The art of living at The Farm at San Benito

Whether it’s the fragrance of the forest after the rain, long evening walks in the expansive gardens, a soothing massage under the stars, reverent prayers in silence or joining the Art of Living course at The Farm at San Benito, time spent in this paradise can give you a renewed sense of peace and understanding.          

In these moments, we remember what’s truly important.

Imagine yourself doing what you were born to do.

I will never forget how the indefatigable visionary and partner of The Farm at San Benito, Naresh Khattar, shared that he was looking for something to do with the rest of his life and he found it in The Farm, which he describes as God’s creation. He realized that health is the greatest wealth and helping others achieve optimum health is his greatest passion.

When I look around the verdant landscape, the ethereal peak of Mt. Malarayat that seems to kiss the clouds, the gentle rain that gracefully falls in the lake in front of me, I know that this is exactly where I want to be. Our gracious teacher Denise Celdran imparted to us the first part of this amazing Art of Living course whose goal is to teach us how to embrace and espouse unconditional love.

My dear friends Aida VillaIuz (who owns Buri Resort in Mindoro), Rose Buan-Lim and I validate this truth that this is how we wish to live our lives, learning about unconditional love and sharing with others the benefits of this divine quality.

The Art of Living simply means living gracefully, joyfully and purposely, not merely existing. It is believed that what you resist persists, thus we must learn acceptance to find joy, peace of mind and fulfillment on earth. It was delightful to learn that practicing very simple breathing techniques can help us live a more joyful, purposeful and productive life. The results are a more focused, energized, positive self.

A lot of us allow our minds to vacillate between the past and future and we forget to be mindful of the only thing we really have — the present. When we remember our breath, we immediately know we are in the present. If we keep looking at the past or the rearview mirror, we will have difficulty seeing what blessings lie in front of us.

We often choose our food, our pillows and beds where we sleep, the places that give us peace of mind — but do we often pay attention to how we are breathing?

Denise shared, “Sudarshan Kriya is an immensely powerful breathing technique that incorporates specific natural rhythms of breath to release stress and purify the entire system by reducing toxins at the deepest cellular level. This and many other breath techniques, yoga, meditation and ancient wisdom will be taught over three days in the lush and serene surrounds of The Farm at San Benito health resort. These exercises will leave you feeling renewed, elevating your emotions while reducing stress, tension and toxins for a purified mind and body.”

After our Art of Living session, gracious GM Michael Di Lonardo and his lovely wife Jennifer Hazen, who is the resident manager, showed us the stunningly beautiful Narra Pool Villas with a plunge pool in your own private eco-sanctuary. The bathroom is very spacious and shows the greenery outside. Marble tiles and wooden accents tastefully done feature only the finest craftsmanship. My dear friends Rose, Aida and I felt so blessed to spend the weekend in this supremely luxurious home away from home.

The view of the lush forest, graceful swaying palms and fronds is truly the epitome of the sublime and surreal and makes us feel God’s omniscience. GM Michael said that nature is where God has written His word. The Art of Living is an experiential course where one will learn at one’s own pace. We learned how important oxygen is to the body. We cannot survive without oxygen, yet most of us only utilize about 30 percent of our lung capacity — almost starving our bodies of vital energy, limiting our ability to undertake vital cellular processes, and allowing toxins to build up in the system. Oxygen is the breath of life and of all the elements that the body needs, only oxygen is in such constant demand that its absence brings death in minutes. When we breathe out, we release toxins like lactic acid. Proper breathing brings about psychological, emotional and health benefits. People who breathe better hardly get sick.

We answered questions like: when will we be happy, what are we responisible for, what bothers us? We learned that after this course, the things that used to bother us may not matter after all. A lot of times our mind sabotages our own plans. It’s all about vibrations and frequencies. Sometimes, we are not in the right vibration or frequency to achieve what we desire. All we need to do is change to a more positive, enthusiastic mode and all will fall in place. We must always have an attitude of gratitude. Each day is a gift to treasure, savor and share.

I remember my loving sister Michelle Dayrit-Soliven who has triumphantly conquered breast cancer. She emphatically shares that she never allowed the illness to steal her joy. Her faith remained steadfast in God that she would be healed and indeed she is completely healed.

Healing Holidays here at The Farm in San Benito are a magical opportunity for one to get away from the humdrum of daily life, to focus on what really matters.

The Farm also offers the Art of Silence course where one will learn how deep rest creates dynamic action. We take vacations to relax; however, we often come out more exhausted! The Art of Silence course is a true vacation  —  enhancing the stress-free lifestyles through practices, knowledge, exercises, deep-guided meditations, service, celebration, and conscious silence. It cradles participants by offering the opportunity to dive deep into genuine relaxation. Increased awareness and an unshakable sense of stability come into our lives and stay for long periods after the course

We learned sutras or beads of knowledge that are tools to help us live happily and peacefully.

1. Do not see intention behind people’s mistakes.

2. Be in the present moment.

3. Opposite values are complementary. How will we know happiness if we never experience unhappiness?

4. Accept people and situations where they are. Every event in our lives has taken us to where we are; we cannot control other people, their minds or reactions. We must learn to manage expectations so as not to get disappointed so easily.

5. You can love and accept a person but not his behavior.

Proper breathing gives us a clearer vision of ourselves. Getting rid of layers of fear, stress, limiting beliefs, preventing us from seeing who we really are. Breathing clears everything that blocks what we are or what we wish to achieve. We must throw away all negatives and traumas.

In the Farm at San Benito where the entire property is simply so lush and green, the prana or energy level is so high that it is easier for one to energize here.

In my quest to experience the most fascinating places on earth, I discover healing sanctuaries like The Farm at San Benito and am privileged to learn the Art of Living. Today, I vigilantly practice the nuggets of wisdom I learned from my teacher Denise Celdran who shares, “Breathe. Let go of all the stress and worries; be mindful of this very moment. No need for your mind to vacillate between the past and the future. With all certainty, the present is all you have,”

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The next Art of Living courses at The Farm is on July 26 to 28 for Art of Breathing; The Art of Silence course on Aug 29 – Sept 2. For Art of Living course information call 0917-840 8833 or visit www.artofliving.org.

For more information, call The Farm at San Benito at 884-8074 or 0917-5722208, email: mso@thefarm.com.ph or reservations@thefarm.com.ph; visit www.thefarm.com.ph.

E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.