Four Golden Tickets

Four Golden Tickets

First posted 02:58am (Mla time) Aug 06, 2005
By Katrina Holigores
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page C2 of the August 6, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

YES, BY now you’ve probably watched Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and yes, there were five, not four, golden tickets. It’s not a typo but yes (sheepish grin) a cheap trick to get you to read this. If you have not had the opportunity to watch Tim Burton’s adaptation of Roal Dahls bittersweet storytelling of a rather dark Peter Pan type character (and I don’t mean Michael Jackson) taking five different kinds of children into his Chocolate filled Neverland then go. At the very least, it will be a venerable feast for the senses, and you may enjoy the incredible CG effects the movie has in store. Today let’s explore a different kind of factory, one that is held up by four golden pillars. Pillars, which if left uncared for, will cause a serious meltdown.

The first pillar is the body. What have you done to it lately? For every gym and fitness center that opens up, about ten new fast food outlets open right along with it (or right beside it). It seems to be a vicious cycle. What do you do to your skin? Have you checked the ingredients of the products that you use at least once a day? How much exactly do you know about proper nourishment and stress relieving practices? Fad diets, accessibility to dietary medication, technology that promises to give you a whole new you in an instant has whittled down the discipline of working things from the inside out.

Second pillar

The second pillar is the mind. Like TV addict Mike in the movie, we have become fixated on the box. The convenience of being visually spoonfed dramatic stories, gossip, violence, sex, new musical idols, etc., has caused deterioration in our own imagination. Because of the availability of entertainment via the boob tube 24/7 we have turned our mind into a vacuum rather than a machine of creation.

The third pillar is the heart. Do you feel that you may have lost the ability to express yourself? Or is there a general feeling of numbness within you? The word that may describe this is “manhid” or indifferent, even apathetic. The heart that normally bursts forth with emotion is now subdued and waits rather miserably within your chest. Due to the increasing instability and bad news blues brought to us via every media vehicle out there, we would rather not say or feel anything that will bring us more grief, or cause more hurt.

The fourth pillar is the soul. Spirits may be on an all time low. Sure there are a lot of party places to relieve you, but these are temporary fixes. Yup, you know the feeling, you’re pretty much flying until you wake up the next morning, and you have to trudge your way through the rest of your day.

Awareness

I’m going to stop now, because my intention is not to depress, but to raise awareness of certain issues that you may have swept under the carpet instead of facing them. I’m here to offer you alternatives and there is no better time to explore your options than now; in fact, these may be wonderful ways to celebrate the last quarter of 2006.

For the body: The Wellness Institute offers classes on Herbology, Bionutrition, Aromatherapy, Homeopathy, Anatomy and Physiology as well as serves as a center for holistic diagnostic and inner health checkups. Have your blood analyzed, get a biological terrain assessment (BTA) and see how your systems are (or not) performing to their optimum. Check them out at www.wellnessinstituteinternational.com or call 6317794

For the mind. Get inspired, start to create. A group of cinematographers, photographers, painters have come together to form the Blacksoup Artspace which offers a chance to see exhibits, short films and to take courses in digital photography, filmmaking and storytelling. You can e-mail blacksoup_projectartspace@yahoo.com or call 4398838 to find out schedules.

Feel again

For the heart. It’s time to feel again, and this October, the prestigious Writing Salon Workshops is coming to the Philippines. American poet James Navé and American screenwriter Allegra Huston (daughter of legendary director John Huston) will conduct workshops in Boracay. To see what’s in store go to www.thewritingsalon.net or e-mail info@thewritingsalon.net.

For the soul. The possibilities are ENDLESS. But start with a cause. Yours. There are so many people in need of your special skills. Perhaps your guidance, your strength, your talents, abilities that only you possess that could ease the lives of others. There are many institutes out there that will welcome your presence with open arms, but first you must decide in what way you want to give BACK. Think bigger than yourself and, maybe, create a personal mission statement. Find inspiration in this. And soon, you will inspire others. Your four pillars need care and attention so that the factory that is you will not have to close down anytime soon.