Question for Seraphin

[SnowCat]

I'm really interested to know more about magickal practices in the Phillipines.

Last year, ny cousin got married. She's Irish on her dad's side, my family, and Filipina in her mom's side. The ceremony was pretty much traditional Christian, but the guests were given wands with ribbons and bells to wave at the coclusion of the ceremony. I've been wondering if this has any part in Phillipine tradition, or if it was just something charming that Amber came up with. Any insight would be welcome.

Snow

[Seraphin]

Hiya Snowcat!

I have witnessed a lot of wedding ceremonies here in the Philippines and I didn't see anything happened like that. Perhaps it's just something your cousin came up with.

Now about magickal practices in the Philippines. Yeesh! That's a broad topic. I actually don't know where to start. Though as far as I am concerned, Magick here is more focused on Healing Arts and Natural Magick rather than Ceremonial ones.

Traditional witches here are classified into two types -- those that use "white" powers and those engaged in "black magick". Those white witches are composed of herbalists (albularyo), folk healers (manghihilot), and diviners (manghuhula). Those using black magick are in hiding because what they do isn't acceptable to the majority of Filipinos.

Most of the witches and magickal practitioners here are devout Roman Catholics who attend mass and some are even recognized by their parish priests (though they aren't called witches or magickians). They all attribute their powers to a "Divine Source", usually communicated through dream and sometimes vision. The source alternately identified as God the Father (Dios Ama), the Sto. Niño or the little Jesus (Dios Anak), the Virgin Mary (Dios Ina), the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Spirit (Dios Espiritu Santo) and Archangel Michael. Some folks still recognize and honor other Old Deities of Filipinos like Bathala (Supreme God), Apolaki (Sun God), Mayari (Moon Goddess) and Tala (Stellar Goddess).

A common pattern among the witches here in our country is their claim that they are called to practice or given a mission to help people through their arts and natural skills but initially resisted because they didn't want the inconvenience, condemnations and stigma of the role due to a lot of misconceptions and misinformation. When they refused to accept the "calling", they or their family members suffered different misfortunes, from sickness to death.

Every year witches meet in their venerated mountain such as Mt. Banahaw on Holy Week (unlike Western Witches, Filipino witches don't recognize and observe the Sabbats and Esbats) especially on Black Saturday to prepare their oils, ointments and potions, herbs, tree bark and roots and insects which they gather during the seven Fridays of the Lenten season.

Witchcraft in the Philippines also has rituals like "Diwata" to seek help from elementals and nature spirits for good harvest, protection and profit and "Bayad" to drive away wandering malicious entities or make amends for any wrongs done to some spirits.

Filipinos who adopted Wiccan, Druid and other Western Pagan beliefs are also growing their numbers. However, generally, there's lack of interest in the Philippines to study Magick. It's because our country is a very conservative Catholic nation therefore they believe Magick is an abomination while others already have concluded that its practice is a complete fakery. So why bother to study them? To do so would only make them a laughing stock by many people.

[SnowCat]

Thank you. That's a good look at Filipino practices even if it doesn't explain the wands.

Snow

[ness]

Sorry to crash this thread. Curiosity got better of me and I googled about this and it seems like an Irish tradition. I suppose guests used to throw rice at the bride and groom but now instead of that people use wands with ribbons and bells.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/490259109405738076/

[Seraphin]

Thank you. That's a good look at Filipino practices even if it doesn't explain the wands.

Snow

Sorry Snowcat if I didn't explain the wands. I really have no idea where it came from. Sorry.

[SnowCat]

I appreciate the responses. I hadn't thought of the wands being Irish. I think Tim's family is Irish. I know Amber is Irish and Filipina. My cousin met a Filipina girl when he was in the navy. It was love at first sight.

Snow

[Kassandra]

.

This was interesting. Thanks for sharing, Seraphin (and thanks for asking Seraphin, SnowCat! lol).




.

[Naudia Threng]

Hiya Snowcat!

I have witnessed a lot of wedding ceremonies here in the Philippines and I didn't see anything happened like that. Perhaps it's just something your cousin came up with.

