

My instructor, Leif, a young Australian snowboarder, taught me the basics: how to ride the board, balance my body, and observe safety precautions. For beginners, hiring an instructor is highly recommended because statistics show that four to six per thousand persons get seriously injured each day. Don’t be scared, just watch your speed. Whistler happens to have the best variety of instructors from the world over – Australian, Japanese, Koreans, Canadians, French, German – pick yours.

After my snowboarding lecture and actual lessons on the snow, my body was already aching. The negative 24 degrees made it worst, my first time in 23 years living in Canada! I thought, why am I switching from ski to the board when I was able to do the green, the blue runs, and even the black diamond? These are the easiest, intermediate, and advanced level of difficulty of skiing, respectively.

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