Baskets beneath the Bahala Tree of Life, detail of the Babaylan Mandala
The Bahala Tree of Life is at the center of the Babaylan Mandala. It represents you and many things. It contains symbols of the Feminine and Masculine Principle, the symbol of “spirit” and also contains the symbols of Bathala/Bahala, which pertains to the name of ancient Philippine supreme deity.
At the root of the BA-HA-LA tree of life is the baybayin symbol of BA and within it is the baybayin symbol of LA within it.
BA represents Feminine principal, having the shape of a womb.
LA represents Masculine principle having the approximate shape of a short-tailed seed or sperm.
BA baybayin symbol with the small LA baybayin symbol nestled within it in this manner represent two things:
- fertilization that begets pro-creation OR manifest creativity.
- “babaylan” — a Visayan indigenous priestess who brings together the physical and spiritual worlds through sacred acts—ritual, meditation, prayer, healing, song, art and more.There are small round seeds eggs or seeds ready for fertilization within the womb. These represents talents, work, children, community service, acts of dharma(duty/destiny) ready to be fertilized, nurtured and born/birthed.
If you look at the space within the BA symbol there are also little orbs that represent seeds ready to be fertilized. The seeds have many meanings such as thoughts, words and actions ready to be born of you. The seeds when fertilized will bear fruit. This is related to the baskets underneath the BA-HA-LA Tree of Life.
The tree in it’s entirety of branches made from the HA baybayin symbol and along with BA and LA form the Bahala Tree of Life.
The word of Bahala and the name of Bathala Na are formed by the baybayin symbols and the sounds of BA, HA and LA. The name of Bathala is an ancient Philippine word that signifies a Supreme God or Supreme Divine Being. Read more on Bathala as the name of deities in the Philippines, Java and India.
Bahala na and Bathala Na are phrases still widely used today by Filipinos and it literally means “God now” or “Divine Presence, here and now.”
Bathala = supreme deity
Na = “now” as an adverb or “being” as a verb
Bahala Na and Bathala Na are phrases commonly said to invoke courage and resolution in order to take action in the face of daunting tasks and unknown circumstances.
The Bahala tree of life represents a connection to the Divine, AllThatIs within and without one’s self, and at the same time it represents a harmony and balance between Feminine and Masculine, Yin & Yang within us.
I'm the artist of the Babaylan Mandala and a visual designer. I'm also a multimedia visual designer, writer, mentor, life and creativity coach.
I love working with deeply creative people who are keenly intuitive and intelligent, seeking not only gnosis,
but also the opening of heart spaces, their higher purpose and ways to serve others.
Contact me to find out more about working together.