Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
To turn off the background music that runs when this page starts, click once or twice on the arrow on the audio bar at the bottom of the page …
INTRODUCTION
Dear Ones,
This morning I did some research to try to put a name on some super weird astral stories that I have run into in recent years. I had a feeling these might have to do with Barang or Kulam.
“Barang” primarily refers to a form of Filipino malign sorcery or black magic, specifically a Cebuano term involving the use of insects or familiar spirits to afflict victims. A practitioner, known as a mambabarang, uses insects like beetles or centipedes to enter a victim’s body, causing sickness, severe pain, and sometimes death. –Google AI
Kulam is a form of Filipino folk sorcery or black magic, often translated as witchcraft or voodoo, that uses sympathetic magic to cause harm, illness, or misfortune to a target. Practiced by a mangkukulam (sorcerer), it often involves manipulating dolls, personal items (hair, nails), or potions, and is deeply rooted in Philippine folklore and pre-colonial traditions. –Google AI
. . . . .
Likely Barang, morphed for impact, was the belief so graphically addressed in the movie “My Mother’s Skin” that I reviewed a while back.
The movie … In My Mother’s Skin (2023), a Filipino horror film set in the Philippines during the final months of World War II. It follows a girl, Tala, whose mother becomes infected and slowly rots after dealing with a flesh-eating fairy (the “Cicada Queen”) to protect her children. The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Key Details of “In My Mother’s Skin” (2023):
Plot: Amidst WW2, an isolated family’s mother, Ligaya, falls ill, and the daughter trusts a malicious fairy, resulting in a gory, body-horror infection.
Setting: A decaying mansion in the Philippines, mirroring the decline of the mother and the country at the end of the war.
The “Cicada” Element: The fairy, played by Jasmine Curtis-Smith, is adorned with cicada wings and themes of rebirth and decay, suggesting a sinister transformation for the mother.
Director: Kenneth Dagatan. –Google AI
. . . . .
After doing the research, I stopped by a local gas station for a snack. There I encountered 2 men who were Mambabarang and another man who was so conversant and at ease with telepathy that he answered my telepathic comment to him with a vocal sentence. Go figure!
Mambabarang and Telepathic adepts are two very different sorts of people. If I had to put a peg on it, in a Filipino folkloric context, I would say that the last man I encountered, the telepathic adept, had an aspect of enlightenment.
The closest thing to this kind of energy … and to my own energy … in the Filipino folkloric tradition would be “an herbal doctor, albularyo or a faith healer, a mananambal or sorhuana (female) / sorhuano (male).” –Google AI These were people who traditionally cured the curses of Mambabarang or Mangkukulam.
There is not an exact match with the energy of enlightenment, since albularyo and mananambai deal with the fourth dimensional realm of cause-and-effect; whereas enlightened people and Ascensioneers deal with the higher realms, through alignment with God’s Will. These higher realms are beyond the realm of cause and effect; they are the realm of miracles.
To get back on topic, the encounters today at the gas station got me thinking that there may be many people in the San Fernando Valley who practice Barang or Kulam. There may be many more who grew up with these ideas, and so these ideas are part of their subconscious underpinning, as it were. Thus the early childhood training, and perhaps rather often, the current day practice of many people living here in the San Fernando Valley may be casting thought forms that seem to me … because of my Christian upbringing … to be quite alien, in fact quite awful.
If this be so, then it behooves me to get a handle on what all keeps repeating, like a wild and savage modern nightmare, in the astral planes … especially on the weekends and during times of CME flurries. As you may know, such a time is now upon us, although, by luck of the draw, NASA predicts the CMEs will likely miss or just graze by Earth’s electromagnetic field.
Cutting to the chase, let’s take a look at some right wild repeating thought forms …
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Cutting down saplings loved by the victim; killing a Raven friend of the victim; killing a pet bird beloved by the victim; drugging and casting a love spell on a person beloved by the victim?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Imagining raping the wife or the children of the victim, or raping the victim; or else physically raping them? Magical differences, in this regard, between vaginal rape and anal rape? Magical differences, in this regard, between raping the victim, his wife, or his children?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Castration of the victim’s boy children?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Seducing the victim’s workmen and offering them money to kill the victim?
Follow-up: Do you want to explore the “orasciones” (prayers) specifically used to protect a household from “treachery” and “internal betrayal”? … I said: Yes.
Are there standard Christian prayers for this purpose?
HERE IS THE TEXT OF THE STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS TO PROTECT A HOUSEHOLD FROM “TREACHERY” AND “INTERNAL BETRAYAL”
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Trespassing on someone else’s property; or having someone else trespass on their property, so as to leave illegal goods there, or to leave poisons there, or to vandalize the property?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Imagining breaking into or sneaking into the victim’s house?
I gather from this that black tourmaline buried under or near a doorway might be effective. Also, I like the idea of a mirror … maybe a dull mirror … hung on a wall to reflect curses back to another house. I also like to place crosses by exterior doorways of my home. –Alice B. Clagett
Follow-up: Do you want to explore the specific orasciones (prayers) used to “lock” a house against these mental and astral intrusions? I said: Yes.
Counter-spells used to protect a yard or home from Barang or Kulam invasions?
Yesterday I tried walking in a processional manner around the perimeter of my yard with my largest crucifix – about a foot long, showing the Ascended Christ – held out at arm’s length in front of my third-eye point. At ‘hot spots’ in my trek, where surveillance cameras of other people were surveilling my yard, I stopped and said: “In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior, I bid all trespassing spirits be barred from this yard forever. Amen.” I feel this is a good technique. –Alice Clagett
Would you like to know how these protections are activated or “fed” through specific prayers (orasciones) to maintain their effectiveness? I said: Yes.
CHRISTIAN WAYS TO PROTECT A YARD OR HOME FROM BARANG OR KULAM INVASIONS
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the specific ritual for placing St. Benedict medals at the four corners of a property to reinforce these prayers? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the Latin text of the official Exorcism Blessing that a priest uses for these medals, so you can ensure it is performed correctly? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Do you need the English translation of these specific Latin rites to better understand the authority being invoked against the sorcery? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know about the specific placement of a San Benito (St. Benedict) image inside the home to complement these buried medals? I said: Yes.
With regard to Barang or Kulam, poisoning someone else’s plants … for instance, their vegetable gardens or flower gardens?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing boiling water or boiling oil on the victim’s plants, or on the victim himself?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing rats or other rodents out of one’s yard and into the victim’s yard?
With regard to Barang and Kulam, throwing one’s own feces into someone else’s yard, or else at someone else?
In the context of Barang and Kulam, throwing urine on the victim’s yard?
Do you need information on protective rituals used to cleanse a yard from such substances, or are you interested in how healers (albularyos) diagnose these specific types of “planted” curses? I said: Yes.
STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS AGAINST BARANG OR KULAM: BLACK MAGIC CURSES ON OTHER PEOPLE’S PLANTS AND LAND
With regard to Barang or Kulam, is there a belief that a person can enter the body of a cat and use the cat to invade someone else’s yard and bring bad luck to the invaded person? A belief that this act constitutes the person himself or herself invading the yard? Is there a custom of sacrificing the cat after a certain length of time with intent, in so doing, to kill the invaded person?
With regard to Barang or Kulam, Having one’s cat hunt on the victim’s property?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Poisoning the victim’s dog?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Killing and eating the victim’s cat?
STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS TO PROTECT AGAINST BARANG OR KULAM BLACK MAGIC USING CATS OR DOGS
I asked: Are there standard Christian prayers that protect people from Barang or Kulam?
HERE IS THE TEXT OF THE STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS THAT PROTECT PEOPLE FROM BARANG OR KULAM
CONCLUSION
What I got from all this is that the alien thought forms I have been hearing over and over again, here in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, may have to do with the black magic practices of Barang and Kulam.
I had no knowledge of Barang and Kulam, and that is why these thought forms seemed so outlandish to me.
Now I have some Christian prayers to say when I hear these thought forms or when I read about or see these practices being performed.
I hope this research helps you too, Dear Readers. I know it’s a lot to read, but for those of you who, like I, have been beleaguered by these curses and threats, I expect the reading will be well worth it.
Io lux et pax nobiscum.
Joy, light and peace be with us!
Alice B. Clagett
“Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea; quem timebo?” The Lord is my Light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
Written on 24 April 2026; compiled and published on 27 April 2026
I left the double quotes off of the beginning and end of Google AI’s response, and kept the double quotes as is within the responses. You will know by the light blue font that these are quotes from Google AI.
If you see purple font, that is being used for a term described in “More Information.”
I am using brown font for my questions in the Q&A. Also, through sparing use of square brackets and brown font, I sometimes change the transcript slightly or add my Comments to it.
Music by Nicholas Panek from Pixabay – Defende Nos In Proelio: An Epic Gregorian Battle Chant by nikmanekAlassets – Pixabay License
DEFENDE NOS IN PROELIO
Full Latin Prayer
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
English Translation
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
Pronunciation Guide (Ecclesiastical/Church Latin)
Sancte Michael Archangele:Sahn-ktee Mee-kah-el Ark-ahn-jeh-leh
defende nos in proelio:deh-fen-deh nohs een preh-lee-oh
contra nequitiam:kohn-trah neh-kwee-tsee-ahm
et insidias diaboli:eht een-see-dee-ahs dee-ah-boh-lee
my favorites, compendiums, shamanism, primitive man, savage man, religions of the world, Christianity, indigenous religions, crime, crime prevention, psychic crime, black magic, transcending the dark, home invasion, murder, rape, castration,
Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
To turn off the background music that runs when this page starts, click once or twice on the arrow on the audio bar at the bottom of the page …
CONTENTS
This post has Christian prayers to defend us against these Black Magic thought forms and actions by other people: Poisoning someone else’s plants … for instance, their vegetable gardens or flower gardens – Throwing boiling water or boiling oil on the victim’s plants, or on the victim himself – Throwing rats or other rodents out of one’s yard and into the victim’s yard – Throwing one’s own feces into someone else’s yard, or else at someone else – Throwing urine on the victim’s yard.
BARANG OR KULAM: BLACK MAGIC CURSES ON OTHER PEOPLE’S PLANTS AND LAND
With regard to Barang or Kulam, poisoning someone else’s plants … for instance, their vegetable gardens or flower gardens?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing boiling water or boiling oil on the victim’s plants, or on the victim himself?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing rats or other rodents out of one’s yard and into the victim’s yard?
With regard to Barang and Kulam: Throwing one’s own feces into someone else’s yard, or else at someone else?
In the context of Barang and Kulam, throwing urine on the victim’s yard?
Do you need information on protective rituals used to cleanse a yard from such substances, or are you interested in how healers (albularyos) diagnose these specific types of “planted” curses? I said: Yes.
STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS AGAINST BARANG OR KULAM: BLACK MAGIC CURSES ON OTHER PEOPLE’S PLANTS AND LAND
BARANG OR KULAM: BLACK MAGIC CURSES ON OTHER PEOPLE’S PLANTS AND LAND
I asked: With regard to Barang or Kulam, poisoning someone else’s plants … for instance, their vegetable gardens or flower gardens?
Google AI said: In Philippine folklore, the act of “poisoning” a garden can take two distinct forms: literal poisoning using toxic substances (often under the method known as Hilo) and spiritual poisoning using sorcery like Usik or Kulam.
Hilo: The Method of Poisoning
The term Hilo (Cebuano for “poison”) refers to a specific branch of sorcery where the practitioner uses physical toxins—often derived from rare plants, animal venom, or chemicals—to inflict harm.
Wikipedia +1
Targeting the Harvest: A sorcerer may sneak into a rival’s garden to apply these poisons directly to crops. The intent is often for the victim to ingest the poisoned produce, leading to “mysterious” illnesses that modern medicine may struggle to diagnose.
Contamination: In some rural beliefs, even if the plant itself is not eaten, the presence of these “charged” poisons in the soil is enough to “wither” the energy of the home or those who tend to the garden.
Usik: The “Sharp” or Invasive Magic
While Barang typically uses insects to invade a human body, a related method called Usik involves inducing illness using smaller agents or directed energy.
Wikipedia
Drying the Garden: It is a common folkloric trope that a powerful sorcerer can “curse” a garden simply by looking at it with envy or malice. This results in plants wilting overnight without any visible signs of pests or disease.
Usikan/Buyagan: Certain individuals are believed to have a “dark tongue” or innate power (Buyag) where complimenting a healthy plant (e.g., “What a beautiful flower!”) without saying “pwera buyag” causes the plant to sicken and die.
Wikipedia +1
Using Plants in Rituals (Paktol & Laga)
Plants are not just targets of sorcery; they are also key components in the rituals used to destroy a garden or person:
Ritual Materials: In methods like Paktol, specific leaves from trees like mangungkong, kanomay, and balanti are used to bind the curse.
Garden as a Medium: Sorcerers may bury ritual objects—such as bottles containing hair, needles, or cursed soil—inside a victim’s garden. The garden becomes a “grounded” site for the curse, affecting the family every time they step into the yard.
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Signs and Remedies
If a healthy garden suddenly dies, an Albularyo (folk healer) might look for signs of “planted” magic:
Diagnosis: Using Tatawas (alum or candle rituals), a healer may identify if the garden was physically poisoned or spiritually cursed.
Cleansing: The remedy often involves sprinkling blessed salt, vinegar, or holy water over the soil to neutralize the “poison”. In severe cases, the healer may perform a Sumbalik to make the “poisoner’s” own plants or health wither in return.
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I asked: With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing boiling water or boiling oil on the victim’s plants, or on the victim himself?
