It’s been five months of being quarantined now so I’ve had a lot of time to reflect. And, also a lot of time to watch YouTube videos. I’ve heard people talk about Abraham Hicks so I’ve tuned in to what she’s had to say about manifestation. I’ve also watched movies like The Secret and What the Bleep Do We Know? Although I understand that willing something alone is insufficient for manifesting it into reality, I do strongly believe it starts there. In my exploration of manifestation, it’s begged the question of what do I ultimately want to manifest? The answer that comes to mind is that, basically, I just want to go to the spa.

Conceptually, I wish the answer to this question about what I want in life immediately brought me to thoughts like love, peace, and compassion for all mankind. Or, spiritual enlightenment from being an ascetic who abstains from all of life’s pleasures as a means of tapping into my true self. I guess my current spiritual maturity isn’t quite there yet. At least, I believe that it starts with my direct experience of love, peace, and compassion for myself that will ultimately help me to bring that vibe to others. As Gandhi said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” For me right now, the change I want to see is the embodiment of more of a joie de vivre or joy of life. Here’s what that looks like for me as a total hedonist.

Seeing Beauty

I miss traveling the world because there’s such a difference between watching the Travel Channel or Travel Blogs and actually being on a pristine beach with clear water and white sand on a remote island in the Philippines. To me, traveling has always been a way to see the beauty our world has to offer in the form of nature, whether that’s how the sky looks from different parts of our planet, or just people watching from a cafe in Vienna where you can see how people move and interact so differently from the Northern Virginia life to which I’m accustomed.

The first thing on my hedonistic manifestation list is more and more travel: Santorini, Bali, Osaka, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sicily are on top of my list. I’d also like to get to these beautiful places in first class because as bougie as it sounds, the added luxury just adds to the overall experience. I want champagne the second I sit in my pod and all the hot towels, socks, lotion, and delicious food on real plates and silverware. I really like the white table cloth and fully reclining seats, especially if I’m going to be in the air for more than a handful of hours.

Touch and Feeling Beautiful

This kind of goes hand-in-hand with traveling because wherever I go, the absolute number one experience I seek out is a luxurious spa. I’m in my head all day at work and grind day in and day out, so any opportunity I get to spend the day at the spa is my ultimate indulgence. Whether it’s at a resort in Mexico, a cruise ship over the Carribean, or overseas in a foreign country, I am all about the spa experience.

The tranquility of it all, especially when the facility is well-designed and the staff is well-trained, is out of this world and it’s what truly helps me disconnect from the stress and anxiety of the real world. I can step into a dream world with water fountains, cold towels, fruit and tea, and then of course heavenly treatments inspired by ancient self-care practices from all over the world like India, Sweden, and Thailand. The spa can just take all my money.

Hearing Beautiful Sounds

This week, had it not been for this pandemic, I would have had front row seats to see John Legend at Wolf Trap. I was so excited and then so disappointed when I learned that Wolf Trap was no longer doing shows this summer. I’m not a big concert or music-festival-going person. I’m more of a chill, pull out a lawn chair with an ice-cold beer kind of girl. Some of my favorite concert memories have been James Taylor and Jack Johnson. I’m also into the sultry jazz club scene, so the third item on my hedonist manifestation list is the opportunity to see my favorite artists up close and personal to really hear their beautiful voices. I’d start with Norah Jones. I want to be moved from my core by just listening and feeling the sounds.

Smelling Beautiful Scents

This hedonistic pleasure for me is probably more tied to spas and fine dining restaurants. I’m big into essential oils and their ability to heal, change your mood, and set the tone for an experience. For me, scents of eucalyptus, frangipani, and exotic fruits just put me at ease. I can close my eyes, take in a deep inhale of these scents, and slip into my happy place. Whether it’s on the beach or whatever scent they pump into the lobbies of nice hotels, I’m all about it.

Similarly, the scent of food triggers me. It could be the complexity of the spices from a Thai, Indian, or Southern Comfort Food feast or a dining experience like dim sum or street food. Besides the spa, my travels usually revolve around finding new food experiences from where the locals go to where the elite dine. I live to eat and love being fully immersed in a foodie experience.

