A person's dungan (soul) can become weak or lost when they go through a traumatic experience, are cursed, or have it stolen by a malevolent spirit. When this happens, they become prone to never-ending sickness and misfortunes.
As a Babaylan (a.k.a. Filipino Shaman), I will perform a traditional offering ritual to retrieve the lost dungan and strengthen it. This will help the patient withstand illnesses and spiritual attacks.
Healing as a Babaylan
One case involved a 24-year-old man who was described as being “nawawala sa sarili” (lost in himself). According to his mother, he began behaving differently and appeared to be possessed by a spirit after killing a large monitor lizard that lived by the seashore where the river and sea meet.
The albularyo (native doctor) advised the mother to ensure that the boy was not exposed to any smoke from the burnt parts of the dead monitor lizard. However, since the boy was possessed, he influenced his mother to burn the dead creature. This caused his condition to worsen. The boy eventually stabbed himself in the stomach, injuring his intestines. He was taken to the hospital and was in critical condition.
At this point, the albularyo refused to continue treatment, stating that he would only resume after the boy became stable and was released from the hospital. Desperate to prevent her son from further injury, the mother resorted to tying his hands and feet. “Lagi siyang nagwawala,” she said.
His cousin then asked me to perform a distance healing. With the help of my spirit guides, or abyan, I was able to restore the boy’s diwa (spirit), and he returned to normal.