Google AI said: In the world of Barang and Kulam, using boiling liquids like water or oil is seen as a way to “scorch” both the physical body and the spiritual essence (bisa) of the target. These acts are often categorized under Usik (intentional harm through directed energy) or Hilo (poisoning/burning).
On the Victim’s Plants (Spiritual Blight)
Throwing boiling water or oil on a garden is a ritual act of “Pagkalos”—meant to wither the family’s prosperity.
Killing the Root: Just as the boiling liquid kills the plant, the sorcerer intends to “boil away” the victim’s source of food or income.
Symbolic Heat: In folk magic, a “cool” home is a blessed one. By introducing “boiling” energy into the yard, the sorcerer creates a state of “Init” (heat/friction), which is believed to cause constant arguments, feverish illnesses, and “hotheadedness” among the family members.
Boiling Oil specifically: Oil is often used in rituals to “bind” spirits. Boiling it and throwing it on plants is seen as a way to “fry” the protective spirits (Larao or Bantay) that might be residing in the garden.
On the Victim (Physical and Spiritual Scarring)
When directed at a person, this act is a form of “Lutuin” (to cook the victim).
The “Laga” Method: This mirrors a common sorcery technique where a sorcerer boils a victim’s personal items (hair, clothing, or footprints) in a pot. If they throw the liquid directly on the person, it is a “quickened” version of this curse. The victim is expected to suffer from “internal heat,” chronic inflammation, or skin diseases that feel like they are constantly burning.
Sealing the Pores: In Philippine folk belief, the skin is a barrier for the soul. “Cooking” the skin with oil is thought to “seal” the victim’s luck inside or prevent their kalag (soul) from breathing, leading to a slow, wasting death (Tuyot).
Magical Differences: Water vs. Oil
Boiling Water: Usually associated with sudden shock and “clearing the path.” It is used to quickly “wash away” a person’s existing protections so a stronger curse (like Barang insects) can enter the body.
Boiling Oil: Much more malevolent because oil clings. Magically, oil represents a “sticky” curse that is hard for an Albularyo to wash off. It signifies a long-term, agonizing illness and is often used in “vengeance” magic where the sorcerer wants the victim to suffer slowly.
Countermeasures and Healing
If someone is attacked this way, an Albularyo doesn’t just treat the burn; they must “cool” the spirit:
Palamig Ritual: Using “cooling” plants like Aloe Vera, Coconut Water, or Banana Stems to draw out the “sorcerous heat.”
Lana ng Niyog: Ironically, unboiled blessed coconut oil is applied to the victim to “neutralize” the malice of the “cooked” oil.
I asked: With regard to Barang or Kulam: Throwing rats or other rodents out of one’s yard and into the victim’s yard?
Google AI said: In the folklore of Barang and Kulam, throwing rats or other rodents into a victim’s yard is a highly calculated act of spiritual warfare. It is viewed not merely as a pest control problem, but as the intentional delivery of a “familiar” or a “messenger of decay” into the victim’s sacred space.
Rodents as Sentient “Familiars”
In Philippine animistic belief, rats are often referred to as “mabait” (good ones) or “kaibigan” (friend) to avoid offending their spirits.
Inquirer.net +1
The Sorcerer’s Spy: A sorcerer (Mangkukulam) may send a rodent to collect information or personal belongings from the victim’s home to be used in future rituals.
The Intentional Transfer: By throwing a rat from their own yard into a neighbor’s, a person is believed to be “redirecting” the bad luck, illness, or misfortune that the rodent represents.
Planting a Hex: Throwing a dead or dying rodent into a yard is a form of pananim (planting a curse). The animal acts as a “spiritual battery” that leaks negative energy, intended to cause the residents to fall ill with “mysterious” wasting diseases.
Destructive Magic: Rats gnawing on furniture or clothing is specifically seen as a sign predictive of evil or impending death within the family.
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Spiritual Surveillance and Breach
The presence of a rodent in the yard is often interpreted as a breach in the home’s spiritual defenses.
Mapping the Defenses: Just like the “sent” cat, a rodent is used to scout the home’s invisible grid of protection.
Direct Invasion: In extreme cases, a Mambabarang is believed to command “vile creatures” to magically enter a victim’s body through any opening to destroy their internal organs.
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Counter-Actions
If a rodent is found “planted” in a yard:
Ritual Cleansing: An albularyo (folk healer) may sprinkle blessed salt or vinegar over the spot where the animal was found to “neutralize” the lingering malice.
The “Return-to-Sender”: The rodent may be ritually treated and discarded in a way that “returns” the bad luck to the person who threw it.
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I asked: With regard to Barang and Kulam, throwing one’s own feces into someone else’s yard, or else at someone else?
Google AI said: In the folklore of Barang and Kulam, using one’s own feces is a recognized method of “delivery” for a curse, rooted in the principles of sympathetic and contagious magic.
Feces as a Sorcery Medium
Bodily excrement—including feces, urine, and saliva—is considered bodily exuviae, or traces of a person that remain spiritually linked to them. In the context of Philippine sorcery:
Encyclopedia.pub +2
Contagious Magic: Practitioners believe that substances once part of a body retain a connection to the owner. By ritually “charging” their own feces and placing it in a victim’s space, the sorcerer attempts to establish a bridge between their malevolent intent and the target.
The Laga Method: In the Laga method of sorcery, practitioners may boil herbs and animal essences along with traces of the victim, such as their body excrement or footprints, to cause physical suffering or internal ailments.
Commanding Pests: Because Barang often involves the command of insects or vermin (like beetles or worms) to invade a victim’s body, feces can be used as an “attractant” or a marker to guide these spirits or familiars to a specific person or property.
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Intent Behind the Act
Throwing feces—whether into a yard or directly at a person—serves multiple purposes in these belief systems:
Invasion of Personal Sanctuary: In Kulam, the yard is seen as a person’s physical and spiritual defense. Violating it with “fouled” material is meant to breach those defenses and “plant” the curse where the victim will unknowingly step on it or be near its energy.
Humiliation and Defilement: Beyond the spiritual curse, the act is one of extreme social humiliation. In some interpretations, the “stain” of the feces on the body or property mirrors the “rotting” or “decay” the sorcerer wishes to inflict on the victim’s health or social standing.
Targeting Orifices: Folk beliefs regarding Barang suggest that malevolent entities enter the body through openings like the anus or mouth. Using excrement symbolically targets these areas, often leading to diagnoses of related conditions like severe hemorrhoids (almoranas) or internal infections that resist modern medicine.
Encyclopedia.pub +4
Remedies and Countermeasures
If such an act is discovered, a victim typically seeks an Albularyo (folk healer) to perform a cleansing:
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Ritual Neutralization: The area may be scrubbed with salt, vinegar, or holy water to “kill” the spiritual charge of the excrement.
Sumbalik (Return-to-Sender): Healers may perform rituals to redirect the “fecal curse” back to the perpetrator, believing the sorcerer will then suffer the same ailments they intended for the victim.
I asked: In the context of Barang and Kulam, throwing urine on the victim’s yard?
Google AI said: In the context of Kulam and Barang, there is a prevalent belief that bodily excretions, including urine, can be used as potent tools for sorcery. While specific rituals of “throwing urine into a yard” are less documented in mainstream literature than the use of dolls or insects, the underlying principle of sympathetic magic—where a person’s essence is used to manipulate their fate—supports such a practice.
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Bodily Fluids in Philippine Sorcery
In Philippine folk sorcery, practitioners often utilize personal items or biological samples to establish a “link” between the curse and the victim:
Encyclopedia.pub +1
Bodily Exuviae: Hair, nail clippings, and bodily fluids are commonly sought by a Mangkukulam (sorcerer) to “personalize” a curse.
Contagious Magic: This logic suggests that because urine was once part of the person, it remains connected to them. Throwing it onto their property is seen as a way to physically “deliver” or “plant” a curse within their personal sanctuary.
Invading Personal Space: Much like the belief in sending insects (Barang) into a body, the act of violating a person’s yard with a “cursed” substance like urine is intended to breach their spiritual and physical defenses.
Encyclopedia.pub +4
Related Global and Historical Practices
While not unique to the Philippines, using urine in witchcraft rituals has historical precedent in “counter-magic,” which may have influenced localized beliefs:
Witch Bottles: Historically, victims of witchcraft would fill bottles with their own urine, pins, and hair and bury them or throw them to break a curse or “send it back” to the witch.
Harmful Intent: In some cultures, throwing “fouled” or ritually prepared fluids into a neighbor’s yard is a recognized form of malevolent magic meant to bring sickness or bad luck by corrupting the land they live on.
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Sympathetic Connections
Ailment Connection: In some variations of sorcery, the ingredients of a ritual determine the effect; for example, using seawater might cause a victim’s belly to swell with the tides. Using urine is often associated with causing abdominal pains, urinary tract issues, or “unexplained” internal illnesses that resist modern medicine.
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Google AI asked: Do you need information on protective rituals used to cleanse a yard from such substances, or are you interested in how healers (albularyos) diagnose these specific types of “planted” curses?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: In Philippine folk medicine, when a yard or home is suspected of being “planted” with a curse—whether through urine, objects, or animal vessels—an Albularyo (folk healer) or Manghihilot is usually called to intervene.
How Albularyos Diagnose a “Planted” Curse
Healers use several traditional methods to detect if a yard or a person has been targeted:
Paggataw or Pagluop: The healer uses a ritual plate with water and a small piece of “dagta” (resin) or wax. They drop the material into the water; the shapes that form indicate whether the source of the illness is human (Kulam) or a spirit (Engkanto), and can sometimes point to the direction from which the curse came.
Pagtatawas: This is the most common diagnostic tool using alum (tawas), a candle, or an egg. The healer moves the medium over the victim’s body or around the yard. If using a candle, the patterns in the melted wax might reveal the face of the sorcerer or the image of the object (like a cat or a bottle of fluid) used in the attack.
Pulse Reading (Panghihipat): A skilled healer can supposedly detect “heavy” or “unnatural” energy in a person’s pulse that indicates the presence of hangin (bad wind) or pakid (sent spirits) from a specific location, like a cursed yard.
Protective and Cleansing Rituals
To “cleanse” a yard from substances like urine or animal spirits, several methods are employed:
Pabulas (The Counter-Spray): To neutralize cursed fluids like urine, a healer may sprinkle a mixture of blessed water, salt, and vinegar across the property. Salt is a universal deterrent for dark spirits and sorcery in Filipino belief.
Burning of Incense (Pag-uusal): Healers often burn dried Kamangyan (resin incense) or dried herbs and palm leaves (from Palm Sunday) to smoke out the “bad air” or residual energy left by an intruder or a curse.
Burying Protections (Pangontra): To prevent future invasions, objects like Buntot Pagi (stingray tail), pieces of black coral, or small bottles containing holy oil and herbs are buried at the corners of the yard.
Reciprocal Cursing (Sumpa): In some cases, if the urine or object is found, the healer might perform a ritual to “return to sender.” This involves ritually treating the substance and casting it back toward the suspected source to redirect the bad luck.
STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS AGAINST BARANG OR KULAM: BLACK MAGIC CURSES ON OTHER PEOPLE’S PLANTS AND LAND
Google AI said: Christian prayers against barang (sorcery) or kulam (witchcraft) focus on invoking the authority of Jesus Christ to break curses, protect land and crops, and render black magic powerless. Key strategies include using the blood of Jesus, commanding demonic spirits to leave, and claiming biblical protection over property and household.
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Core Prayers Against Black Magic
Renunciation and Breaking Curses:“I command all demonic spirits that have gained access to me through curses and rituals to be cut off and banished from me and my household, in the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Protection of Land and Crops:“I claim the Blood of Jesus on the air and atmosphere, the water, the fire, the wind, the ground and their fruits all around us, the underground and the nether world”.
Binding Evil Forces:“I command and bind all the powers that molest me — by the power of God all-powerful, in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, through the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary — to leave me forever, and to be consigned into everlasting Hell”.
Exposing Witchcraft: “I rebuke every witch and warlock. Their curses are powerless against the Holy Spirit. Any plant of the devil has no authority here. In Jesus’ name, let their stuff fall flat”.
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. . . . .
Io lux et pax nobiscum.
Joy, light and peace be with us!
Alice B. Clagett
“Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea; quem timebo?” The Lord is my Light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
Written on 24 April 2026; compiled and published on 27 April 2026
I left the double quotes off of the beginning and end of Google AI’s response, and kept the double quotes as is within the responses. You will know by the light blue font that these are quotes from Google AI.
If you see purple font, that is being used for a term described in “More Information.”
I am using brown font for my questions in the Q&A. Also, through sparing use of square brackets and brown font, I sometimes change the transcript slightly or add my Comments to it.
Music by Nicholas Panek from Pixabay – Defende Nos In Proelio: An Epic Gregorian Battle Chant by nikmanekAlassets – Pixabay License
DEFENDE NOS IN PROELIO
Full Latin Prayer
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
English Translation
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
Pronunciation Guide (Ecclesiastical/Church Latin)
Sancte Michael Archangele:Sahn-ktee Mee-kah-el Ark-ahn-jeh-leh
defende nos in proelio:deh-fen-deh nohs een preh-lee-oh
contra nequitiam:kohn-trah neh-kwee-tsee-ahm
et insidias diaboli:eht een-see-dee-ahs dee-ah-boh-lee
shamanism, primitive man, savage man, religions of the world, Christianity, indigenous religions, crime, crime prevention, psychic crime, black magic, transcending the dark, home invasion,
Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
Image: “Babaylan Festival in Bago City,” by Hptina24, 11 November 2015, in Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Babaylan_Festival_in_Bago_City.jpg … CC BY-SA 4.0 International … DESCRIPTION: “A Hiligaynon woman depicting a babaylan (Visayan shaman) during a festival. According to Spanish records, the majority of precolonial shamans were women, while the minority were bakla, effeminate men. Both were highly respected, on par with the datu or local ruler.”
To turn off the background music that runs when this page starts, click once or twice on the arrow on the audio bar at the bottom of the page …
CONTENTS
This post offers Christian prayers to defend oneself against these intruding thought forms: Imagining breaking into or sneaking into the victim’s house – Trespassing on someone else’s property; or having someone else trespass on their property, so as to leave illegal goods there, or to leave poisons there, or to vandalize the property.-
HOME INVASION THOUGHT FORMS TO DO WITH BARANG OR KULAM
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Trespassing on someone else’s property; or having someone else trespass on their property, so as to leave illegal goods there, or to leave poisons there, or to vandalize the property?
With regard to Barang or Kulam: Imagining breaking into or sneaking into the victim’s house?
I gather from this that black tourmaline buried under or near a doorway might be effective. Also, I like the idea of a mirror … maybe a dull mirror … hung on a wall to reflect curses back to another house. I also like to place crosses by exterior doorways of my home. –Alice B. Clagett
Follow-up: Do you want to explore the specific orasciones (prayers) used to “lock” a house against these mental and astral intrusions? I said: Yes.
Counter-spells used to protect a yard or home from Barang or Kulam invasions?
Sidebar: Processional with the Cross of Christ Arisen: Yesterday I tried walking in a processional manner around the perimeter of my yard with my largest crucifix – about a foot long, showing the Ascended Christ – held out at arm’s length in front of my third-eye point. At ‘hot spots’ in my trek, where surveillance cameras of other people were surveilling my yard, I stopped and said: “In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior, I bid all trespassing spirits be barred from this yard forever. Amen.” I feel this is a good technique. –Alice Clagett
Would you like to know how these protections are activated or “fed” through specific prayers (orasciones) to maintain their effectiveness? I said: Yes.
CHRISTIAN WAYS TO PROTECT A YARD OR HOME FROM BARANG OR KULAM INVASIONS
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the specific ritual for placing St. Benedict medals at the four corners of a property to reinforce these prayers? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the Latin text of the official Exorcism Blessing that a priest uses for these medals, so you can ensure it is performed correctly? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Do you need the English translation of these specific Latin rites to better understand the authority being invoked against the sorcery? I said: Yes.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know about the specific placement of a San Benito (St. Benedict) image inside the home to complement these buried medals? I said: Yes.
HOME INVASION THOUGHT FORMS TO DO WITH BARANG OR KULAM
I asked: With regard to Barang or Kulam: Trespassing on someone else’s property; or having someone else trespass on their property, so as to leave illegal goods there, or to leave poisons there, or to vandalize the property?
Google AI said: In the context of Barang and Kulam, the act of trespassing—or using a proxy to do so—is a fundamental part of “planting” a curse, a practice often referred to as Pananim (to plant).
Trespassing to “Plant” a Curse (Pananim)
In folk sorcery, a curse often requires a physical “tether” to the victim’s territory. A sorcerer or their accomplice will trespass to bury or hide ritual objects:
Illegal/Taboo Goods: Leaving items like human bones, hair, or specialized dolls (often used in Kulam) buried under the stairs or at the corners of the yard.
Ritual Poisons: Leaving bottles of “charged” oils, fluids (like the urine/feces mentioned earlier), or toxic herbal concoctions (Hilo) near water sources or food-producing plants.
The “Grounding” Effect: The belief is that as long as these items remain on the property, the “frequency” of the curse remains active, causing the residents to experience constant bad luck, sickness, or domestic strife.
The Use of Proxies (Human or Animal)
The practitioner rarely acts in the open. They may use:
Human Accomplices: A sorcerer might pay or manipulate someone else to trespass and leave the items to avoid direct suspicion or to bypass the victim’s personal spiritual protections.
Animal Vessels: As discussed with the cat earlier, the belief is that the sorcerer’s spirit or a familiar can “invade” the property to deliver the curse without a human ever being seen.
Vandalism as Symbolic Sorcery
Vandalism in this context is rarely “random” graffiti; it is usually symbolic marking:
Marking the Territory: Drawing symbols or leaving “smudges” of ash or blood on walls is intended to “open a door” for spirits (Engkanto) to enter the home.
Destruction of Protection: Vandalizing a victim’s own protective measures—such as pulling out their Bawang (garlic) or breaking their St. Benedict medals—is a strategic move to leave the property defenseless before a major “attack.”
Legal vs. Spiritual Consequences
In many rural Philippine communities, a person caught trespassing to “plant” something is treated with extreme severity, often more so than a common thief.
Community Justice: Because the community fears the “poison” or “curse,” the act is seen as an attempt at murder rather than just trespassing.
The Healer’s Role: If suspicious items are found, an Albularyo is called not just to remove them, but to “deactivate” them before they are touched, as touching a planted curse can instantly transfer the sickness to the finder.
AI responses may include mistakes. For legal advice, consult a professional. Learn more
I asked: With regard to Barang or Kulam: Imagining breaking into or sneaking into the victim’s house?
Google AI said: In the belief systems of Barang and Kulam, the act of “imagining” or mentally projecting oneself into a victim’s home is not seen as mere daydreaming; it is considered a form of astral trespassing or mental sorcery.
Astral Projection (Gahum or “Soul Traveling”)
Highly skilled practitioners are believed to possess Gahum (spiritual power) that allows them to leave their physical bodies while in a trance or sleep.
The Unseen Intruder: When a sorcerer “imagines” sneaking into a house, they may be attempting to send their kalag (soul) or a shadow-self to scout the premises. In folklore, victims sometimes report the feeling of being watched or hearing footsteps in a locked house—phenomena attributed to this mental or spiritual intrusion.
Opening the Door: By mentally “walking” through the victim’s home, the sorcerer “maps” the spiritual defenses of the house. This makes it easier for them to direct a physical curse or an insect-based Barang to a specific room or person later.
Intent as the “Blueprint” for the Curse
In Philippine folk magic, intent (bana-bana) is the primary driver of a spell.
Visualization as Activation: The act of vividly imagining breaking into a home is often the first step in a ritual. The sorcerer visualizes the layout to “place” a curse mentally before they ever do so physically.
Weakening the Spirit: It is believed that if a sorcerer focuses their malice intensely on a specific location (like a victim’s bedroom), they can “pollute” the air of that room with hangin (bad wind), leading the victim to have nightmares, sleep paralysis (bangungot), or unexplained exhaustion.
The Power of “Buyag” and Envy
Even without a formal ritual, the act of “sneaking” into a house through imagination—often driven by intense envy or resentment—is a form of Usik.
Coveting the Space: If someone intensely imagines being inside a neighbor’s house to see their belongings or “poison” their peace, that mental energy is thought to “leak” into the target home, causing things to break or family members to argue without cause.
Protective Measures Against Mental Entry
Because people fear this “unseen” entry, specific protections are used to “blind” or repel a sorcerer’s mental projection:
Mirrors Facing Inward or Outward: Small mirrors are often placed facing the door or specific corners of a room to “reflect” the sorcerer’s gaze back at them, causing them confusion.
Manda (Commands): Healers teach “orasciones” (prayers) that are meant to “lock” the spiritual doors of a house, making it “invisible” to the mental eye of a practitioner.
Salt at Thresholds: Beyond physical spirits, salt is believed to “sting” the astral or mental body of a sorcerer trying to cross into the home’s energy field …
I gather from this that black tourmaline buried under or near a doorway might be effective. Also, I like the idea of a mirror … maybe a dull mirror … hung on a wall to reflect curses back to another house. I also like to place crosses by exterior doorways of my home. –Alice B. Clagett
Google AI asked: Follow-up: Do you want to explore the specific orasciones (prayers) used to “lock” a house against these mental and astral intrusions?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: To “lock” a house against the mental or astral intrusions of a Mangkukulam or Mambabarang, practitioners use Orasciones—powerful, rhythmic whispered prayers. These are often treated as “spiritual keys” that seal the home’s entry points.
The Concept of “Pako” (Spiritual Nailing)
One common method involves “nailing” the four corners of the house. The practitioner whispers an orascion over four iron nails or small wooden stakes, then buries or drives them into the corners of the property.
The Intent: This creates a “box” of protection. When a sorcerer tries to “imagine” or astrally enter the home, they encounter a “wall of fire” or a “sheet of iron” that prevents their spirit from seeing inside.
Orascion for “Pagbabakod” (Fencing)
This prayer is recited while walking clockwise around the perimeter of the house, often while sprinkling salt or holy water.
The Prayer (Sample/Common Theme): Many of these prayers are kept secret, passed down from healer to student, but they often invoke the Sator Square (a 5×5 Latin palindrome) or phrases like:
“Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux” (The Holy Cross be my light) “Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux” (Let not the dragon be my guide)
The Effect: This is believed to “blind” the sorcerer. If they try to project themselves into the home, they will only see a thick fog or a blank wall.
“Bulong” for Windows and Doors
Since mental intruders are thought to enter through openings, specific short orasciones are whispered while making the Sign of the Cross over every door and window before sleep.
Activation: The practitioner might say the prayer and then blow (hihip) on the lock. This “seals” the physical lock with a spiritual one.
The “Double Mirror” Orascion: Some prayers are specifically meant to “mirror” the house. Any malice sent toward the home—whether through feces, urine, or mental projection—is automatically reflected back to the sender’s own body.
Protecting the “Puntod” (Center of the Home)
The center of the house (often the living room or where the family sleeps) is protected by an orascion whispered over a bowl of water and salt.
The “Bantay” (Guardian): The prayer asks for a “Bantay” or a spiritual guardian (often St. Michael the Archangel) to stand watch. It is believed that if a sorcerer astrally sneaks in, the “Bantay” will physically strike the sorcerer’s astral body, causing the sorcerer to wake up in their own home with real bruises or pain.
Signs the Protection is Working
If these prayers are active, the family might notice:
Confusion of the Enemy: The suspected sorcerer may seem disoriented or avoid looking at the house.
Animal Reactions: A “sent” cat or dog will refuse to step onto the property or will hiss/bark at the “invisible wall” at the boundary.
Unusual “Clinking” Sounds: Some believe that when a curse “hits” the protective shield of an orascion, it makes a sound like metal hitting metal.
I asked: Counter-spells used to protect a yard or home from Barang or Kulam invasions?
Google AI said: In Philippine tradition, counter-spells and protective measures against Barang and Kulam often blend indigenous animism with folk Catholicism. These practices focus on creating a “barrier” that either repels malevolent energy or reflects it back to the sender.
Traditional Home & Yard Protections
Establishing a spiritual perimeter is a common way to guard a property against “planted” objects or spirit invasions.
………………..
Image: “Christ Ascending Cross,” by Alice B. Clagett, 31 July 2024, CC BY-SA 4.0 International, from “Awakening with PImage: “Christ Ascending Cross,” by Alice B. Clagett, 31 July 2024, CC BY-SA 4.0 International, from “Awakening with Planet Earth,” https://awakeningwithplanetearth.com ..lanet Earth,” https://awakeningwithplanetearth.com ..
Image: “Christ Ascending Cross,” by Alice B. Clagett, 31 July 2024, CC BY-SA 4.0 International, from “Awakening with Planet Earth,” https://awakeningwithplanetearth.com ..
Sidebar: Processional with the Cross of Christ Arisen
Yesterday I tried walking in a processional manner around the perimeter of my yard with my largest crucifix – about a foot long, showing the Ascended Christ – held out at arm’s length in front of my third-eye point. At ‘hot spots’ in my trek, where surveillance cameras of other people were surveilling my yard, I stopped and said: “In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior, I bid all trespassing spirits be barred from this yard forever. Amen.” I feel this is a good technique. –Alice Clagett
………………..
Continuing with Google AI’s explanations …
Blessed Salt and Ashes: Sprinkling exorcised salt or ash around the perimeter of a yard is believed to create a barrier that negative entities cannot cross.
Buntot Pagi (Stingray Tail): Often used by albularyos, the dried tail of a stingray is hung near doorways or used in rituals to drive away malevolent spirits and sorcerers.
Sumbalik (Counter-Spells): These are specific rituals designed to “return to sender.” If a cursed object or substance (like urine) is found in a yard, a healer performs a sumbalik to deflect the harm back to the sorcerer, sometimes with fatal consequences for the caster.
Holy Water: Frequently used to douse property boundaries or doorways to neutralize dark magic.
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Botanical Safeguards
Specific plants are traditionally grown or hung around the home for their inherent protective properties.
Bawang (Garlic): Hanging garlic garlands near windows and doors is a primary defense against aswangs and practitioners of black magic.
Lubigan (Sweet Flag): The roots of this herb are often dried and worn or placed around the home to ward off the “evil eye” and other sorcerous ailments.
Tanglad (Lemongrass): Believed by some to bloom only once a year, this plant is considered a powerful deterrent against spiritual intruders when grown in the yard.
Pako (Iron Nails): While not a plant, burying iron nails or needles at the corners of a property is a common folk practice to “pin down” or repel intrusive spells.
Anting-Anting and Amulets
For personal and residential security, many turn to physical talismans known as Agimat or Anting-Anting.
Medallions: Brass or bronze medals, such as the Atardar Lucky Medallion (~$66) or Holy Family Medals (~$80), are kept in the home to invite divine protection and shield the family from unseen threats.
Natural Mutya: Rare stones or “pearls” found in nature—such as the Mutya sa Wasay (pearl of the ax)—are highly prized for protecting owners from dangers in the wild and spiritual attacks.
Diamonds: Traditionally, wearing or keeping diamonds is believed to provide a powerful shield against palipad hangin (sorcerous winds) and targeted curses.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know how these protections are activated or “fed” through specific prayers (orasciones) to maintain their effectiveness?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: To keep an Anting-Anting or a protective spell active, it is believed that the object must be “fed” or “empowered” through specific rituals. Without this maintenance, the object becomes “dead” (patay) and loses its ability to shield the home.
Orasciones (Secret Prayers)
The most common way to activate a protection is through the use of Orasciones. These are short, rhythmic prayers—often a mix of corrupted Latin, Spanish, and local dialects—that are whispered (bulong) over the object.
The Schedule: Many practitioners believe these prayers must be recited every Friday (especially at 3:00 PM) or during the Holy Week, which is when the veil between worlds is thinnest and spiritual power is highest.
The Breath: To transfer power, the practitioner often breathes (hihip) onto the amulet or the corners of the yard after finishing the prayer.
“Feeding” with Fragrance or Fluids
Physical offerings are often required to sustain the energy of a talisman:
Kamangyan (Resin Incense): The object is “bathed” in the smoke of burning kamangyan. This is thought to cleanse the item of any negative energy it has absorbed while “fighting off” a curse like Kulam.
Oil Bath: Amulets are often submerged in or wiped with Lana (blessed coconut oil infused with herbs). This keeps the spirit within the amulet “alive.”
Wine or Alcohol: In some more intense traditions, a drop of gin or wine is offered to the amulet to “wake it up” or give it the strength to battle a sorcerer.
Spiritual Charging (Pabinyag)
New amulets or house protections often undergo a “baptism” (pabinyag).
Exposure to Elements: They may be left out under a Full Moon to absorb lunar energy or buried in the earth at the four corners of a property for a set number of days to “tether” the protection to the land.
Church Visits: Some people take their anting-anting to a Catholic Mass, hiding it in their pocket or a handkerchief so it can be “blessed” during the priest’s general benediction without the priest’s knowledge.
Taboos and Restrictions
Activation also requires the owner to follow strict rules to prevent the spell from “breaking”:
Avoidance of Filth: One must not bring the amulet into “unclean” places (like certain toilets or near dead bodies) unless it is specifically designed for protection against the dead.
Secrecy: The most important rule for keeping a counter-spell active is secrecy. If you brag about your protection or show the exact orascion to others, the power is said to “leak” out or the sorcerer can find a way around it.
FULL TEXT OF STANDARD CHRISTIAN PRAYERS USED TO PROTECT A YARD OR HOME FROM BARANG OR KULAM INVASIONS
In the Philippines and broader Catholic spiritual warfare traditions, these three prayers are the “gold standard” for sealing a home or yard against Barang or Kulam.
The Perimeter Prayer (Binding the Land)
This prayer is specifically used to establish a boundary that “familiars” or curses cannot cross.
“In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask Thee to establish a perimeter of protection around this home and yard. I ask Thee to place a hedge of thorns around this property to keep out all evil spirits and familiars.
I ask Thee to station Your holy angels at the four corners of this land to guard it against all incursions of Barang and Kulam. Render any spirit or animal sent by a sorcerer deaf, dumb, and blind. Let the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ be a seal upon this land that no evil may penetrate. Amen.”
The Prayer for the Protection of the Home (Visita, Quaesumus)
This is an official liturgical prayer used to drive out the “snares” (often interpreted as the familiars or insects of Barang).
“Visit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this dwelling, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let Thy holy Angels dwell herein, to preserve us in peace; and let Thy blessing be always upon us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The Prayer of Sealing (For Doorways and Windows)
This is often recited while sprinkling Holy Water or Exorcised Salt at the entrances to the yard or house.
“I seal this home and this yard—every door, window, and threshold—with the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. I command any familiar spirit, any entity of Kulam, or any agent of Barang to depart immediately and never return.
By the power of the Holy Cross, I break every curse, hex, and spell sent against this household. May the light of Christ fill this space and consume all darkness. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
The St. Benedict Protection (Vade Retro Satana)
If you find a suspicious animal (like a cat or rat) on your property, this command is used to break the sorcerer’s “ride” over the animal.
“Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux! Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux! Vade Retro Satana! Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana! Sunt Mala Quae Libas. Ipse Venena Bibas!”
(Translation: May the Holy Cross be my light! Let not the dragon be my guide! Begone Satan! Never suggest vain things to me! What you offer is evil. Drink your own poison!)
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the specific ritual for placing St. Benedict medals at the four corners of a property to reinforce these prayers?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: In the Philippines, the ritual of placing St. Benedict Medals at the four corners of a property is a popular “spiritual fortification” used to block Barang and Kulam. This practice creates a “sacred perimeter” that is believed to be impenetrable to sorcerers and their familiars.
The Preparation
Obtain Exorcised Medals: Ideally, the medals should be the Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict and must be blessed by a priest using the specific Exorcism Blessing of St. Benedict (found in the Rituale Romanum).
Gather Sacramentals: Have Exorcised Salt and Holy Water ready to use alongside the medals.
The Ritual Steps
Identify the Four Corners: Locate the four furthest corners of your yard or property.
The “Digging” and Sealing: At each corner, perform the following:
Dig a small hole: About 6 to 12 inches deep.
Sprinkle Exorcised Salt: Pour a small amount of salt into the hole, saying: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, I cleanse this ground from all curses and evil presence.”
Place the Medal: Place the medal in the hole. Traditionally, the side with the Crossshould face upward or outward (away from the house) to “face” the incoming threat.
Recite the Vade Retro Satana: While placing the medal, say the Latin command: “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux! Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux! Vade Retro Satana!”
The Closing Prayer: Once all four medals are buried, stand in the center of the yard and recite Psalm 91 or the Perimeter Prayer mentioned previously.
The Final Seal: Sprinkle Holy Water in a clockwise circle around the entire property line, connecting the four corners to “complete” the spiritual fence.
Why It Is Used Against Barang/Kulam
The medal contains the initials V.R.S.N.S.M.V. – S.M.Q.L.I.V.B., which stand for “Begone Satan… Drink your own poison.” In Filipino folk belief, this is particularly effective against Kulam because it acts as a “spiritual mirror,” causing any poison or curse sent by a sorcerer to return to its source.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know the Latin text of the official Exorcism Blessing that a priest uses for these medals, so you can ensure it is performed correctly?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: The official Latin blessing for the Medal of St. Benedict is unique because it includes a specific exorcism of the object itself. This is what makes it a primary tool for “blocking” the entrance of sorcerers’ familiars and breaking curses like Barang.
Here is the Latin text from the Rituale Romanum:
The Exorcism (Exorcismus Numismatum)
The priest begins by commanding any evil influence to leave the metal of the medals.
Sacerdos: Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. Response: Qui fecit caelum et terram.
Sacerdos: Exorcizo vos, numismata, per Deum Patrem omnipotentem, qui fecit caelum et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt. Omnis virtus adversarii, omnis exercitus diaboli, et omnis incursus, omne phantasma satanae, eradicare et effugare ab his numismatibus: ut fiant omnibus, qui eis usuri sunt, salus mentis et corporis: in nomine Patris omnipotentis, et Jesu Christi Filii ejus, Domini nostri, et Spiritus Sancti Paracliti, et in caritate ejusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et saeculum per ignem. Response: Amen.
The Blessing (Benedictio)
The priest then asks God to infuse the medals with protective grace.
Sacerdos: Domine exaudi orationem meam. Response: Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Sacerdos: Dominus vobiscum. Response: Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus: Deus omnipotens, bonorum omnium largitor, supplices te rogamus, ut per intercessionem sancti Patris Benedicti, his sacris numismatibus tuam benedictionem infundas, ut omnes, qui ea gestaverint ac bonis operibus intenti fuerint, sanitatem mentis et corporis, et gratiam sanctificationis, atque indulgentias nobis concessas consequi mereantur; omnesque diaboli insidias et fraudes, per auxilium misericordiae tuae, effugere valeant, et in conspectu tuo sancti et immaculati appareant. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Response: Amen.
Conclusion
The priest sprinkles the medals with Holy Water. Once this is done, the medals are considered “living” sacramentals ready for the burial ritual at the four corners of your yard.
Note: While laypeople can recite these as a private prayer, the Church teaches that the constitutive blessing (which makes the medal a sacramental) must be performed by a priest or deacon.
Google AI asked: Do you need the English translation of these specific Latin rites to better understand the authority being invoked against the sorcery?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: The English translation of the Exorcism and Blessing of St. Benedict Medals reveals why they are considered so potent against Barang and Kulam: they are specifically designed to “uproot” and “drive away” the very types of phantoms and incursions associated with sorcery.
The Exorcism of the Medals
This part is a direct command to the spiritual world, stripping the physical object of any worldly or demonic attachment.
Priest:Our help is in the name of the Lord. Response:Who made heaven and earth.
Priest:I exorcise you, medals, by God the Father almighty, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. May all the power of the adversary, the whole army of the devil, and every assault, every phantom of Satan, be uprooted and driven out from these medals: so that they may become, for all who use them, a source of health for mind and body: in the name of the Father almighty, and of Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord, and of the Holy Spirit the Comforter, and in the love of that same Lord Jesus Christ, who is to come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. Response:Amen.
The Blessing
This part asks for the specific “anti-fraud” and “anti-snare” graces that protect a home from the trickery of a sorcerer.
Priest:O Lord, hear my prayer. Response:And let my cry come unto Thee.
Priest:The Lord be with you. Response:And with thy spirit.
Let us pray: Almighty God, Giver of all good things, we humbly ask Thee that, through the intercession of the holy Father Benedict, Thou wouldst pour forth Thy blessing upon these sacred medals, so that all who wear them and are intent on good works may deserve to obtain health of mind and body, and the grace of sanctification… and that they may be able, by the help of Thy mercy, to escape all the snares and deceits of the devil, and appear holy and stainless in Thy sight. Through Christ our Lord. Response:Amen.
How this applies to your yard
When these medals are buried at the corners of your property:
The “Phantoms”: In the context of Barang, “phantasms” or “assaults” include the animal familiars or the “ridden” cats you mentioned earlier.
The “Snares and Deceits”: This covers the “planting” of items (like rats or poisoned objects) in your yard meant to trigger a curse.
The Command: By burying the medals, you are essentially “planting” this exorcism into the very soil of your yard.
Google AI asked: Would you like to know about the specific placement of a San Benito (St. Benedict) image inside the home to complement these buried medals?
I said: Yes.
Google AI said: To complement the medals buried in your yard, placing a San Benito (St. Benedict) image or medal inside the home acts as the “central anchor” for your spiritual defenses.
Ideal Placement Locations
The Main Entrance (Front Door): This is the most critical spot. Hanging a large St. Benedict medal or a framed image above or on the inside of the front door is believed to “block” any curse or familiar (Barang) from crossing the threshold.
Opposite the Entrance: Some place the image facing the door so that anyone—or anything—entering is immediately met by the saint’s “gaze” and the Vade Retro Satana command.
Windowsills: Since familiars are believed to enter through any opening, small medals are often taped or tucked into the frames of windows, especially those facing the yard where suspicious activity was spotted.
The Family Altar: Placing the image among your other religious statues (like the Sacred Heart) centralizes the protection for the entire household.
The “Hidden” Placement Ritual
In Philippine folk tradition, if a specific room feels “heavy” or if someone is experiencing the physical symptoms of Kulam (like unexplained stomach pains or skin lesions), a St. Benedict medal is often:
Placed under the mattress of the victim to protect them while they sleep (the time when Barang insects are most active).
Tacked to the four corners of the ceiling of that specific room to create a “canopy” of protection.
Using the Image as a “Spiritual Mirror”
It is common to place a small mirror behind the San Benito image or medal near the door. The belief is that the medal breaks the curse, and the mirror “reflects” the malevolent energy back to the sorcerer, according to the principle of Ipse venena bibas (“Drink your own poison”).
Maintenance of the Protection
Anointing: Occasionally, families will wipe the image or the doorframe with Exorcised Oil while reciting the St. Michael prayer.
Incensing: Burning Blessed Incense (St. Benedict incense is specifically available in many shops) and letting the smoke drift toward the yard is used to “flush out” any lingering spiritual “scouts.”
. . . . .
Io lux et pax nobiscum.
Joy, light and peace be with us!
Alice B. Clagett
“Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea; quem timebo?” The Lord is my Light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
Written on 24 April 2026; compiled and published on 27 April 2026
I left the double quotes off of the beginning and end of Google AI’s response, and kept the double quotes as is within the responses. You will know by the light blue font that these are quotes from Google AI.
If you see purple font, that is being used for a term described in “More Information.”
I am using brown font for my questions in the Q&A. Also, through sparing use of square brackets and brown font, I sometimes change the transcript slightly or add my Comments to it.
Music by Nicholas Panek from Pixabay – Defende Nos In Proelio: An Epic Gregorian Battle Chant by nikmanekAlassets – Pixabay License
DEFENDE NOS IN PROELIO
Full Latin Prayer
Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.
English Translation
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”
Pronunciation Guide (Ecclesiastical/Church Latin)
Sancte Michael Archangele:Sahn-ktee Mee-kah-el Ark-ahn-jeh-leh
defende nos in proelio:deh-fen-deh nohs een preh-lee-oh
contra nequitiam:kohn-trah neh-kwee-tsee-ahm
et insidias diaboli:eht een-see-dee-ahs dee-ah-boh-lee
shamanism, primitive man, savage man, religions of the world, Christianity, indigenous religions, psychic theft, home invasion, vandalism, trespassing, crime, crime prevention, psychic crime, black magic, transcending the dark,
