Today is the Full Moon in Scorpio, and what better way to introduce the god of Death on a day all about release, emotional healing, and deep transformation. Let's get into his mythology, and later in this post I will share the messages I learned from him while working on this piece.

The Mythology

SIdapa is the god of Death and the god of Fate. In Visayan mythology, he lives in Mt. Madjaas where he owns a very tall tree. On this tree he determines the life force of a person, and carves a “lifeline” for every newborn human. Once the human fulfills that line, they immediately die. Sidapa takes their “kalag” (soul) and gives it to Magwayen, the goddess of the Underworld and Sea. Magwayen then takes the souls to Salud or Saad, which is the final resting place for the land of the dead.

In other accounts, Sidapa is actually portrayed as the Goddess of Death and Sickness, specifically being the wife of Kaptan, the God of the Sky. 

In the Pavon manuscript, there is an idol of Sidapa where he is described to be a big old man with an open mouth and only three teeth. He had a large body and arms but small feet, and he had a hat like a tiara. This statue of Sidapa was three palms high, and made of baked clay and black wood.

My Journey with the Gods

For years since I started my journey learning about the precolonial cultures of the Philippines, I have been dedicated to creating art of the goddesses. Recently I started doing deep shadow work involving my sacral and root, and I've slowly began to heal my traumas from the past experiencing SA in my childhood. This is why the Manananggal or the Aswang has been a healing presence for me, as it became my way to "separate" or "detach" from my traumas.

From taking these steps to heal, I felt comfortable enough to open myself to the masculine deities. It was then where I became drawn to the first god, which happens to be Sidapa, the God of Death.

Naturally this connection made sense because I've experienced different kinds of loss throughout my life. I also was stepping into a new journey in my life; to be more comfortable in stepping into my spirituality, strengthen my connection with Spirit and my ancestors, and embrace more of my power so that I could become more comfortable being "seen" when sharing my art and sharing the wisdom I gain in my research or life experiences.

When working on this piece, I wanted to include symbols of death and rebirth. I also believe Sidapa works with our ancestors, so it was important to include the Crocodile, as it is believed that this sacred animal is connected to our ancestors. I also gave him the "Bangut" face tattoo resembling the open jaws of a crocodile. These type of face tattoos were only limited to the toughest and strongest men in the Visayan tribes.

In a future blog post, I will talk more about why I chose specific animal and flower symbols, along with the artifacts and national treasures that are so distinctly Filipino, and how they connect to our roots of magic, myth, and belief in the afterlife.

The Message

As the god of Death, Sidapa has so much to teach about life. Experiencing all kinds of loss has pushed me to accept the pain of life, but it has also pushed me to open my eyes and my heart to value life as well. Death has forced me to understand the importance of pause and what it truly means to be present, so that I could have the opportunity to reflect on what truly matters in life.

In the tarot, the Death card is often a symbol of needing to go through profound change. When we go through changes that are out of our hands, many of us fall into the trap of suppressing our emotions to keep pushing through life but not truly living it. It can cause some of us to avoid our emotions so that we don’t face the consequences of our actions, or it can even push us to live life in a constant state of fear. Some of us have been forcing ourselves to be “happy and positive” all the time in order to avoid the discomforts of life, but it puts us in a place to never fully understand our truths. While Death can be a cruel and painful teacher, it is the lessons of loss that help us recognize the blessings that we’ve gained. 

Sidapa reminds us that we have the power to change what doesn’t serve us. While loss and pain and trauma can put us in a place to fear making any kind of change, it is through our disempowerment that we discover our empowerment. We are offered one life after all, but it doesn’t mean we have to live only one way. Sidapa urges us to FEEL deeply, especially within the discomfort of change so that we can appreciate the wisdom we’ve gained in our challenges and eventually integrate into our true selves and LIVE authentically.

When we choose to step into our new lives, we have to recognize that our old lives must die. That could mean the experience of losing relationships that do not align anymore. It could also mean the need to release the burdens of the past, because sometimes holding onto the past keeps us in a victim mindset. Many are unaware of the paradox of being comfortable in their discomfort, because the hard truth is is that it is easier to stay bitter and blame everyone and anything that goes wrong in our life instead of taking responsibility in our own suffering. I’m not saying to dismiss the pain and trauma life has thrown at us, but rather to understand why we keep ourselves stuck in these cycles, so that we can eventually take charge of our lives and break out of it. We are allowed to grieve over the things that didn’t work out, grieve over the life we wish we had, and grieve over all the loss we experienced throughout our lives. This is why that in change, in our “metaphorical death,” Sidapa invites us to release the burdens of the past, release self-limiting beliefs, and release the anxieties of the unknown  because these things should no longer be carried with you into your new life. 

As the god of Fate, Sidapa teaches us that by accepting what needs to change, you accept that you have more power over your destiny than you think.

If you are ready to integrate into your new life, may Sidapa guide you in your journey of transformation, so that once you shed your old life he can assist you with transitioning into your most authentic self. 

Sources

Books where I learned about Sidapa's mythology:

• "Barangay" by William Henry Scott
• "The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803" by Miguel de Loarca
• "Outline of Philippine Mythology" by F. Landa Jocano
• "The Soul Book: Introduction to Philippine Pagan Religion" by Francisco R. Demetrio, Gilda Cordero-Fernando, Fernando N. Zialcita