Meditate Your Way to Health, Success, and Happiness

I want to try this!

Press Release:

What do Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Michael Jordan, and Lebron James have in common? They’re all incredibly successful, hard-working and geniuses in their field, but many people don’t know that they all practice meditation. Oprah said that meditation has made her “1,000 times better”. Michael Jordan and Lebron James, both famous athletes, practiced meditation to sharpen focus and improve concentration. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, was a well-known meditation practitioner. As stated by his biographer Walter Isaacson, “Your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before. It's a discipline; you have to practice it.”

Meditation is the process of reflecting on your mind. When you start looking inside yourself, you will be able to change and improve yourself and thus, tap into so much unrealized potential.  At Ortigas/Makati Meditation, you can look back on your mind and improve your life and career. Through the "subtraction" method you can discover the original nature of the mind. 

The human mind is like a stack of pictures that you have stored in your mind and body. These “pictures" are the accumulation of your past experiences which have formed your pattern of thinking and habits. The pictures stored in your mind contain emotions, thoughts, and attachments to people, places, and material things. They have created their own world in your mind. Because the world in the human mind is not “real”, you can throw them away. This method is systematic and scientific. It is not about suppressing your mind and experiencing temporary comfort. It helps you to eliminate the roots of your human mind, completely. When you empty your mind through the subtraction method, your mind and body will become lighter and more free. You will find the true happiness within you.

At the Ortigas/Makati Meditation Center, professional instructors guide practitioners with the subtraction method and always check their meditation progress in order to help them throw away their thoughts. Most of the practitioners feel the changes in their minds in  2~3 weeks after they practice the subtraction meditation. 

Once the noisy and complicated state of mind is subtracted, then you can feel calm, light and comfortable. You will be able to control the negative emotions that engulf you. You can discover yourself sincerely smiling at the colleagues you used to feel uncomfortable around. 

You will even feel happy in the morning when you wake up. Your work performance improves along with your concentration as the useless thoughts disappear from your head. You will find yourself free from stress. You can recover your confidence and get to know yourself much better.  You will be able to understand people much better, therefore, the relationships with people naturally improve and conflicts will be solved. With the awareness of how to empty your mind, your inner power grows, which allows you to control your mind in any situation you can possibly face. You will always be positive and the quality of your life will dramatically improve. 

The effects of this meditation have been scientifically verified. An extract from the academic paper “The Effects of the Meditation Program on the Brain Function of University Students” published in the Journal of the Completion Education Society stated this: "After the mind subtraction meditation, the university students' brainwaves became stable and their brain quotient enhanced. Therefore, their concentration and thinking ability have improved. Their resistance to stress from internal and external environmental factors has enhanced."  Likewise, meditation has positive effects on the brainwaves. Therefore, it gives people who practice the method mental stability.

This meditation was established in South Korea in November 1996. Currently, there are more than 340 meditation centers all over the world and more than 500,000 people have practiced the method of subtraction to cleanse the mind and body to become the truth.

In the Philippines, there are centers in Ortigas and Makati. The centers open from 9:30 am to 11:30 pm, 7 days a week. If you would like to get more information about meditation, you can register for the free seminar conducted at any of the centers. 

Free Introductory Seminar: Every Saturday at 3:30 pm

Ortigas Meditation Center: 687.1294/0915.254.8986 AIC Gold Tower, F. Ortigas Jr., Pasig

Makati Meditation Center: 856.6943/0915.345.2296 Classica Tower 2, 114 H.V. Dela Costa St.

For more information you can check out the following sites: 

OrtigasMeditation.org ｜MakatiMeditation.org

Facebook.com/ortigasmeditation｜Facebook.com/makatimeditation

MeditationUSA.org ｜guidedmeditationtips.com｜meditationlife.org (Korean)

Ventura Foods’ Secret is The Sauce

Good news to foodies and dining establishment owners! Ventura Foods is now in the Philippines!

Press Release:

If you go to a restaurant in the United States there is a good chance that you would be eating a Ventura Foods product.

Ventura Foods is a leading manufacturer of custom and branded oil, shortening, margarine, mayonnaise, sauce and dressing in the United States. The company currently supplies many Quick Service and Fast Casual Restaurants in the United States and many other countries around the world.

Their presence in the Philippines is expected to gain them a foothold not just in the expanding dining scene in the country but in the whole of the Asia-Pacific Region. One of their main strengths is that they specialize is custom made products.  Big retailers that supply the service industry will often deliver the same product they already manufacture. “We really believe in customization to help our customers give the right solutions for consumers,” says Jann Kervoern, President of Ventura Foods International. “We don't make one product that we sell to everybody.” 

