Talk on Philosophy and Spirituality to 11^th Graders at the University of Bohol

Location : VDT Advanced Learning Center (University of Bohol), Tagbilaran City, Bohol (province), Philippines

Giving a Talk
During a student debate, UB faculty Mehul and I had a brief talk where he found my story rather unique. He asked if I could share my philosophical and spiritual journey to 11^th graders at the University of Bohol. Of course I said Yes.

Privileged Kids
Mehul took me to the University of Bohol-VDT Advanced Learning Center, Senior High School on the outskirt of town. After a brief talk with a teacher, I learned that this school is the most exclusive in all of Bohol. The students are the most privileged, coming from affluent families who shake and move Tagbilaran, perhaps all of Bohol. To set the paradigm right, these students are born and raised in the Philippines who can hardly speak Boholano or Pilipino - because they only speak English. Until I had a trust-fund girlfriend back in my UP days who was born-and-raised in the Philippines but could not speak Tagalog, I thought such references only existed in comics and movies. Now, they would be my captive audience. It goes without saying that these students already have the best education money can buy. They're not just rich, they are smart! And I am not about to underestimate that intelligence.

No Rated-R Pictures
I had an outlined set of topics together with webpages from TheLoneRider to present, but opted not to open it after learning most of them are 18 and below. I had Rated-R pictures from Burningman which might ruffle the school admin feathers. I didn't want to be rude to my university host. As such, I just winged my presentation wherever it took me. I couldn't possibly talk about cathartic moments in my journey without mentioning Burningman.

Point A to Point B
I started my story when I was still a working stiff in Canada, doing the 9-5 back in 2003. It's all about the normal life of going to work, reporting to an incompetent boss, being reliant on the paycheck, house in the burbs, white picket fences, etc. Life was all normal until I told my boss she was incompetent. I was fired while saddled with a $22,000 debt in the middle of a nasty divorce. I thought the world imploded on me. But that's when the magic started.

Fast forward to my here-and-now and I'm a homeless nomad, no property, no job, no connections with powerful people BUT I'm happy. I live in plush resorts, eat good food (and even invite breakfast guests!), travel extensively all over Southeast Asia, meet magnificent lives and give talks like this one. Sure, I hardly have money, but if I can manifest my desires by simply wishing it, then who needs money? Everything I could wish for in life, I already have....hmmm I haven't walked on water yet, but that's a different issue :)

How is all that possible? I pointed out cathartic moments that happened in between to cause a paradigm shift that redefined everything - divorce, Burningman, Vipassana, yoga, etc.

I busted the myth about money, the delusion of the future and the clawing hands of the past. I talked about the fragility of love, the impermanence of what we think we forever have, clutter-clearing heavy baggage which may include friends and loved ones, redefining spirituality not as a goal but as a process and questioning everything if it makes no sense.

Natural Hidden Law
Homeless people who have no money usually starve on the sidewalk - I don't. I attribute that to a natural hidden law I somehow stumbled upon. I wanted to talk more about the variables that make up the pieces of its jigsaw components to make it readily available to everyone - not just me. I already have a good collection of the jigsaw pieces...and growing - empowerment, fitness, perfecting the game instead of pursuing money, detachment, impermanence, staying present, critical thinking, mindfulness, trusting in the process, humility, gratitude...all these things I'd like to add to having a Midas Touch.

Q&A
I didn't talk too long since I wanted the rest of the segment to be an engaging Q&A. I wanted the dynamic interaction. To my dismay, none raised any question, although it was obvious they had a lot to ask. The talk ended abruptly after that. Interestingly, when we were informally taking pictures, that's the time they squeezed-in their questions - too late!

Ending Thoughts
I don't usually do formal talks in front of an audience (although I'm increasingly getting comfortable with it) as I usually share my experience on a one-on-one basis with friends across a coffee table. However, given my nomadic lifestyle, the radical way I see reality, how I play my role as I inch my way through this journey and more importantly, the transformation I've gone through in pursuit of it, it becomes increasingly clear to me that people who live a conventional life could benefit from whatever insight I can share. There are too many unhappy souls out there limited by their visible horizon - as I used to be. I share my story to give them a glimpse of a horizon far broader and more animated than the mole hill immediately in front. Why be a passive observer of reality when you have it in you to construe it.

Thank you for giving me the privilege and opportunity, Mehul !!!

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Reader Comments:

Don Tan

Next stop:

Chocolate Overload At Dalareich Chocolate House

(Oct 2, 2017) In tableya conversations with friends, the newly opened chocolate factory - Dalareich Chocolate House, the first of its kind in Bohol, kept popping up. It was an itch that finally had to be scratched. A conversation with the chocolate princess herself, Dalareich, opened up a hidden world of chocolate for me....more »»

University of Bohol Blogs

1. Yoga for 60+ Students at the University of Bohol Oct 4, 2017
2. Talk on Philosophy and Spirituality to 11^th Graders at the University of Bohol Sep 27, 2017
3. Judging a Student Debate at the University of Bohol Sept 15, 2017

Bohol Google Map

Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

• Danao Adventure Park - zip lining, cable car ride, caving, river rides/trekking, off-road buggy ride, root climbing, rappelling and ultra-glide rides
• Alona Beach - hub for tourists with hotels, resorts, restos, bars and dive shops
• Chocolate Hills - hills side-by-side shaped like giant Kisses chocolate
• Tarsier - pocket-sized marsupia looking like a monkey
• Balicasag Island - one of the best dive spots in the Philippines
• Loboc River - river cruise on a boat
• Anda Beach - fine white sand beach with resorts, restos and cottages, 3 hours by bus from Tagbilaran
• Cabagnow Cave Pool - brackish water pool about 5ft deep inside a limestone opening on the ground, 8 feet deep, P50
• Lamanok Island - walk on a 100m bamboo bridge on stilts to a resto area to take a boat tour to caves and nearly attractions, P300
• Combento Cave Pool - cave pool with underwater cave system, P20
• Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
• Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
• Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies

hotel

• Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
  Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
• Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
  0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
• Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
  Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

yoga

• Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
  The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
  Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue

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