JM turns to meditation to ward off fear amid pandemic

In terms of sheer masculine beauty and excellent acting ability, there is no doubt JM de Guzman is among the top local male celebrities in the country today.

Acting, he said, paved the way for him to carve a niche in Philippine showbiz. It was also through acting where JM discovered his potential to excel in other fields.

“It made me know myself more, na ang dami ko palang kayang gawin because when I was a kid, I didn’t excel in any field — sports or art,” began JM whose first foray into acting was in theater. “And then, when I discovered acting, I began to realize that I can do more, that I can train in martial arts and that I can be brave. I have this parang libog (lust) to learn this craft more and to own it more.”

However, he admitted that fear sometimes creeps in yet he always tries to channel his thoughts to something positive. He often uses his energy to ward off fear by meditation “to clear my mind of those thoughts that I know won’t do me good. It’s a constant feeling, especially the fear of death given the situation that we are all in now.”

What’s good, the actor is not afraid to tell his director what is making him feel uncomfortable on the set “like for example in a scene, I have to feel that certain rush (of emotion) but I couldn’t then, I stop and I will say sorry kasi wala po talaga. I don’t want to lie to them.”

JM never denied about making pain into art. He said that he had experienced heartbreak twice to two different women. He has been single for five years already and clearly, the actor is not yet ready to be in a serious romantic relationship at this time in his life.

The past heartbreaks caused him to feel down in the dumps and “paralyzed,” as how he put it, because he gave so much love. “Sobra (ako) magmahal. I’m dependent so when the person leaves me, the void remains. So, if I won’t do something about this void, it will just be a cycle.”

JM deems it best to focus on improving himself, polishing his acting some more and working on his goal of building his dream house before sharing his life with someone.

“I want to prioritize what is given to me now (the opportunity). Maging okay na tao and to become better than yesterday. In my mind, I will build my dream house first. Yes, I cannot deny the feeling of wanting to commit myself to a (lifetime) relationship but I will just leave everything to God.”

At present, JM is concentrating on the things he loves to do and he never forgets to count his blessings “because I often tell myself na, ‘Andito pa yung pangarap mo, abot-kamay mo pa. Pwede pa, dito ka mag-focus,’” said the actor who topbills the Kapamilya drama series Init sa Magdamag with Yam Concepcion and Gerald Anderson.