On the Path

The Centro Sermon dela Montaña
Virgilio Gutierrez Jr.
There are no free gifts
Wife Cora's own enlightenment
Good Friday 1977
Intensive Training
The Brotherhood of Spiritual Pathfinders
Many Aspects and Levels of Truth
The Theosophical Society
Spiritualism and Spiritism
My First Million
INNER QUEST Founded
The Center Disbands
The Benefits of Poverty
Sin and Consequence
The Way Back

The Centro Sermon dela Montaña

In 1976, the Center clearly was past its peak in regard to the healing of the physical body. Previously, as many as 600 to a thousand patients came every day, from faraway provinces and distant countries. But now, fewer than a hundred would come, even on Sundays.

It was not known to everyone, even among the members, themselves. But after having caught the attention of the people, which was the primary objective behind the signs and healing wonders in the first place, the Center’s activities would now shift its emphasis to the New Divine Teachings, their applications and consequences — a graduation, in fact.

Now less dramatic, less urgent, much more difficult and plodding the way of spiritual development, interest in the continuing studies naturally would decline. And the phenomena are to decrease as the more important and far more beneficial aspects of spiritual development and character building are taken up in their place, instead.

Virgilio Gutierrez Jr.

The Center first caught the attention of many primarily because of the healing activities of Virgilio Gutierrez, Jr. When he was about 5 years old, Vergel could already see and converse with the invisible beings around him. At 18 under the patronage of St. Anthony de Padua, he became a full-fledged healer and psychic surgeon.

In 1968, buoyed by the successes of his healing mission and with encouragement coming from Archangel Michael, he was able to set up several Spiritist study centers. A center or a "lunduyan" is a place where spiritual studies are conducted and future psychics, mediums and healers are developed under the guidance of the Spirits of Truth. One of these centers is the Centro Sermon dela Montaña, the membership of which later included doctors, lawyers and other professionals, businessmen, managers and members of the academe. Ours was the Center of Intellectuals and in fact, the Center was the only predominantly English speaking center affiliated with the Union.

Typical of many healers, so that he may better appreciate the value of the healing that he would administer to his patients, Vergel himself would get sick often, so sick in fact that he was not able to attend his classes. As a result, he was forced to stop schooling, altogether, early in his life and failed to obtain a higher education.

And how better to confound intellectuals and men of science who are particularly ignorant concerning the deeper spiritual truths than for the unschooled and medically untrained, who don’t know the first thing about sanitation, the use of anesthetics or other modern medical practices, to perform barehanded and painless surgical operations and effect miraculous healings.

There are no free gifts

However, it is a mistake to think that the ability to heal is a free gift, because it is not. Every skill and talent we have now is the result of hard work and continuous study and development. And in most cases, the preparatory stages in the development of our now highly developed talents were first initiated in one or more of our earlier incarnations. We are what we are today because of what we have done in the past. Especially, we should study now, because all the fruits of learning will remain with us and serve as in good stead even into our future incarnations.

Wife Cora's own enlightenment

After I experienced my enlightenment, my wife Cora followed with her own, but not before giving me a lot of trouble. Times were when she would bang the bedroom door, loudly, whenever she found me meditating during the day. Meditation was something new to her then but was, nevertheless, a useless thing in her mind. She could not quite understand how I could waste my time sleeping all hours and doing nothing when I should be out trying to find some work.

It wasn’t that I was unconcerned. I really tried to do my best to provide. But I was a businessman without a business or capital. And I really could not see an opening, anywhere. Moreover, I was a planner. I needed the rest, to get my bearings and come up with a winnable plan before I could have the confidence to try again. She on the other hand was a doer and would jump at a task often without much thinking.

I would always try to explain to her so she could begin to understand what I was learning in the Center. I left books where she was sure to find them, and, hopefully, read them. But she would even get angry and throw the books away. Finally I thought, these high ideas are radically different from those that we have been taught since birth and are really quite hard to understand. Very few can receive these New Teachings, now. Perhaps, she needs a few more lives to prepare her, I resigned myself. After all, not everyone is as godly a person as I am, I self-righteously whispered to myself, softly, so that she could not hear me.

