Wellness Defined, Wellness Lived

We at SYLFF@ADMU started the year 2008 right with our first ever wellness activity at Miriam College's Integrated Lifestyle and Wellness (ILAW) Center last January 5 (Saturday). The ILAW Center boasts of a well-equipped gym, dance/yoga room, massage room, videoke room, counselling rooms, and badminton and table tennis areas. ILAW Center is Miriam College's concrete response to promoting work-life balance amongst its employees.

We began the afternoon with the yoga practice led by instructor Jessy Perez. As this was the first time for almost all the participants to do yoga, Jessy led us through the basics of relaxation, focusing on the breath, and simple but rejuvinating asanas (yoga poses). She also explained the benefits of each pose. After the session, the participants articulated the immediate effects of yoga. There's less pain in the hips (where there was pain before the session) and more energy. We realized our challenges in terms of flexibility. We also appreciated how the slowness of yoga grounds and centers us, and can actually be a very spiritual experience, especially when Jessy invited us to put our hands together near the chest and to bow our heads down at the end of the practice.

Jessy gives an introduction to Hatha (Classical) Yoga and the benefits of the practice

SYLFF Fellows executing the "cobra" pose. Wonderful stretch on the entire spine!

The "bow" poses eases dysmenorrhea and massages the abdomen area

Next, we were ushered into the videoke room where Dr. Ronnie Motilla, Director of the ILAW Center, facilitated a workshop entitled "Achieving Holistic Health." Dr. Motilla, or "Sir Mot" as he is fondly called by his students and colleagues alike, began the workshop with an amusing introduction activity (i.e., "I taste like___. I smell like ___.") that had all of us laughing. Sir Mot shared from his extensive clinical and counseling experience. He stressed that intelligence does not guarantee well-being, and he has had intellectually brilliant clients who made poor choices socially and emotionally. He shared helpful coping skills, such as reporting our own feelings and experiences rather than judging other people's motives and actions, and providing venues to release emotional energies. Sir Mot administered a self-assessment of how well we balanced all aspects of holistic health. It was a revealing moment. Most of us realized how much we have neglected physical wellness by not exercising, not eating from all food groups, and by smoking. We also saw how we have failed to prioritize environmental wellness. Sir Mot challenged us to work on these specific areas for the new year.

Sir Mot discussing each aspect of holistic health

SYLFF@ADMU Fellows considering Sir Mot's input

Holistic health is the ability to strike a balance on all aspects of life. Ultimately, wellbeing is a CHOICE.

After Sir Mot's thought-provoking input, the participants were treated to a half-hour massage by ILAW Center's massage therapists Ate Belen and Ate Rose. We were relaxed with dim lights, soothing lavender oil, and smooth instrumental music. We also enjoyed a pajama-party style dinner (that is, pizza, chips, chicken, salad, and pasta) and kuwentuhan.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Miriam College, especially to Dr. Ronnie Motilla and his assistant Ms. Rem, for warmly welcoming and accommodating our group. Thank you too to Ms. Jessy Perez, and our massage therapists Ate Belen and Ate Rose, for making time for us on a Saturday!