31/01/2026
While I fully acknowledge that all of us have our individual beliefs and ways of living, this is to share a different perspective:
I think these local superstitious beliefs, such as a pamahiin, are already embedded in our culture and traditions. Here's an excerpt from my discussion paper about this side of Filipino Psychology from my Advanced Personality Psychology class:
I. Kaluluwa, kapwa, kalikasan: Mental health implications of Filipino folk beliefs (Cervantes, 2023)
The Filipino’s transpersonal worldview looks into the individual being together with nature and other people. Kaluluwa, kapwa, and kalikasan are one and the same. Filipino healing is described as ginhawa, and it is manifested through the harmony of kapwa and kalikasan, which in turn enhances kaluluwa. Kaluluwa represents the sense of self. In connection to Filipino healing, the mind and body are seen and treated as one, and well-being is in harmony with the world around. Authentic and cathartic insights may be in the view of acknowledging and accepting folk beliefs and the supernatural, thus, allowing them to be meaningful experiences. These may be manifested in cultural symbols, the psychic lives of people, and the spiritual aspects of their human experiences.
II. On the paranormal side of Bulatao’s transpersonal worldview
I can see how us as Filipinos connect ourselves to nature and spirits. Whenever we see butterflies, we believe that they are the embodied spirits of our loved ones and seeing them unexpectedly means they are visiting us. The notion of the behavior of pagpag - such that it is not advisable to go home immediately after attending a wake because the spirit of the deceased might follow us; instead, it is better to go to a different place first and spend a moment there before going home (and for some certain reason, a common place to pagpag is at the convenience store 7-11). Whenever we walk with nature, especially if it’s our first time going to an unfamiliar place, we say ‘tabi tabi po’ to pay respects to the supernatural creatures living there. In several of our provinces, it is very common to believe in the powers of manghihilot, mambabarang, mangkukulam, aswangs, anitos, dwendes, and other Filipino creatures. I agree with what Cervantes (2023) mentioned in his paper that these local supernatural beliefs and creatures help an individual to be kind and not to cause any harm towards others. They guide and motivate our actions to be a good person. In connection to the values presented by Virgilio Enriquez, I think these local supernatural beliefs and creatures also aid how Filipinos create smooth interpersonal relations, or pakikisama, with our surroundings. With our fear of being harmed or attacked by these supernatural beings, we avoid harming or offending others.
'Wag maniwala sa mga pamahiin, sabi ng isang exorcist.
'Yan at ang iba pang kwentong exorcism tunghayan sa digital series na "Possessed."
I-click ang link sa comments section.
