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From anito to aswang: how Filipino spirits survived colonialism and faith. Written by Glenn Junsay Pansensoy  ·  Culture  ·  9 min read Spirits, Monsters, and Sacred Worlds: Philippine Supernatural Belief | Poetic Coded Spirits, Monsters, and Sacred Worlds: A Historical Look at Philippine Supernatural Belief 📅 April 2025 ✍️ By Glenn Pansensoy 🔗 poetic-coded.pages.dev The supernatural beliefs of the Philippines form one of Southeast Asia’s most enduring cultural traditions. Long before Spanish colonization, Filipino communities understood the world as inhabited by unseen powers: ancestral spirits, nature guardians, deities, and dangerous beings that moved between the human and spirit realms. These beliefs did not disappear with the arrival of Christianity; instead, they adapted, merged with Catholic pract...

Discover the Babaylan: healers, priestesses, and spiritual leaders of the pre-colonial Philippines. Written by Glenn Junsay Pansensoy  ·  History  ·  17 min read Babaylan: Spiritual Leaders of the Pre-Colonial Philippines | Poetic Codes Poetic Codes Babaylan: Spiritual Leaders of the Pre-Colonial Philippines Journey into the rich spiritual world of the Philippines before colonial rule — where healers, priestesses, and ritual specialists shaped society, culture, and identity. As we step back through time, join me as I guide you into the rich world of the Philippines before colonial rule. Historical documents, oral traditions, archaeology, and the memories preserved by communities help us understand who we are today. We cannot separate ourselves from the past, because it has shaped our society, culture, beliefs, languages, and identity. In this episode, I will share fa...