By Joel B. Belinan
With all the noise about Covid-19 and new quarantine restrictions, I would rather talk about alternative penitence (not only during Holy Week) for individuals that will surely help boost our immune systems and our health in general.
Almost everyone of course is aware of the usual things happening everywhere in the Christian world during the Holy Week. My usual interest during this part of the year was my outdoor sports activities. During my younger years, this meant a long trek to a high mountain or a new destination. In many instances, I was leading a group of hikers who were invited by certain local government units. As my age added-up, I returned to my teenage passion, martial arts training but done outdoors. It should be noted that both entail tremendous physical effort. The long hike means at least 4 days of continuous hiking. On the other hand, our martial arts outdoor training meant doubling the time and the intensity compared to trainings on ordinary days.
A four-day continuous hike definitely needs physical and mental preparation for participants so as not to become a burden to fellow hikers. For a fellow who spends most of his/her time in the comfort of an air-conditioned office or workplace such an activity provides a respite not only to re-charge an exhausted physical body but also to refresh stressed minds.
Yes, while after a hike one may find their feet sore, or blistered, others may find theirs shoulder numb due to four days of carrying big backpacks, in general, they may have gained much more benefits physically and mentally, or even spiritually.
On a holy week outdoor martial arts training or training camp, the people involved are prepared to double or triple their effort. As one friend used to say, let’s do it more as this is our penitence instead of bringing ourselves to be nailed to the cross (referring to the penitents in Pampanga who are literally nailed to crosses) or joining a procession of devotees carrying large and heavy crosses with some guys hitting their back with something, like re-enacting that biblical procession to Calvary mountain.
We usually start as early as 4:30 a.m. with 2 hours of long run and then another 4 hours of intense training at the park. At the end of four days of such rigor, not only would we have reduced tremendously the extra weights we gained over months of complacency but we would have also increased our energy and strength to equal how we were 10 or even 20 years ago.
While in Christianity, observance of Holy Week rites meant religious devotees are supposed to do fasting but in reality they are actually just doing some abstinence and they refrain from too many noisy activities, but not in all places. Baguio before this pandemic always turned very busy during Holy week as millions trying to escape the heat in the lowlands flock to this so-called Summer Capital, so what did you expect?
On the contrary, during long hikes participants are forced to budget their respective provisions because they limit what they would bring only to what they really need for four or so days. Bringing more than that would be unnecessary punishment in the form of a heavier baggage on one’s back.
On a Holy Week martial arts training camp we usually eat very little compared to ordinary days. It’s hard to train with a heavy body or tummy, thus eating less during such is common sense. What is more important is the quality rather than the quantity of the food we take.
But with such lesser food intake, it is unbelievable that our bodies gain much more health benefits than feasting in a restaurant or during a canao or fiesta.
This should be our constant challenge for the sake of our total well-being.
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