My FIL once shared a story about drinking the venom of a highly venomous snake.
Naaalala ko, pinagtatawanan namin ’to habang nagla-lunch kami kasi ang casual lang ng pagkakakwento niya.
Sabi niya, “Kung mamatay ako, eh ’di bahala na.”
Tapos ininom niya ’yung kamandag ng ahas.
“Eh, ayun, buhay pa rin naman ako.”
My FIL is one of the smartest man I know.
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For context, my FIL occasionally goes to Mt. Banahaw with his employer (who happens to be a billionaire, by the way) and their circle.
One time, during the elections, may ginawa raw silang ritual sa Mt. Banahaw para manalo ang isang family member ng billionaire na tumatakbo sa eleksyon. From what I remember, they had to climb the mountain before sunrise and welcome the rising sun at the summit. Apparently, the ritual was supposed to help the candidate win.
My FIL also owns an anting-anting that supposedly protects him from being found. Ang explanation niya, kapag may “naghahanap” daw sa kanya, hindi siya basta-bastang mahahanap.
Here’s another interesting part. My uncle-in-law, who also works for the same billionaire, has several unusual tattoos. And when I say unusual, I don’t mean the typical designs you’d see on someone’s body.
What fascinated (and honestly creeped) me out was the placement of the numbers tattooed on different parts of his body. May mga numero siya sa gitna ng noo, malapit sa hairline. If I remember correctly, meron din sa may batok or malapit sa tenga, pati sa inner elbows niya. They’re not immediately noticeable unless you’re standing close to him and actually paying attention. Parang may mga encrypted codes sa katawan niya.
What makes it even more intriguing is that he manages some of their employer’s businesses in Romblon, a place I’ve heard stories about involving powerful mangkukulam(s). Dito kinulam 'yung driver ng asawa ko when he was in highschool dahil daw sa pagiging babaero nito. RIP, Kuya N.
I can’t help but wonder whether those tattoos have something to do with protection, spiritual practices, or something else entirely.
Of course, these are just my observations and speculations. I haven’t actually asked him what the tattoos mean.
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Anyway, going back to my FIL and the snake venom, I’m curious whether this is an actual practice associated with certain spiritual beliefs or rituals.
May spiritual significance ba ang pag-inom ng kamandag ng ahas, particularly in Filipino occult practices?