Then one day, after I had almost given up hope on her accepting the teachings, she changed just like that. She had read selected portions only of the books and immediately came to understand and believe. I was amazed and surprised. She didn’t even need to search the way I did, for years. With her, understanding came so easily, no sweat. She, however, did ask me many questions, which I, in my airy self-importance, was very glad to answer for her enlightenment. Some time later, she asked to come with me to the Center and attend the studies. I was of course elated at the surprise turn of events. More than just the pleasure of her company, she also behaved well towards me after she experienced her own enlightenment.

Good Friday 1977

It was a tradition in the Center to reenact the Crucifixion during the Holy Week. Good Friday 1977 was no different. The members trekked to Tanay, Rizal which was a few hours drive over rough roads where a plot of land donated to the Center was utilized as a place for meditation. There up on a hill, the members gathered and waited for the Spirit Guides to make their move.

Under trance, the mediums would be taken over by Spirit entities who would assume the roles of Jesus, Mary and the other participants to the Crucifixion. Messages would be transmitted. Often, powers were bestowed. This last is the reason why many members make it a point to attend. In the past, beginning mediums would normally take years before they are able to attain to high levels of proficiency. Hence the instant acceleration is most welcome, indeed. A flexible 3-day program of activities was prepared by the officers but the Spirit Guides do direct the proceedings in accordance with their own plans, as necessary.

Everyone was expecting that Jesus would again use Bobot, a PAL pilot, a kindly young man who astral travels and is also highly clairvoyant, as his instrument. The Spirits teach that only a pure vessel is fit for use by the Lord. And Bobot fit all the criteria, fasting in mind and body, preparing himself beforehand weeks earlier for this signal privilege to be at-one with the suffering of the Lord. However, this year was to be slightly different.

Breaking tradition, Jesus chose to communicate through Cora that day. Many of the elder mediums thought it much too presumptuous and abrupt that someone who had not even begun to train as a medium in the Center should receive Christ. To allay their suspicions, Jesus went round to all the members each in their turn to confirm in ways appropriate and known only to each of them that the proceedings as they were happening are all true and above board.

Passing me, Jesus tapped my third eye with his two fingers extended in a sign of his peace and immediately, rivers of tears fell from my eyes. I cried a long, long time before I thought, foolishly, that I was embarrassing myself. After all, a man does not cry, right? But even though I tried hard to hold back the tears, I just couldn’t. I don’t know why I cried, even now, really. My mother, ever the cynic, told me later that it must be because of my many sins and transgressions. She was probably right, but I had no conscious awareness that such was the case. I did feel that it was my higher spirit self reacting positively because I was so deeply moved by the goings on.

In order to overcome the initial resistance of the senior mediums, it was patiently explained to everyone that Cora was actually already a developed medium in her past lives, and thus did not need to train as hard in accordance with the long established policy of the Center. A few weeks later, Archangel Michael installed Cora as the Official Medium of the Center and henceforth, she was utilized by the more elevated Spirits to impart the Higher Teachings.

During those early days, as part of my education, the Guides enabled me to see clearly what exactly they were doing and how they handled the class. I saw how masterfully they influenced events so that everyone of us students could know and understand himself more, his strengths and his weaknesses, so that he could, upon his realization, proceed to effect necessary changes and reform himself. Those were the great lessons that Holy Week. Nothing else is more important than knowing our selves and recognizing our need to repent.

Intensive Training

Many times I had observed that Jesus would conclude his message whenever I arrived or I would manage to arrive late after he had already given his message. I thought it was just my imagination, but this happened much too often for it to be mere coincidence. Later on, I understood the reason, why. It certainly is not my place to criticize, but in my ignorance and presumption, I had always faulted him for the intolerant acts of his followers. I blamed him for the wars and conflicts that brought much pain and misery to so many as a result of his followers’ fanatical and misguided beliefs. I could see why he, knowing my sentiments, first waited for me to come around before he continued my instruction.

