Templong Anituhan

Written at St. Anthony Retreat Center, Kalihi Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
September 2026 New Moon Reflection

As the New Moon rises upon the sacred cycle of our tradition, we at Templong Anituhan mark both an ending and a beginning.

Gathered at the historic St. Anthony Retreat Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, where we are conducting our Hilot Binabaylan Competency Certification Program, we offered our heartfelt farewell and gratitude to Bathalang Maykapal, who served as the Guide and Guardian of our Temple from August 14, 2026 to September 11, 2026. During this period, we experienced His protective presence, guidance, and blessings as our community continued its work of healing, learning, and spiritual growth.

With the turning of the New Moon, the Council of the Diwata has revealed a new spiritual guide for our community: Diwatang Kanlaon, revered among the peoples of Negros and the Visayas. In a ritual held at Bishop Libert Hall within St. Anthony Retreat Center, our Hilot Binabaylan students, Hilot Tanglaw mentors, and Hilot doctors gathered in sacred fellowship to welcome His presence into our spiritual work.

The ceremony extended beyond the invocation of the Diwata. Together, we honored the Higher Selves of every participant, called upon our ancestral guides, and paid respect to the ancestors of the Hawaiian Islands. We also remembered and honored the royal lineage of the once-sovereign Kingdom of Hawaii, acknowledging their enduring place within the spiritual memory of these lands. Through this act of reverence, we affirmed a fundamental teaching of our path: wherever we stand, we stand upon ancestral ground, and we must walk with humility.

The Revelation of Diwatang Kanlaon

During the ritual, Diwatang Kanlaon revealed Himself not merely as a guardian spirit of mountain and land, but as the Lord of Time and Space.

This revelation carries profound significance.

Time is the one gift given equally to every human being. Wealth may differ. Status may differ. Knowledge and opportunities may differ. Yet every person receives moments, days, months, and years through which life is experienced.

As Lord of Time, Diwatang Kanlaon called us to meditate deeply on the brief span of our lives.

He reminded us that the Earth beneath our feet is far older than humanity. The mountains have stood for thousands of years. Rivers have flowed long before our names were spoken. Islands have risen from the sea and witnessed generations come and go. Entire civilizations have appeared and disappeared while the land remains.

The island of Hawaii upon which we now stand temporarily is ancient beyond our imagination. So too are the islands of the Philippines and every land across the world. Compared to the age of Earth, our human lives are but a fleeting moment.

Yet despite the shortness of our existence, human actions possess tremendous power. In only a few decades, people can nurture forests or destroy them. We can protect rivers or poison them. We can build communities based on respect or create divisions that endure for generations.

This is the challenge Diwatang Kanlaon places before us.

Time Is Sacred

Modern society often teaches us to view time merely as something to manage, save, spend, or waste. Yet from a spiritual perspective, time is much more than a resource. Time is sacred.

Every sunrise grants another opportunity to become a better steward of life.

Every season provides a chance to heal old wounds.

Every encounter offers an opportunity to practice compassion.

Every generation is entrusted with responsibilities toward the generations that follow.

The true measure of a life is not how long it lasts, but how wisely its time is used.

Many individuals spend their years pursuing achievements that vanish. Yet the acts that often endure longest are those rooted in kindness, service, and care. A tree planted today may shade a family fifty years from now. A student taught today may become a healer tomorrow. A word of encouragement may transform a life in ways we never witness.

Our footprints upon the Earth may be temporary, but their consequences can continue long after we are gone.

Respect as a Spiritual Practice

Diwatang Kanlaon emphasized that humanity must learn the sacred art of coexistence.

Respect is not simply a social virtue. It is a spiritual discipline.

To respect another human being is to recognize the sacred presence dwelling within them.

To respect animals is to acknowledge that they too participate in the web of life.

To respect forests, rivers, mountains, and oceans is to understand that humanity is not separate from nature but belongs within it.

When we exploit the land without gratitude, we diminish ourselves. When we honor the land, we strengthen our connection to the world that sustains us.

The teaching of Diwatang Kanlaon reminds us that every action creates ripples through time. The way we treat our neighbors, our communities, and our environment today shapes the world that future generations will inherit.

If we desire a world of peace, we must sow peace now.

If we desire a world of healing, we must practice healing now.

If we desire a world of respect, we must embody respect now.

Leaving a Worthy Legacy

As our ritual concluded, a message remained clear in our hearts:

Our lives are short, but they are not insignificant.

The Earth will continue after we are gone. Future generations will walk the same lands we now call home. The question is not whether we will leave a legacy, but what kind of legacy we will leave behind.

Will future generations inherit polluted rivers or thriving watersheds?

Will they receive communities divided by conflict or strengthened by cooperation?

Will they inherit lands stripped of life or landscapes cared for by people who understood their sacred responsibility?

Diwatang Kanlaon calls us to become conscious stewards of the time entrusted to us.

Every day is an opportunity to honor the Earth.

Every action is an opportunity to practice respect.

Every moment is an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to the unfolding story of humanity.

As we welcome Diwatang Kanlaon as the Guide and Guardian of Templong Anituhan for this lunar cycle, may we embrace His teaching. May we learn to honor time as a sacred gift, to live with deeper purpose, and to care for the world with humility and respect.

For while our years may be few compared to the age of mountains and oceans, the goodness we cultivate today can echo far beyond our lifetime.

May our time be spent wisely.
May our actions honor the land.
May our legacy become a blessing for generations yet to come.

Pagpalain nawa ng mga Diwata ang sangkatauhan sa wastong paggamit ng panahon, sa paggalang sa kapwa, at sa pangangalaga sa ating daigdig.