May 2026
In this dispatch: my first book signing, a call from the sacred mountain, and some thoughts on Feng Shui
May is National Heritage Month in the Philippines and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. Our heritage is shared, and our identity moves through the oceans. To quote Albert Alejo:
In my voyages and travels, I noticed that on the surface of the water, islands appear to be separated from one another. But if you swim deep enough, you will find that in the depths of the water, they are actually connected.1
Doing the Work
This month, I published essays on how heat influences our mental health, why we can’t just “go back to the precolonial,” how AI chatbots are harming your mental health, how we tend to compulsively categorize others and ourselves, and how we understand grief and sorrow in our cultural worldview. A local publication also released their interview with me.
A research paper that I authored was published this month: I conducted a study a few years ago, on ordinary Filipino perspectives on the Chinese practice of Feng Shui. I wrote it to show how our cultures have interacted, and how much of each other’s traditions we have absorbed and appreciated. Recognizing our shared humanity is vital during this time of increased ethnic tensions, particularly in relation to the West Philippine Sea.
I met with the Yuchengco Museum team to discuss some possible collaborations related to their current display: the art of the hermit painter of Mount Banahaw, Jaime de Guzman, and his collection of anting-anting. Jeannie Javelosa, director of the museum, also had a lot of fascinating stories about her time in the sacred mountain. She was the one who reached out to me, and she also invited me to visit Mount Banahaw—and it’s quite auspicious, because I’d been meaning to do so for a while now, to go on my own spiritual pilgrimage.
A final piece of news: this month, I was able to do my first book signing event! It was held in Fully Booked BGC on May 30. Jen Horn facilitated a fascinating conversation!2 In the crowd of more than 60 attendees were students (some were my own, from past classes I taught), teachers, aspiring psychologists, and social advocates (including some working for peace in critical areas in the Philippines).
New Releases
Two podcast episodes came out this month, exclusive for Patreon subscribers: From Paranormal to Cultural Studies and Demystifying “Kapwa.” Subscribers can listen now via the Patreon app—or on Spotify.
NEW E-BOOKS!! 🤓 I just re-released an older resource on Filipino shadow work (plus a 30-minute lecture recording). I also have a newer e-book, on Philippine archetypes.
Care for the Inner Garden
I was invited by Honey de Peralta, the Penguin Random House representative in charge of pitching my book to local bookstores, to a dinner with herself, a co-worker, and MJ (Scribbles & Books), who was in town for a workshop. MJ has been promoting Sikodiwa to the local book community, and in fact some people I know have told me that they learned about my book through MJ, so I’m very grateful.
[Sikodiwa] helped me better understand how to nurture wellbeing as a Filipino.
— MJ Scribbles & Books
While my wife was away on a trip, I was able to revisit a place I really enjoy, Pintô Art Museum. This is a gorgeous art space in Antipolo, that features contemporary Filipino artists as well as selections of ethnic art. I’ve always enjoyed the political criticism represented through heavy religious symbolism. You can get lost in the winding, foresty paths and rustic architecture (which seems to have some Mediterranean influences).
Quick Resource Guide
🌞 FREE ACCESS!! My essays on Lifestyle Inquirer, published academic papers, and recorded public lectures.
📖 Order my book, Sikodiwa—Available internationally, wherever you get your books! PH-based readers can find it in Fully Booked or National Bookstore.
❤️🔥 DEEPER STUDY: E-books and short courses (🔜) via Gumroad, archive of lecture recordings and research notes via Patreon.
“Loob as Relational Interiority: A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Human Person,” translated from Tagalog by Julia E. Riddle (Social Transformations, 2018).
I know Jen from a TAHI (The Arts and Health Institute) program by MAGIS Creative Spaces, and then we met each other again for a talk I gave at Manila Middle Ground. And then, Jen facilitated a panel I was part of during Design Week 2025. Jen is also the co-creator of Ugnayan Cards.