A Short Introduction to Tagalog Folk Magic or Lihim na Karunungan

Tagalog folk magic is a synthesis of pre-colonial animist beliefs with Spanish

Roman Catholicism. The magical tradition is a loose confederation of practitioners
centered around a maestro or teacher who passes on his practices to a group of
students. Most of the time, however, practitioners get their practices from a
grimoire known as libritos (small books) that outline techniques, prayers, and
myths pertinent to the practice.

Tagalog folk magic is known to its practitioners as Lihim na Karunungan (the

Secret Knowledge). Lihim na Karunungan (LNK) centers around the cultivation
of spiritual power that resides in one’s physical body. The Lihim na Karunungan
makes use of the spirit and energy model as its magical worldview. The idea is one
can manifest things in the material world through the grace of God by means of
this spiritual power. This spiritual power is developed through a practice known as
pagpopoder (from poder which means power). One can develop poder through the
practice of daily devotions, doing certain rites in certain days (usually during
Fridays), or through pilgrimage. Poder is stored in the body to be used in later
rituals, healings, or even hexes.

Practitioners of Lihim na Karunungan also believe that certain artifacts contain

within them latent spiritual power. These artifacts could either be natural (such as
gemstones, pearls, stones, and bao (a coconut husk with no eye)) or artificial (such
as amulets or talismans called anting-anting). The latent spiritual power in these
objects can be made available or manifested by the proper prayer or incantation
known to its practitioners as an oracion.

Oraciones are powerful in it of themselves according to practitioners of the art. An

oracion can be said for example to bless water for consumption, or even turn one
invisible, or for some – to be impervious to bullets! Oraciones are voces magicae -
they do not necessarily mean anything save their magical meaning. The words of
these oraciones come from an admixture of Latin, Spanish, and Tagalog words. In
fact, most of the rites performed by the practitioners of the LNK come directly
from the Latin mass rites such as the asperges and words of consecration.

In order for these artifacts and oracions to work, one must be store up spiritual
power. Also, in the performance or recitation of prayers faith is needed. One is not
asked to learn the meaning of the words, rather one is compelled to have faith that
the words carry power in it of themselves.

The next page contains an oracion to bless the St. Benedict Medal According to
the Lihim na Karunungan. The blessing comes from the Small Book of St.
Benedict appended in this group’s file section.

Fra IHS
Student of the Occult
 BLESSING THE SAINT BENEDICT MEDAL

The Saint Benedict Medallion is known for its effectiveness against evil spirits,
witchcraft, poison, and elementals. Praying the oracion below will also grant its
wearers protection against bullets. To get the most of its powers, you will devote
yourself to praying to it ideally for 49 days. If this is impossible, then pray every
Friday for seven Fridays. Bless it with holy water.

To perform this rite, place the medallion of the St. Benedict on top of your altar
for empowerment. Begin with the sign of the cross, then pray three Pater
Noster, three Ave Maria, three Gloria, and three Credo - ideally in Latin. After
doing so, proceed with the following incantation. When the cross (+) appears in
the text, you are to blow a cross on the medallion.

SALUMTUM MUNDI SAMISANA UTIHIC VIVIT REX SELIM MURO

MEUM HILELE-
TATEM + PLOMUV + PLECULETIAN + PERTATUM + PERTULAM +
PERDATUM +

EL PROBATUR SALUTARE SANCTA MARIA EGOSUM PACTUM HUM

EMOC GEDOC

DOC GUAT NI SICUT DEUS EXENIHILU SANCTUS BENEDICTUS

MONACH OCCID

PATRIARCH PAX JOTA JETA SIGMA JESUS HOMINUM SALVATOR

CRUX MIHI

REFUGIUM CRUX SANCTA MARIA YSOSALIME CRUX SUAMBIT

PECABIT CRUX

ESGUAM SEMPER ADORO CRUX DOMINE MECUM CRUX SANCTI

PATER BENEDICTI

CRUX SACRA SIT MIHI LUX NON DRACO SIT MIHI DUX VADE RETRO
SATANA

NUN QUAM SUADE MIHI VANA SUNT MALA QUAE LIBAS IPSE
VENENA BIBAS PER

CHRISTUM DOMINUM NOSTRUM PATER ADONAI XIUXUMUX SALVE

ME SANCTI

ESPICO, AYUDA ME, AMEN.