Taste Beautiful Dishes

This brings us to my last hedonistic pleasure that I want to manifest. I’ve spent the past five months tapping into my dining experience memories to recreate the tastes that brought me so much joy in my exploration of the world. I’ve cooked literally everything… Beef Wellington, Pad Thai, Pho, Butter Chicken, Italian Pastas, Bar-B-Q, Filipino faves, you name it. Now, I’m ready to be fed! This is the longest stretch I’ve gone without eating at a restaurant and I can’t wait to see how the food scene will emerge from this pandemic with their creative and deepened approaches to food.

I do feel a bit guilty that when I think about what I want to manifest in my life, my aspirations are full of hedonistic desires. I will say though that when I envision my life and the fruits of my labor, I don’t see myself enjoying these experiences alone. Through this quarantine, I’ve deepened my relationship with the people I love even from afar. I see more clearly the people who bring joy and meaning to my life. I want to experience all of this with them and create beautiful memories to look back on. If you ask me why I work so hard, besides for the love of the work itself, it’s because I want to experience all that the world has to offer in my short time here on this planet. So, there it is… my dreams and hedonistic focus of my manifestation energy. Now, do your thing universe!

What brings you joy and how are you fully indulging in the moment?

Sometimes you see it coming, other times you don’t. But when a family member passes, it almost always triggers a state of deep reflection about life, its meaning and purpose, and its transcience. I’ve never really needed a major life event to prompt me to think deeply, but just recently, in the face of a family member’s unexpected death and in the teary eyes of all of those who loved him, it made me think about my life and brought me back to the basics of the Buddhist principles of good word, good thought, and good deed.

Funerals, especially in my Filipino culture, bring families together. It had been a while since I had seen a few of the cousins I grew up with when I was young. Some were celebrating birthdays this week, others were with child, many of them were running around after their little ones, and then there were those like me, not really at any of life’s big milestones, just living my everyday life.

Lately, life for me has been focused on my work. I’ve traveled all over the world, experienced profound growth professionally and personally, and have been given opportunities to build a company, a team, and a legacy. Being in management consulting, if you let it carry you in its traditional ways, you can get caught up in the money, the deception, and the indulgent, often cold lifestyle. Luckily for me, I’ve had guidance along the way to direct me towards a kinder, whole-hearted, and very human approach to this type of work, but it doesn’t mean the pull towards the more superficial and dog-eat-dog mindset doesn’t still give a little tug every now then.

When I think about how I want to live and work, along with what I want to strive towards, abundance and continuous growth, learning, and development always come to mind. Beyond my conceptual ambitions though, the foundation of my daily practice is love, care, and support for myself, those closest to me including family and friends, my community, and ultimately the world. I want to strengthen and expand this compassion and the “how” is through good thought, good words, and good deeds, as taught by the Buddha and in more modern times, the Dalai Lama.

Good Thought

It always starts here because your thoughts are what determine your focus. Your focus is where your energy goes. Your energy is what you manifest. This could mean manifesting your micro-expressions that influence your every day interactions and relationships, to the things you attract into your life like life-changing people, experiences, and adventures. I have to be mindful of my thoughts and how they affect the energy around me. I will meditate more.

Good Word

Word have vibrations as well. There are those with good vibes, bad vibes, and everything in between. Words also bring us closer to others in our relationships or they tear us apart. Improving my ability to communicate and facilitate meaningful conversations will help me to strengthen the relationship I have with those who come into my life. I will put more effort towards effective communication.

Good Deed

When what you do is in alignment with what you say and what you think, there’s this authenticity and life force that flows through you. When I’m being selfish and thinking only of what will benefit me, I’m never satisfied and can be left with a sense of emptiness and lack of fulfillment. When I help others through tough times or to get closer to what they need and want in life, I feel truly happy. I will serve those around me and find ways to really see them, appreciate them, and support them.

My mom was saying that in the Philippines, unlike here in America, funerals are full of food, drinks, gambling, laughter, and bonding with those who the individual who passed through brought together in their lives. It reminds me a lot of my wedding when all the people I loved were in one room celebrating our life and love. My heart was so full. When my time comes, I hope that my life has brought together good people, who continue to practice the principles of good thought, good word, and good deed, carrying forth the spirit of peace, love, and compassion to all living beings.

How mindful are you of your thoughts, words, and deeds?