The Filipino Animistic Transpersonal Worldview
featuring the works and discussion with Mr. Carl Lorenz Cervantez (@sikodiwa)
Carl Carpio 2024
Tabi tabi po!
As we explore an unfamiliar place or grassy place, we often whisper this phrase out of habit. We Filipinos hold a profound belief in the supernatural and the spirits, as if they live among us, coexisting in the spaces we inhabit every day. This belief can be traced back to our precolonial ancestors and has been passed down and further transformed over time. While there have been changes and adaptations in response to different eras, the core of the Filipino Transpersonal Worldview remains intact.
As we delve deeper into the Transpersonal Worldview and Deep Ecology, I had the privilege to have a short conversation with Mr. Carl Lorenz Cervantes, also known as @sikodiwa.
Cervantes is a Filipino researcher, psychologist, and university lecturer. His writings on transpersonal and indigenous psychology have been published in various magazines and academic journals. He is the author of Deep Roots (2022). He completed his graduate studies at Ateneo de Manila University and currently teaches at UP Diliman.
He began Sikodiwa as an extension of his research on culture and consciousness, inspired mainly by the psychospiritual work of Fr. Jaime C. Bulatao.
Bionote retrieved from https://sikodiwa.wordpress.com/
What is the Filipino Transpersonal Worldview?
Studies and articles from various sources describe how Filipinos view the world through a transpersonal lens. Our understanding and deep integration of folk beliefs and spirits into daily life demonstrate that we perceive the world as a shared space with other nonhuman beings or creatins. This perspective influences our actions and ideals toward others, encouraging us to be more mindful and considerate of our environment and the people around us. Cervantes, C. L. (2023). Deep Ecology, Nature Spirits, and the Filipino Transpersonal Worldview. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 42(1), 4.
How does the Filipino animistic worldview, as experienced through arts and aesthetics, reconfigure our understanding of humannature relationships?
“So much of our rituals and folklore involve nature”
As we dig deeper into the rituals practiced by Filipinos, it becomes clear how integral nature is to these processes. For example, in some provinces, there is a specific tune of whistling used to “call the air.” This ritual or practice is particularly effective, especially during hot and humid times in the afternoon. Another naturecentered ritual is ‘rain dancing,’ where farmers and indigenous communities perform specific patterns of dance steps to attract the rain.
Pakikipagkapwa with the entities
Through the sense of pakikipagkapwa, the nonhuman entities are recognized as possessing personhood and agency. As a result, we perceive our identity as shared and interconnected even with spirits such as anitos and engkantos. By coexisting with them in our world, we cultivate a special connection with these beings.
Since we treat them as our kapwa, we’ll have to feel the sense of nature, a Filipino value also known as pakikiramdam. This innate connection to nature and nonhuman entities shapes our actions and behaviors. The concept of reverent fear sums up our relationship with nonhuman entities.
We hold profound respect and awe for their immense nature and capabilities, and thus, we are fearful that we might do something to make them furious. For instance, during typhoons, we try to explain it as wrath from mother nature due to our undesirable actions that have a detrimental effect on the environment. This belief reinforces the idea that natural disasters are not just physical phenomena but also moral consequences of humanity's recklessness.
Philippine Nature Images retrieved from Canva
Decentering the Creative Perspective
According to Sikodiwa, most indigenous forms of art have traditionally centered on factors other than humans. In the concept of deep ecology, we see ourselves not as creators of our world but as integral parts of it, responsible for shaping and caring for it. Thus, artists might consider moving beyond anthropocentric themes in their works of art, looking not only beyond the self but also exploring the environment around them.
Image retrieved from Cultural Creatives
Filipino Animistic Transpersonal Worldview (2024)
Big thanks to Sir Cervantes for accommodating my request for an asynchronous online interview.