Only after I had found the Truth did I realize just where I was so wrong. Jesus imparts the same Truth to everyone, but everyone can understand only a small part of what he teaches us at any given time. Every student not yet being perfect can understand only in part, according to his level, and because of his incomplete knowledge, he cannot but commit mistakes that inevitably do cause harm. This cannot be helped. However, this situation is only temporary. Eventually, as we learn enough, we will commit less and less harm and do more and more good.

With the mediumship of Cora now officially recognized and available, Jesus stepped up our training and preparation. For almost a year, he taught us in private — my immediate family and close friends. They also needed to be apprised of the New Teachings. Especially, it helped everyone in the family so much when in the next two years, my Papa died of a heart attack and my elder brother was shot dead by an unknown assailant.

The Brotherhood of Spiritual Pathfinders

Because of certain restrictive policies of the Union, Vergel founded the Brotherhood of Spiritual Pathfinders in 1978 enlisting some of the members of the Center as its core group to more effectively carry on the work of Christ beyond Philippine shores. Through his many healing missions abroad, many foreigners were healed even if many were not.

However, everyone received as much as he was ready to receive and quite a number of them joined up as members of the Brotherhood.

Training seminars were administered by us mainly to the foreign students and an International Conference sub-titled ‘Psi — A Journey to Discovery’ was held in 1986, wherein I was one of the privileged speakers. In the Center itself, I translated most of the messages into English for the benefit of foreign visitors and students.

Many Aspects and Levels of Truth

Most Spiritists being Christians would refer only to the Bible, thinking it to be already complete. Only a few belonging to the younger generation would even study ‘The Spirits’ Book’ and other compilations by Allan Kardec, which body of knowledge is the Guidebook and fountain source of Spiritist teachings.

However, in the course of our studies, there are also references to much Occult or other hidden knowledge. Invariably, they have a direct bearing on our ability to more completely comprehend the Divine teachings. Theosophy’s ‘Secret Doctrine,’ the Divine Plan, the Tibetan and Egyptian Books of the Dead, the Kabbalah, Nirvana, astral planes and etheric bodies, chakras, Atlantis and Lemuria, globes and root races, elementals, nature spirits, fairies and elves are just some of these. I needed to study them, as well.

Jesus taught us that the "Truth" was not given to only one man or group, but was parceled out and given to everyone, in proportion to their development, because all men are God’s children. Everyone then is a caretaker of a part of the Truth. Therefore, those who want to know the "Whole Truth" must search everywhere and draw from each of his brothers the part of the Truth entrusted to him.

The Theosophical Society

Pursuant to Jesus’ directive to us, his disciples, I was sent to the Theosophical Society to learn the Ancient Wisdom of the Masters and in return, to share with the students there the Teachings of the Spirits of Truth. In the process, I would then be able to complete my own training in this life preparatory to embarking on the mission assigned to me.

The Three Objects of the Theosophical Society are:

1. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste and colour.
2. To encourage the study of Comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science.
3. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.

The weekly study sessions and discussions are moderated by the Lodge President and take-up various Theosophical subjects which are of special interest to the members in attendance. In theory, and also in practice most of the time depending on who moderates, there is no single authority in regard to the teachings, but each student is to contribute his own understanding so that the whole class may view all aspects and levels of the Teachings.

The leader’s role then is to encourage the active participation of every student and draw him in to the discussions. This affords everyone more opportunities to learn and likewise enable the students to develop their communication and teaching skills. In regard to practical applications, the students are encouraged to participate in the work of the Theosophical Order of Service. For the more advanced, the Esoteric Section provides a more direct access to the Masters.

