babaylan in ancient times, were our spiritual leaders. they are called by various names among our native peoples: babaylan, balian, baylan, mumbaki, katalonan, among others. if we use a non-filipino word to describe the various healers/spiritual practitioners, “shaman” would be the closest.

throughout history it has been natural to have medicine women/men/gnc people, maestros, curanderas, or shamans tending to health of the community. these caretakers worked with the energies of unseen worlds to help folks heal, to find balance in their lives & with our mother, Earth.

we are all indigenous if we go back far enough & all indigenous cultures believe we are connected to nature & energies outside of our ordinary existence.

it's not a religion or spiritual doctrine, but a way of connecting to the natural world & the energies that affect us. this has always been a natural part of the human experience. these healers bring individuals & communities back into balance by removing energies that are not beneficial & restoring the power that is needed.

as a binabaylan, i am a lifelong student of the babaylan, of hilot, & Filipino Indigenous Spirituality.

visit Lutiang Aghama or Center for Babaylan Studies to learn more.