Now about magickal practices in the Philippines. Yeesh! That's a broad topic. I actually don't know where to start. Though as far as I am concerned, Magick here is more focused on Healing Arts and Natural Magick rather than Ceremonial ones.

Traditional witches here are classified into two types -- those that use "white" powers and those engaged in "black magick". Those white witches are composed of herbalists (albularyo), folk healers (manghihilot), and diviners (manghuhula). Those using black magic are in hiding because what they do isn't acceptable to the majority of Filipinos.

Most of the witches and magickal practitioners here are devout Roman Catholics who attend mass and some are even recognized by their parish priests (though they aren't called witches or magickians). They all attribute their powers to a "Divine Source", usually communicated through dream and sometimes vision. The source alternately identified as God the Father (Dios Ama), the Sto. Niño or the little Jesus (Dios Anak), the Virgin Mary (Dios Ina), the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Spirit (Dios Espiritu Santo) and Archangel Michael. Some folks still recognize and honor other Old Deities of Filipinos like Bathala (Supreme God), Apolaki (Sun God), Mayari (Moon Goddess) and Tala (Stellar Goddess).

A common pattern among the witches here in our country is their claim that they are called to practice or given a mission to help people through their arts and natural skills but initially resisted because they didn't want the inconvenience, condemnations and stigma of the role due to a lot of misconceptions and misinformation. When they refused to accept the "calling", they or their family members suffered different misfortunes, from sickness to death.

Every year witches meet in their venerated mountain such as Mt. Banahaw on Holy Week (unlike Western Witches, Filipino witches don't recognize and observe the Sabbats and Esbats) especially on Black Saturday to prepare their oils, ointments and potions, herbs, tree bark and roots and insects which they gather during the seven Fridays of the Lenten season.

Witchcraft in the Philippines also has rituals like "Diwata" to seek help from elementals and nature spirits for good harvest, protection and profit and "Bayad" to drive away wandering malicious entities or make amends for any wrongs done to some spirits.

Filipinos who adopted Wiccan, Druid and other Western Pagan beliefs are also growing their numbers. However, generally, there's lack of interest in the Philippines to study Magick. It's because our country is a very conservative Catholic nation therefore they believe Magick is an abomination while others already have concluded that its practice is a complete fakery. So why bother to study them? To do so would only make them a laughing stock by many people.

Nobodies commented here for a bit, but Seraphin? What does folk healing entail?

[Seraphin]

Sorry for my late response Azure. I just saw this. Folk healing here is synonymous to natural healing and herbalism. Folk healers here believe that there's always a plant for everything. They believe that nature and humanity are one. Mankind is an extension of nature. Nature would always want itself to heal and so the plants which are part of nature are all beneficial to mankind and all kinds of human ailments are curable with plants.

Folk healers like herbalists spent so much of their time gathering leaves, fruits, flowers, small branches and roots of rare plants (some of them you can only found in our local rainforest) which they dice, chop, blend, stew and brew into a healing potion on specific day. Each day has its own healing correspondence.

Folk healers also have their prayers (oracions) for the saints and the Virgin Mary, and ask them to help us pray to the Father God and Jesus so they may heal the patient. They recite it when performing healing rituals on patients.

Healers also use talismans (habak) to shield themselves from the bad vibrations of their patient's illness and from other external energies and forces. Some carry crystals and rocks with them; others eat paper with prayers and occult symbols written on it.

Folk healing here is passed down to a volunteer apprentice. The mentor will teach the apprentice how to identify and find herbs in the forest. According to most of the folk healers here they can't appoint a successor outside their clan or tribe.

But their powers as folk healers have limitations, too, according to some of the folk healers I personally know. If they feel that the patient's condition and illness is beyond their ability to treat or to cure (like those that needs emergency medicine and some diseases or ailments, like hypertension and late-stage cancer), they advise them to see a doctor and sometimes, a minister or priest in case of some spirit possession.

Most of the folk healers here don't charge.

Undeniably, many people don't believe in the powers of folk healers.