Month: August 2026

Notes on the Mystery of Healing:   

Every so often I would receive a Thank You note, a hearty handshake or a simple smile from people I have treated. One time, a group of doctors from the US went on a medical mission to an island in Southern Philippines. One morning there was a man who I was told had not walked or was unable to walk for 10 years. He came assisted by two men to the school where the western doctors were treating patients from the villages, teenagers who needed circumcision, women who had large uterine tumors and children who required surgery for harelip. I do not know how this disabled man became my patient but I think it was probably because nobody thought they could do anything for him. Besides I was the only acupuncturist in the group and I guess I needed something to do with my hands.

Continue reading “Diary7/21/26: A Note on the Mystery of Healing” →

The Journey Continues: The Dragon at 85 

I wrote a bit about my own journey in my book “Of Fire and Water: Alchemy and Transformation” (Tambuli Media: 2023) and one essay “The Dragon at 75” summed up the years before. I do not know how many people who bought the book sit down to reflect on what I have said about life or even martial arts. The essays and videos in my website are possibly glossed over or ignored too. It’s the nature of the culture, the modern barrage of information overload and our busy lives. At least I have not heard anything much from the readers.  As Philippine national hero Jose Rizal said, We plant a tree not knowing if we are going to sit under its shade. Just the same, we do our work, we sow the seeds, hoping they will land on fertile ground.  I do not know if I will still be around to hear what people will say about my impact, if any, on their lives or at least their practices.  

Continue reading “Diary 7/18/26: The Journey Continues” →