Because Ventura Foods is already well known to the franchisers of US based restaurants and chains, their presence is creating excitement among new and well established franchises. Too often, local versions of US branded chains have had to make do with whatever was available in the local market. Ventura’s presence means they can now avail of the gold standard in sauces and dressings.

  

So what makes the gold standard? Ventura products assure a certain level of quality. The sauces are made to the exact specifications and adhere to the strict quality control standards of those in the US. The company even brought in equipment and industrial design from the US to be able to make the sauces and dressings in the Philippines that lives up to the Ventura brand. 

Ventura’s brand positioning as the company than can do big custom orders sets them apart from companies that just do big non-custom orders or the ones that can only small custom orders. This agility offers customers a lot of options. They can tweak their flavors to capture specific local tastes, for instance. This is why celebrity chefs that look to expand their portfolio with gourmet lines for retail, such as bottled sauces, go to Ventura because of the company’s expertise and flexibility to translate their vision. 

All this know-how has also translated to Ventura’s retail lines. Marie’s is a line of sauces and dressings, the most well-known of which is their line of Blue Cheese dressings; Hidden Valley features dipping sauces, and Smokehouse 220 is a barbecue sauce. These brands are expected to offer the public more quality choices at grocery stores and other retail outlets.

  

“Taste is important,” begins Kervoern. “But in our market of sauces, dressings, mayonnaise and margarine, texture and mouthfeel are other components that are equally just as important.” If there’s anything Ventura excels at in their 20 years in the business, it’s how delicious tastes and feels.   

Ventura Foods and Oleo-Fats, Inc. office address is at #5 Mercury Avenue, Bagumbayan, Quezon City 1110 Philippines or visit the official website at www.venturafoods.com. You may also contact them directly at (02) 709 6536 or (02) 635 0680.

CBTL Brews the Country's Future Entrepreneurs Through a Business Bootcamp for Kids

Hey moms, dads, and kids! The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® invites all to visit the Kiddie Enterprise Fair …

Press Release:

At a time when the local economy is considered fertile ground for business, many Filipinos are seizing the opportunity to build their own enterprises. Technology now allows for individuals to buy and sell products from the convenience of their own smartphones, information is readily available on the internet, and millenials are more assertive about their individual capacities and proactive in achieving their dreams. 

As we continue to work towards a greater country, it is not only critical that we ride trends as they come; it is also very integral to inculcate in every Filipino fundamental values that will aid the growth of our nation. This foundation can, and should be, built early on in the life of an individual. 

With this in mind, Brew Your Best Year, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®'s community for encouraging customers to be the best versions of themselves, put together a Business Bootcamp for Kids. Designed to teach kids the basics of business in an interactive and experiential way, it is a two-part activity that aspires to mold the youth into becoming the next generation of entrepreneurs who will continue to pave the way for a stronger economy. 

For the first part of the bootcamp, Coffee Bean Kids underwent an Entrepreneurship Workshop facilitated by their partner institution, The Ultimate Learning Accelerator (TULA). During the workshop, the kids learned the foundational knowledge and skills needed to start their own small businesses. To provide an avenue where the kids can apply their learnings, the Business Bootcamp will culminate with a Kiddie Enterprise Fair. During the fair, the Coffee Bean Kids will be selling food and retail items with one goal in mind: to create successful business ventures and return their parents’ investments through their earnings.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® invites everyone to support the Coffee Bean Kids during their first business venture at the Kiddie Enterprise Fair on September 3, 2016, Saturday! The event will take place from 11AM-6PM at the garden area in front of their Bonifacio High Street store. The brand will also be selling their teas at a special rate and promises exciting surprises for all attendees. 

For more information on The Kiddie Enterprise Fair, visit The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® (Philippines) on Facebook and Follow @CBTLPH on Instagram.

Ice Cream and Sherbet Recipes Using the HUROM Slow Juicer

For those looking for cool recipes made with the help of the Hurom Slow Juicer ...

BANANA COOKIE ICE CREAM

Ingredients
• Frozen Banana 2ea
• Oreo Cookie 5ea
• Condensed  Milk 2T

Instructions
1. Cut the bananas into 5 pieces and freeze them.
2.   Cut the cookies in half.
3. Prepare the ice cream strainer and open the juice cap.
4. Get a juice cup and place it under the juice outlet.
5. Prepare the frozen bananas, Oreo cookies and condensed milk.
6. Take turns in inserting ingredients from number 5.



