Wired to the cosmos … and shopping
Article Website: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20070429-63049/Wired_to_the_cosmos_…_and_shopping
By Tessa Prieto-Valdes
Inquirer
First Posted 01:34:00 04/29/2007
Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure, Fashion, Technology (general), People
MANILA, Philippines – Through a sea of colorful saris and kurtas, I eagerly walked toward a compassionate-looking Indian man. His compelling aura was so strong that I was tongue-tied when he asked me: “Are you happy?” I was perplexed and didn’t have an answer.
Such was my initial encounter with world-renowned spiritual leader, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living Foundation. His inner enlightenment brought powerful energies into the room.
My ever-wired, bubbly nature was silenced by his enchanted aura. Even after years of Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga, I still have not learned full and deep meditation, despite the best efforts of yogis like Tristan Choa, Bela Lipat and Pye Trinidad. It’s difficult to meditate when your brain is simultaneously thinking of kids, shopping, parties and the other minutiae of life.
Yoga has aided me drastically although it has not cured my shopping virus. In fact, my yoga gear ranges from Nike Park to Gift Gate. Yes, there is a Hello Kitty yoga mat! And at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, there are yoga bags from Urban Spa and other outlets.
To help calm the spirit and tone the body, Yoga Manila has quite a number of various yoga practices, including classes for expectant mothers and children. This May, guest yogi Sarem Atef is conducting Ashtanga and Mysore classes (e-mail yogamanila@ gmail.com).
The Art of Living (www.artofliving.org.ph) integrates many yoga practices. It is a nonprofit, educational, charitable and humanitarian organization whose mission is to unite violence-free global families. The Philippine Chapter opened in 2005 and has been dedicated to uplift the lives of Filipinos with its de-stressing and enlightenment programs. E-mail the chapter at info@artofliving.org.ph for classes and seminars.
Guruji, as yogi Shankar is fondly called, has brought to the masses self-development modules and programs to effectively convert hatred and distress to love and wisdom. His legendary charisma and selfless service have inspired millions worldwide.
At his recent, very successful, three-day Health & Happiness Workshop at the Edsa Shangri-La Ballroom, Guruji had over a thousand guests sitting on yoga mats and guiding them through breathing exercises, healing and meditation. The special pre-workshop evening I attended focused on happiness with a bit of healing and an intense meditation.
Ugly beauty search
His statement during the meditation “honor your body” made me think of the Ms. Ugly (No More) search currently being run by Beverly Hills 6750 Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Institute (www.bh6750.com). I guess this beauty contest features a modern way of honoring one’s body, by making it as beautiful as one wants to. Three lucky ladies will get to honor their bodies, thanks to sponsors such as Smart and Inquirer.
If Guruji has elevated the Art of Living and Beverly Hills the Art of the Body, then Nike+iPod has perfected the Art of Running. Two iconic, global brands, Nike and Apple, have brought the worlds of sports and music together with an innovative, wireless system that channels the runner’s personally selected music and real-time audio feedback to the runner. To top it all off, Nike+iPod also calculates total calories burned at the end of the run.
Apple enthusiast Elbert Cuenca explained this awesome technology is possible via a proprietary wireless network, similar to Bluetooth. A tiny sensor is properly placed under the sole cushion of the Nike+Shoes, which then wirelessly transmits to an iPod Nano. As the runner starts his run, all he has to do is press a button and the system is activated. More details for the techno-savvy can be found at www.nike.com.ph.
The runner’s customized playlist starts and an audible feedback provides information on distance covered, halfway point, last few minutes, etc. There is also choice between a male or female voice, so I chose the inspiring, male, drill-sergeant voice.
A “Power Song” can also be selected as one’s crunch-time tune to be played when one “hits the wall” and is tempted to quit. At this critical moment, what song would I choose to lift my spirits and boost my energy? Probably something disco rather than a Disney twitter.
At least, I didn’t have to play a “Power Song” when I joined the Nike+iPod fun race at Nike Park, Bonifacio High Street, as it was only a 3K distance. Joining the fun run was long-distance runner Joy Rojas. She has run around the Philippines to promote education and exercise, so this event was a simple warm-up for her. Nike Philippines’ marketing manager Melissa Crucillo and I ran at a relaxed pace but we made sure to finish ahead of the youngest participant, all of five years young!
To non-runners, I thought that 3K might be comparable to a walk around the SM Mall of Asia. But then again, I wondered whether the mall might actually be a longer walk.
I decided the best way to answer this would be to ask Henry Sy himself, guru of the SM Group of Companies. As luck would have it, I recently had the occasion to have dinner with this great man and his children Tessie, Elizabeth, Herbert and Hans, together with my mother, Inquirer chair Marixi Prieto and her siblings. Even more coincidentally, dinner was at the new Highlands Steakhouse at the SM Mall of Asia.
Tessie explained that my grandfather, Vicente A. Rufino, had given her dad his first big break by renting him space in a building in Quiapo that became the first Shoe Mart. My lolo was also Mr. Sy’s wedding sponsor. In the circularity of life that defines our culture, Mr. Sy returned the favor by being one of my wedding sponsors.
Many decades and countless malls later, Mr. Sy now exudes the same inner peace that I saw emanate from yogi Shankar. And if Guruji were to ask me the same question now – “Are you happy?” I would know exactly how to answer.
Yes! Because now I know that a run around the SM Mall of Asia is longer than a 3K run!
E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph
