Early filipinos believed that the sky is the heaven. They also believed that the heaven is divided into 7 layers in which the living spirits of the dead people resides. It must be really beautiful there because each layer has a gate with their own guardians. The garoda are huge, monstrous birds that guard the gates day and night. They are like the security guards of heaven and they scrutinize each, and everyone who wishes to pass to and fro. And also, pre-colonial tribes believed in angels – beautiful humans with wings. It is believed that these angels only need they wings for flight – no food necessary. Well, that’s sort of sad. Being not able to eat and taste all that can be eaten. But at least they have wings. Wings are awesome. So, back to the seven layers of heaven, the residents of each layer depends on how good that person was when he or she were still alive. Those who were saint-like lives in the topmost layer of heaven. So comfy. But those who barely made it to heaven resides at the lowest level in heaven.
What’s so interesting in the mythical heaven that early filipino’s believed is that people believed that you can find the tree of life there. When I first heard about the filipino version of the tree of life, I immediately thought of “Yggdrasil” or the tree of life in Norse mythology. I was a fan of mythologies in my early childhood and this tree of life is the one that never fails to compel me. In the Nordic myths, Yggdrasil is a really huge tree. And when I said huge, I mean colossal. Its roots are scattered throughout the lands and are as big as mountains. It is believed that this is the center of the universe and life is flowing through its roots. Its almost the same with the life tree that pre-colonial filipinos believed in. According to the myths, this tree of life bores leaves with names of each and every person living and walking on earth. A new leaf will sprout as a person begins his life and the leaf withers and falls to the ground as the person passes away.
Now, I’m really wondering: how come people from different cultures and are worlds apart have identical ideas about a lot of things like heaven? Does it really exist? If it doesn’t, then how come similar stories popped out from different areas around the world?
Well, this is interesting.-
Daily Thoughts 