The Lunar New Year has arrived and the Shrine welcome it with all Hands working to receive the promised Blessings for everyone of Us. In Luntiang Aghama we are not fan of DOOMS DAY PROPHECY but instead we always look for the brighter side. Since the day we welcome the Calendar New Year on January 1 till we welcome the Lunar New Year last February 11, what we have noticed that is happening to our world is that people live their life as they are moved by their emotions and behavior. This means that people reacts more on what they see and hear rather than what they have with them and within them. Well this trend give benefit for us but it also need to be guided as it may lead us to somewhere that might either bring us to our greater good or the opposite of it that may turn bad.
This year , we may compare it to riding a new car. Those who knows how to drive will benefit from it but those who are starting to learn how to drive needs extra precautions as it may accelerate the gas and bump into a dead end which may cause injury and lot of expenses. And for those who just lean at the back sit may enjoy the ride to whatever circumstances it will bring for them. But that this does not mean that the back rider has no responsibility to take, they should also be vigilant as they may overpass their destination.
Well in this Blog i want to discuss to you about the Diwatang Mayari and Bathala and the words I always use to end a conversation which is Mayari Na and also the common word which most Filipino Love that is Bahala Na!
BATHALA: THE TAGALOG SUPREME DIWATA
Bathala is the Supreme Deity from the Katagalugan Pantheon who creates the Universe. Bathala is also the one who defeated the Ancient Serpent God of the Cloud named Ulilang Kaluluwa who challenge in exchage of rulership to the world. But after the celestial battle, Bathala wins and maintain the rulership of the world that includes the upper, middle and the lower world.
According to mythology, Bathala is the orignal member of the Ancient Trinity composed of Ulilang Kaluluwa (of which Bathala defeated on a battle) and Galang Kaluluwa, a winged creature God of whom became Bathala best friend. When Ulilang Kaluluwa died from defeat, Bathala burried the remains of the serpent God, and when Galang Kaluluwa died because of Old Age, Bathala also buried the winged God on the same spot where the remain of the serpent God was buried. And through that, the Coconut Tree sprouted to grow as a gift to humanity and as a testimony of the blessings of the Old Gods. And they were the first Primordial Trinity according to Tagalog Mythology.
After Galang Kaluluwa and Ulilang Kaluluwa Died, mythology have records that there were second trinity which Bathala is also a Member and they are the fushion of Aman SInaya, Bathala and Amihan.
According to the Myth, Bathala was a the God of the Sky whereas Amansinaya is the ruler God of the Sea. According to the Myth, the Sky and the Sea had a huge fight where Bathala threw rocks from the Mountains to Amansinaya which eventually became the Islands of the Philippines and through the intervention of the Goddess of Peace which is Amihan their differences have sorted out. And as a Peace Offering, Bathala planted a seed on the Ocean Floor, which the Bamboo reed grew up and the first Human creature, Malakas and Maganda came.
On this two myths that we mention, we see Bathala being a Warrior God but on the other side of the story we found him to be a Friendly God (unless there are no conflict). Our myths has no clarity from where Bathala really came from, but as we grew and acknowledge the presence of Bathala, we have learned and adopted into our lives the word "Bahala Na" which becomes part of the system of the Filipino Lives.
BAHALA NA
"Bahala na" is a term we use to say that means "come what may". This word is a verbalization of our behavior that rely on the Blessings of the Divinity to whatever action we do without any certainty. It is nice that by saying "Bahala Na" as we are invoking the Blessings of God into our action, but as i contemplate on this word i found it dis empowering to us as Human as it require us to have the Divine Intervention in all our works in order to have a positive outcome of our action. This may be good, like what we are being taught as we learn to do Hilot that as Human Being we should live according to our purpose and that in every action that we do we will obtain a reaction whether positively or negatively.
But through the time, as Filipino are living in this system of Bahala Na, these words become an excuse not to exert more effort in living in their life and relying on the Divine Intervention or Blessings to come. This Bahala Na system dis empower us to discover our inner potential to ascend to the highest aspect of our Being which is to become one again with the Divinity which we originally part of.
Though Bathala give us the courage and determination to live, as Bathala give us assurance that whatever happen into our life we have their presence to help us in time of need. Whether we fail or succeed, our connection to the Divinity will never be cut off as they guide us in our journey to the Path of our Race.
Mayari: The Power of Creation
Traditionally, Mayari is known to be a Moon Goddess on the Katagalugan Pantheon and being a daughter of Bathala to a mortal woman together with Tala and Hanan. And to some myth, Mayari is also known to be the sister of Apolaki which is the God of the Sun. In Zambal Mythology, Mayari is known as Apung Malyari that is also the ruler of the eight rivers and the guardian of Mount Pinatubo.
The Goddess Mayari can be thought of to be the Goddess of the Blind as she loose one of her eye sight as a result of rivalry on rulership of the Celestial light from Apolaki. In return as a consolation, Apolaki shared the rulership of the Sky to Mayari thus the light of night time is not that bright unlike on day time. Though considered by mythology as a Demi God, we in Luntiang Aghama see the Goddess Mayari to be the embodiment of the Great Supreme Divinity and as the power of creation.
Upon meditation and contemplation on the name of the divinity, Mayari have revealed to us as May Ari which we could interpret as the Owner and the one that has Genitals. It is through Mayari that we have sense of ownership and have power over our Gender which encompass the fleshly description of our genitals. It is also through "May Yari" that we understand of the role of the creator that can be seen on the word "Yari" which means the one that made or create. In modern sense, the word "Yari" can be understand as a warning to a person if they do wrong because that person will receive punishment from the punisher which can be understand as "Yari Ka".
Through the name of Mayari we also derived the word "Pangyayari" which pertains to the event that is happening that we understand this divinity to be a God who can make happen all our prayers such as we always say: "Mayari Na!".
And through Mayari we obtain Power as the name also describe "KapangYARIhan"
BAHALA NA VS. MAYARA NA
In my personal devotion, I enshrine Mayari to be the Supreme Divinity in my life and as the main source of power and inspiration to all my activities whether in the spiritual or mundane affair. Compared to Bahala Na which can be understand as "Come What May", the phrase Mayari Na is empowering us which give us assurance that whatever we work for can happen rather than the term "Bahala Na" which has no assurance for us to what will happen as a result of our hard work.
(It took me a month to complete this article as I struggle with my doubt of causing controversy among the Diwata and lead the people into confusion. But after a month of praying, I finally have decided to finish this article and publish it here at Filipino Magick that everyone may benefit from the Blessings of the Divine. May this Article help you in your Devotion and believe in your own ability that the Divinity is always with you at work to empower you.)