In 1984 after attending my first study sessions, the very first thing that impressed me was the serious dedication and heartfelt commitment of the senior members to service and the work of the Masters. In my subsequent visits, Pat, the then President of the Rizaliana Lodge, the premier lodge of the Philippine section, welcomed me as a long lost brother and friend. We must have experienced a few past lives, together.

After the required 3-year minimum residence in 1988, she chose me to run as her vice president, and I was elected by the members. Since she was called to other duties, she empowered me to take charge of the study sessions. Until mid-1991 in this capacity, I attempted to reconcile and integrate the Teachings of both the Masters and the Spirits in our studies so that more Theosophists may better understand not just the side of the Truth they are taught but the other side, as well.

Spiritualism and Spiritism

There is a long-standing feud between Spiritualism and Spiritism on one hand and Theosophy on the other. Both having began their movements almost at the same time; it is not surprising that they should be rivals. Helena P. Blavatsky, who would later found the Theosophical Society, tried at first to work with the Spiritualists, to raise their understanding a notch higher, but her ideas were rejected by the Spiritualists who equally had their own direct personal experiences to draw from. Her observations and objections were pretty much the same as what I objected to when I first began my own studies. Spiritualism, after all, was almost exclusively concerned with the phenomena and not the explanations to the phenomena. Moreover, both Theosophy and Spiritualism are just the initial introductory phases of the New Age Teachings. Deeper explanations and higher concepts were to follow after them.

It was Spiritism, embodied in the writings of Allan Kardec, which provided the explanations and the beginning bases for the New Divine Teachings of the Spirits, even the secrets kept hidden since the foundation of the world. And a hundred years after the founding of Theosophy, Lobsang Rampa provided its next forward step. And the sooner the followers of both schools can open up more to new and higher ideas, the sooner they will be able to reconcile all their differences. Truth is one. But there are higher and lower level interpretations of the Truth.

Theosophical sources give emphasis to the traditional Hindu precept of Self-realization. In attempting to address all levels of students while trying to present the Ancient Wisdom as completely as possible, necessarily, some of the teachings had to be downgraded. As a result, there are now too many half-truths and even false interpretations that confuse many. Lobsang Rampa’s later revelations and most Western influences are not well understood by most Theosophists and therefore are largely ignored or rejected. Searching for the Truth is so much like panning for gold. So many tons of dirt, so little gold.

Nevertheless, in Theosophy and in Spiritualism and Spiritism, the Truth is there to be found. But one must first learn to discern before he can earn the right to know the Truth.

Today, under the able leadership of Vic Hao Chin, Jr. the Philippine section has gone a long way forward. Their new 2-storey concrete building houses complete facilities. Father Benny takes charge of a well-stocked bookstore. Danny oversees a free library with books covering every esoteric subject. Offices and session rooms are situated on the 2nd floor. A large air-conditioned kindergarten classroom also serves as the main study hall where the members hold their studies and public talks on weekends. To accommodate members located some distance away from the Main Headquarters, the TS has its lodges which serve as small, autonomous, study groups. The ‘Theosophical Digest,’ which is distributed locally and abroad is published every quarter. Over the radio, Theosophical teachings are broadcast two hours every week.

My First Million

In 1987, 11 years after I first saw the Light and 16 years after my first bankruptcy, finally, I did it! After I sold all my stock holdings and those under my management at the very peak — I had earned my first million. It took me all of forty-two years and a peaceful People Power Revolution, but I made my dream come true. True, only half the money was mine. But then, I only had a thirty thousand peso investors’ fund and no money of my own when I resumed trading two years earlier. I paid out generous dividends for the first time to my investors’ delight, more than what they had invested. Then I paid all the debts I could still pay. I was on top of the world! It felt real good.

Just then, the thought struck me which I was quick to dismiss. What if I had not yet completed all my lessons? What if I had not learned them fully well or adequately enough? What if I still needed more opportunities to make good and do better? Those who don’t learn from their experiences are doomed to repeat them. The valuable lessons afforded me while I was poor and helpless were the very reasons why I was compelled to undergo the experience in the first place. This is why, while still in the situation, we should avail of all the opportunities provided us and learn all we can, because once out, there just won’t be any.

