It is not uncommon for letters, pictographs and symbols to have deep hidden meanings—even magical power, for cultures around the world have rich histories and stories connected to symbols, letters and written words. Other countries and cultures too have symbols and writing systems that were multi-dimensional, that is, their writing systems in application could not only be read as words and every day messages or chronicles, but...
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The Babaylan Mandala II.I, is a red version of the mandala fine art print series and is on the cover I created for Leny Mendoza Strobel’s new anthology “Babaylan: Filipinos and the Call of the Indigenous.” 14 essays by 14 authors are shared in this book: Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Teresita Obusan, Katrin DeGuia, Karen M. Villanueva, Venedel Herbito, Maina Minahal, Michelle Bautista, Tera Maxwell and more. The golden...
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by Reimon Sonam (Raymund Cosare) Below are the words of bahay (life), buhay (life), bayan (nation or country), and bayani (hero) spelled in baybayin. Notice the similarities and differences between the words such as bahay and buhay (home and life) and bayan and bayani (nation and hero), and how their meanings are inter-related. Below is another slide that shows further examinations of various baybayin spellings of Filipino...
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The Bathala baybayin symbols are important to Filipinos up to today. The logo of the Institute of Spirituality in Asia has the Bathala baybayin symbols incorporated within it. (baybayin symbols by Raymond...
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I find it interesting that in ilonggo, people say things like: hindi, bala?, gaano ka da, bala? We also like to say things like hala, mo! or hala, lagot ka gid d’a karon! Are bala and hala derivatives of bahala na and used as words to emphasize the meaning of a sentence? We do know that Bahala Na is a Filipino attitude. It is also a saying that indicates, to our westernized minds, a fatalistic tendency. Others, of a more...
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(This is the section on Reflection on the Baybayin Symbols of Bahala taken from the Bahala Meditations. The other sections are on contemplation and the sounds) In my inquiries into other great religions of the world, indigenous spirituality of American Natives, and ancient ones of Europe and the Middle East, I have encountered Universal wisdom and truths and many names for the nameless, yet many-named Divine. One of the most resonant...
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