Templong Anituhan

In the vast and diverse spiritual traditions of the Philippines, Diwatang Makidepat stands as a profound symbol of life, transition, and healing. Traditionally revered as a water deity, Makidepat governs the seas, rivers, and streams—the lifeblood of existence. Yet, her influence reaches far beyond the ocean’s edge, touching the mountains and forests where indigenous communities like the Dumagat dwell.

The Dual Nature of Makidepat
Water is life. It nourishes the land, sustains the body, and connects communities. But water is also a threshold—a passage to the unknown. In many Austronesian and Filipino cosmologies, the sea represents the afterlife, a sacred realm where souls journey after death. This belief is beautifully illustrated by the Manunggul Jar, an ancient burial artifact depicting two figures in a boat, symbolizing the soul’s voyage across water to the spirit world.

Makidepat embodies this duality. She is the giver of life through rivers and rain, yet she also presides over the sacred waters that lead to the ancestral realm. For the Dumagat people of Sierra Madre, Makidepat is honored as a Supreme Diwata, bridging the vitality of the mountains with the mysteries of the sea. This makes her not only a guardian of nature but also a deity of balance—between life and death, health and renewal.

Makidepat as a Healing Deity
Healing in indigenous thought is holistic. It is not merely the absence of illness but the restoration of harmony between body, spirit, and environment. Makidepat’s dominion over water makes her a powerful ally in this process. Water cleanses, flows, and removes stagnation—qualities essential for healing.

When we invoke Makidepat, we call upon the force of movement and purification, asking her to unblock what is stuck, to restore vitality where there is weakness, and to harmonize the living with the ancestral energies that guide us.

Why Healing and Water Are Connected
– Flow and Circulation: Just as rivers carve paths through the earth, water in the body must flow freely for health.
– Purification: Water washes away impurities, both physical and spiritual.
– Transition: Healing often involves crossing from illness to wellness—a symbolic journey across water.

A Thank-You Prayer to Diwatang Makidepat
This prayer honors Makidepat for revealing her true nature as a healer and guardian of life’s sacred flow:

Diwatang Makidepat, Dakilang Tagapangalaga ng Daloy ng Buhay, kami’y nagpapasalamat sa iyong pagpapakilala. Salamat sa iyong basbas na nag-uugnay sa bundok at dagat, sa buhay at kamatayan, sa ginhawa at paghilom. Nawa’y patuloy mong gabayan ang aming mga kamay sa paglilingkod, at pagpalain ang aming mga panalangin para sa kagalingan ng lahat. Sa ngalan ng tubig na iyong pinapabanal, kami’y nagpapakumbaba at nagpapasalamat.

How to Honor Makidepat in Healing Rituals
– Offer clean water with sea salt and healing herbs like tanglad or sambong.
– Face East, toward the Pacific Ocean, symbolizing her domain.
– Invoke her name with sincerity, asking for the restoration of flow and balance.

Makidepat’s Symbols

– Water: Rivers, seas, rain.
– **Boat**: Passage and transition.
– Salt: Purification.
– Green Leaves: Life and renewal.

Makidepat’s Message for Today

In a world where imbalance often leads to illness—physical, emotional, and spiritual—Makidepat reminds us that healing begins with flow. Just as water moves freely, so must energy, breath, and intention. She calls us to honor the cycles of life and death, to embrace the interconnectedness of mountain and sea, and to trust in the sacred power of nature.