INNER QUEST Founded

The idea of forming INNER QUEST had already been in my mind for some time. I realized that then was the time to do it. The members of the Center whom I invited to join me hesitated. I couldn’t wait a minute longer so I decided to go ahead even without them.

Regarding God's work, no one is indispensable. If we don't do our part, someone else will, then we would be the loser. The work waits for no one. Angie, my high school classmate and brother in Alpha Phi Omega, who stood by me all the time I was down and his wife, Merle, who was herself a healer and psychic, were also sympathetic to the work, so I invited them to join. Cora, my reluctant mother, who could not now say no because of my sudden good fortune and myself rounded out the required number of five incorporators and trustees. INNER QUEST was registered in December 1987.

As early as 1976, I had withdrawn from all purely worldly involvements and I decided to put all my energies into my spiritual pursuits. However, due to lack of funds, the work had been on and off. But now, I could resume the work and complete it. Nothing now stood in the way of the success of my mission. I immediately put the money to work. I had the Basic Study Course books printed and did some promotions, which turned out to be very costly. But before the work could really take off, the money ran out and again, everything had to be placed on hold.

The Center Disbands

In every Spiritist center, everyone is equally a student of the Spirits of Truth. However, each student is different. Each is situated at a different level in the order of evolution and so understands the teachings differently. Depending on his past accomplishments and past incarnations, each has developed his own tastes and preferences.

Each has equipped himself with different powers and performs his own duties. As in any community or group, a member may either be a leader, teacher, guide, medium, evangelist, or healer. All classes of people make up the whole Center. Not everyone heals or astral travels or sees clairvoyantly. What one lacks, another supplies, so that in the sharing, the whole may profit.

Not yet perfect or holy, every student is still very susceptible to error, and he will continue to commit error after error again and again. Spiritual progression takes two steps forward and one step back for the necessary integration and assimilation in a never-ending golden spiral staircase that goes up and down before going even higher. Just as water seeks its own level, so do students need to pull back at some points in order to take up unfinished lessons.

Precisely, this is what happened to some members of the Center. Unable to comprehend why God allows them to experience prolonged deprivation amidst the prosperity of other religious groups all around them, some of the members of the founding family converted to the Born Again Christians expecting to improve their situation. This last split in 1988 was final and irreversible. The remaining displaced members who chose to remain faithful to the High and Narrow Path were taken in by Vergel, at his home, a slight distance away from the old Center but still in Quezon City.

But God eventually makes everything to work for good. However it happens, no matter the cause, unless the seeds be scattered, the Truth cannot spread!

Today, some of the old pillars of the Center have already transitioned to the Spirit World, having completed their own missions — Bobot, whose piety is an example to all, Celia, with her deeply moving melodies, Beads, with his heart of gold, Tatay, the father of the Center, James, the lawyer and evangelist. But they are well remembered, just the same.

Meny and Jovit continue their work in the University campus. Aurora has permanently relocated in Australia. Mary the evangelist is with her husband on contract assignment in the Middle East. Max, the other psychic surgeon with daughter Melanie is based in Parañaque City. Ludy and Sam maintain a healing center in nearby Cainta. Rex and Becky serve in Laguna. Vina and her two sons, with Vergel, continue the mission of Centro Sermon dela Montaña. Vivian, Angie and Maja have immigrated to the United States; they too are centers unto themselves. Nanay, even though she turned Born Again, has good reason to be very proud. The seeds she selflessly nurtured and cared for are now flowering and blooming and will continue to bear much fruit.