SOFT PERSIMMON SHERBET

Ingredients
• Frozen soft persimmon 2ea
• Yogurt 2T
• Lemon juice 1ts

Instructions
1. Defrost the frozen soft persimmon and divide into 6 parts. (Remove the seeds)
2. Prepare the ice cream strainer and open the juice cap.
3. Get a juice cup and place it under the juice outlet.
4. Prepare frozen soft persimmon, yogurt and lemon juice.
5. Take turns in inserting ingredients from number 4.

Jewel in the Palace Star is Hurom Slow Juicer Ambassador

Are you a fan of Jewel in the Palace? Here's an update about Lee Young-Ae!

Press Release:

Lee Young-Ae is back. Filipinos might know her better as Dae Jang Geum, her character in “Jewel in the Palace”. It was a watershed moment for Philippine TV as the first Korean teleserye that captured the hearts of Filipinos everywhere, and thus started a trend that continues to this day. After the tremendous success of this series, Young Ae chose to step back from the limelight, but this year she is returning to a new drama, which has caused much excitement in the entertainment world and among her multitude of fans. Along with her acting comeback, she has become the ambassador of Hurom Slow Juicer. It could not have been a more perfect fit.

“I’ve used Hurom for long time and I feel better and healthier than before,” declares Young-Ae. “There are two ways to make a juice, blending and slow squeezing. To get more nutrition, I love to use Hurom’s slow-squeezing method. Because when you squeeze ingredients slowly, it maximizes nutrition.” With her new production currently underway, she’s definitely going to need it. Young-Ae is starring in Saimdang, the Herstory, a historical drama that will flit back and forth between present and the past. She plays the titular character Saimdang, who was a poet and artist in the Joseon dynasty as well as another character, a modern-day historian who investigates the life of Saimdang. It is set to air in Korea in October 2016.  

When she retired from showbiz a decade ago, she concentrated on home life. Being a health conscious mom, she has extended this to her household. “I make fruit and veggie juice with Hurom for myself and my family. My kids don’t like fruit and vegetable,” she admits, which is a common problem all parents share. “But if I make fruit and veggie juice with Hurom, they love it. This is my secret to make them to eat fruit and veggies.” In a commercial that aired on Korean TV, Young Ae is shown juicing apples and carrots on a Hurom juicer for her son, and he drinks it up happily, none the wiser that it’s packed with nutrition. In other ads she is seen holding a juicing party with friends and another one, where she pours her fresh juice in bottles and takes them to work.  “I make different juices every day,” she says referring to Hurom recipe book. “But my mom loves to make soy noodle with the Hurom slow juicer.” 

Hurom is more than just a juicer. Depending on the model, there are many preparations you can do with Hurom  such as almond milk, and yes, like Young Ae’s mother, you can even make fresh noodles. The third (3rd) generation’s 2016 New Hurom HAA-Series even has an attachment where you can make healthy pure fruit sherbets and ice cream.

   

Lee Young-Ae has one of the most beautiful and ageless faces in Korea. She is as well known for her beauty as she is for her charity. Recently, she donated $50,000 to the earthquake victims in Ecuador and also paid for a Vietnamese child’s brain tumor surgery. Truly beautiful inside and out, she is also a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) ambassador.

  

With all of this activity and her foray back into the business, how does she keep healthy and fit?  “Drinking Hurom juice, that’s my health secret,” she says with a smile. 

Hurom  Slow Juicers are available in Abenson, Anson Link, Duty Free, Gourdo’s, Rustan’s, Landmark, Metro Gaisano, Royal Duty Free, S&R, SM Appliance, SM Home, True Value, and Western Appliances. To learn more about Hurom Slow Juicers, visit the official website at www.hurom.com and follow us on our social media accounts: (Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/huromphofficial, and (Twitter & Instagram) @HuromPHofficial. You may also contact directly the following hotlines (+632) 926-8038 / (+632) 926-8009.

Angel Aquino on the Power to Create Your Favorite Feeling with FAVORI

I just posted a review on the FAVORI aerator, here! Plus, read how FAVORI brand ambassador Angel Aquino uses scents to cope with life's demands …

Press Release:

As a movie and TV actress, host, and mother of two beautiful girls, Angel Aquino juggles numerous roles on a daily basis. These days, she is busy starting a new series with ABS-CBN as well as decorating her new home. 

With FAVORI, there’s a scent perfect for every mood. 
Discover FAVORI’s home fragrances, in variants of 
CLASSIC, SWEET, COOL and WARM scents.

A household name and an icon of success to numerous women, many wonder how she stays grounded and balanced despite her hectic schedule. “Knowing how to relax and be at peace is a skill,” she says. And one of her best kept secrets is aromatherapy.  

There's a reason why Classic Scents never go out of style. 
FAVORI’s CLASSIC Home Fragrances are available in 
Citronella, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lemon Grass, 
Peppermint, Jasmine, and Vanilla.

