Babaylan

Babaylan is a Visayan term identifying an indigenous Filipino religious leader, who functions as a healer, a shaman, a seer and a community "miracle-worker" (or a combination of any of those). The babaylan can be male, female, or male transgenders (known as asog, bayoc, or bayog), but most of the babaylan were female.

The babaylan in Filipino indigenous tradition is a person who is gifted to heal the spirit and the body; a woman who serves the community through her role as a folk therapist, wisdom-keeper and philosopher; a woman who provides stability to the community’s social structure; a woman who can access the spirit realm and other states of consciousness and traffic easily in and out of these worlds; a woman who has vast knowledge of healing therapies".

A babaylan is "a specialist in the fields of culture, religion, medicine and all kinds of theoretical knowledge about the phenomenon of nature."

The babaylan played a very important role in pre-colonized Philippine society as a shaman, yet still plays an important role in modern Philippine society as a symbol for gender equality. They are usually chosen by their community and live their lives with and for the community. The babaylan has many roles in their respective community. They were clairvoyants, leaders, and, in addition, they also played a role as a medium between the physical world and the spirit realm. In addition to this, a babaylan is someone who "intercedes for the community and individuals" and is also someone who "serves".

They also played a huge role as healers. When it came to supernatural-caused diseases, such as those thought to be caused by witchcraft, only the babaylans could treat the ailment. When it came to healing, it was a big deal for the entire community because the babaylan would transcend "human laws" and begins to pray and call for help from the divine source. Once the spirit is in him or her, the babaylan is able to use its power to heal. The community would then celebrate in feast because it meant the spirits were still on their side and were pleased. One group of Filipinos that still follows this practice is the Talaandig. Despite rapid modernization, the Talaandig still continue their indigenous customs and beliefs. They have two methods of healing:

1. Through a religious ceremony

2. Through the application of traditional herbal medicine.

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Wikipedia