The Benefits of Poverty

No one wants to be poor. But the poor will always be with us, according to Jesus. This is because being poor and helpless affords everyone great spiritual benefits, which otherwise would not be available to us. In my own particular case, inclusive of my past lives:

1. I was very extravagant and wasteful, not appreciating wealth properly and not knowing how to make use of my resources correctly and effectively for God's purposes;
2. I was a very impatient and prideful person, such that I needed to be chastened by extra-long years of poverty and want;
3. I was very materialistic and I needed to learn how to cope and go through life with much less resources, and
4. I was selfish and very self-centered, lacking in understanding concerning the poor and those who fail to succeed in their varied strivings despite their best efforts.

It is clear that more than being wealthy, being poor affords even greater spiritual benefits. And without exception, everyone in the affected family or group has much to gain from this same experience or group karma. Truly, “It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” But I quickly brushed the thought aside. I don’t want to be poor and miserable, again, when I can be rich and happy...not unless I really need to.

But even as I was hoping that I could be spared from more suffering, I resigned myself to God’s will. Now looking back, I must have realized my need for continued opportunities. I must have willed it, unconsciously, somehow, because from then on, my fortune, just like the stock market, turned down.

Sin and Consequence

In my very next trades, I began to misread the course of the market. I was buying when I should have stayed away and holding on when I should have sold. My million plus was fast vanishing and becoming only a memory. After a year, I was back to nothing. But worse, I acquired the bad habit of spending what I was not earning. And more, in my desperate bid to make up my losses, I held on to my stock positions even after I no longer had the equity to support my holding on to them.

I was repeating the very same mistake that triggered my first crisis. And I did it again and again and yet again. There was just too much at stake. After sixteen years of penury and misery, I did not want to be poor again and neither could I afford to derail or delay the prosecution of my mission. Not now that success is just within my grasp. I just couldn’t accept defeat again. I fought back. But the more I fought, the deeper I sank. Without the knowledge and permission of my brokers and some very trusting close friends, I put their money at risk. I went all or nothing – and I lost it all.

I will forever regret my moments of weakness. In my mind, such incorrigible behavior can no longer be viewed as a mistake but a crime for which I deserve to be severely punished. Someday, somehow, I must have to repay the millions I owe. How many years this will take me, and if ever I can repay in this life, or the next, only God knows.

But the payback to me was devastating and immediate. My brokers ran after me. All my friends turned their backs on me. My mother who is my family’s sole support during my times of need completely lost what little faith she had left in me. Three of my six children were unforgiving and disowned me, the others could only bear their anger and shame in silence. Yet, I deserved all that I was subjected to. Everything was entirely due to my own fault. Again, I found myself broke and helpless, and a burden to everyone.

The Way Back

A student of the Spirits of Truth is never exempt from committing another mistake, just because he is under instruction. In fact, because he is tested more than others and is given lessons that are far more difficult than the ordinary, he sometimes commits even more grievous errors. On the road to perfection, everyone sins and will continue to commit countless and repeated mistakes.

After a long while, I realized that to wallow in guilt and self-pity never does anyone any good. We have to be realistic and practical. There will always be something we regret having done and something we should've done but didn't.

Whenever we fail, and we will, we will just have to pick ourselves up and do better next time around. When we lose everything, at some point in time, when we are ready to do battle again, we will have to start over and build anew. And provided we have forgiven others, so also will we be able to forgive ourselves.

Peter denied the Lord thrice. Paul persecuted and killed the early Christians. All the disciples doubted and fled in fear when they arrested our Lord. They too committed their flagrant errors. We are not any different. But they all made up for it, in the end. And so must we all.

Sometimes, I see it in stickers pasted on the backs of cars and buses or in a poster hanging on a wall, somewhere:

"I owe, I owe .
So off to work I go"

How else can I get out of debt? How true this is for me, and you...and everybody. From all that we have been taught, there is only one viable course of action — to love our brothers as we love ourselves and serve them. In this way alone can we atone for our offenses and compensate for all the damage we have done.

At some point, as soon as possible, we must forget the past and focus on today. Yes, we blew it. But what now? What good things can we do, today? That done, we can rest content. And we only need to attend to one thing at a time, one day at a time. Thank you Father for providing us ample opportunities to make things right!