Her famously calm demeanor and relaxed attitude make her the perfect brand ambassador for FAVORI, a proudly Filipino-owned company that specializes in creating handcrafted aromas for living well.  

For a sweeter life, invite FAVORI’s SWEET Home Fragrances into your home. 
These scents are available in Apple Verde, Cherry Blossoms, Choco Almond,
 Cranberry Wine, Mango Mandarin, Merry Berry, and Verveine Fleur.

A self-professed fan, Angel uses the power of scents to make her home life a refreshing respite from the chaotic world of showbiz. Whether it's to energize for a Barre 3 work out session, to enhance the ambiance for a dinner with friends, or even just to get a good night's sleep after a hard day of work, Angel leans on her favorite scents for her everyday needs.

For a feeling freshness that lasts as long as you need it to, 
try FAVORI’s COOL Home Fragrances available in 
Fresh Cut Grass, Magnolia Bloom, Pink Grapefruit, Rain Dance, 
Sea Breeze, The Vert, and Winter Mint.

“With FAVORI's selection, I get to create my favorite feeling.” Even if she feels lethargic or stressed out, Angel trusts FAVORI to give her the power to change her mood and turn her day around. “FAVORI scents pick me up. They never fail to make me feel good.”

Let others feel the warmth of hospitality in your home with FAVORI’s WARM Home Fragrances. 
The scents are available in Cinnamon Spice, Coffee Caramel, Coco Vanilla, 
Ginger Flower, Olive Branch, Sunkissed Citrus, and Tropical Blast.

Choose your favorite feeling at any of the FAVORI stores in Robinson’s Place Manila, SM Megamall, SM City Marikina, SM Southmall, and Market! Market! 

For more information on FAVORI products, FOLLOW @favoriscents in Instagram, LIKE @favori.scents on Facebook and VISIT their website at WWW.FAVORI.PH. 

Find Rainy Day Essentials at Daiso Japan

Rainy day alert! Stay safe and dry this wet season with these essentials from Daiso Japan!

Press Release:

The rainy days can be a real drag especially if you need to go to work or school even in the heavy downpour. Before heading out in the rain, make sure to arm yourself with essential items that can protect you from the elements.

 

clear umbrellas with designs

Daiso Japan, the only authorized and exclusive retailer of Daiso Industries Ltd. Japan that sells useful and cute items priced from P88, is all geared up for the rainy season with a wide selection of products that will help you stay dry, warm, and prepared for the unexpected.

raincoats, rain pants, and arm covers

Those who commute to work or school would be wise to bring an umbrella every day even when it’s not pouring outside. The unpredictable weather comes with sudden drizzles and rain showers so better be safe and dry than go home soaking wet. Add a bright streak to the gloomy skies with clear umbrellas with colorful designs available at Daiso Japan. For heavier downpour, opt for raincoats (for both adults and children), rain pants well as arm covers to avoid getting drenched. There are also shoe covers to protect your footwear.

 

shoe covers

Keep your stuff dry especially things that easily absorb water such as books and documents by placing them in waterproof eco bags from Daiso Japan.  Made of lightweight material, you can bring as many of these reusable totes as you need because they can be folded and don’t take up a lot of space. Just take out one when the need arises.

 

waterproof eco bags

Damp or wet shoes are inevitable after walking a long stretch of wet, muddy streets. Be sure to dry off your footwear as soon as you get home to prevent molds from forming. Buy a pack of dehumidifying sheets which you can put inside your favorite pair and place them in a shoe rack stand overnight. Daiso Japan also sells dehumidifying mats to eliminate the musty smell of damp air.  Leather wax, meanwhile, can provide a good level of water-resistance and keep your leather shoes and bags from drying out or cracking.

 

dehumidifying sheets and leather wax

Brownouts and sudden power outages are to be expected during a typhoon. For emergencies, keep an LED flashlight handy. For good measure keep extra batteries which can be bought at Daiso Japan in a pack of 20 for only P88.

 

LED flashlights

Sniffles aren’t the only thing you can catch in this weather if you aren’t extra careful. Protect yourself from viruses that may lead to flu and colds by wearing a face mask. The ones available at Daiso Japan are made from non-woven fabric with nose wire and come with a 3-layered filter to keep out dust and pollen.

 

face masks

For more useful items you can bring during the rainy days, visit Daiso Japan.  They are 53 stores nationwide through Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. which holds the exclusive sub-license to sell authentic Daiso merchandise from Japan and operates the legitimate Daiso Japan store concept in the Philippines.

             

Follow them on Facebook at @DaisoJapanPH on Twitter and @daisophilippines on Instagram.