We walked toward the old banyan tree across a field of wet grass and mud. One of the men placed three sea agates (symbols of water) that I'd brought with me round the tree, and then scattered a handful of each kind of grain at the roots of the tree: rice first, and then corn, and then mung bean, and then peas. I said it would be all right to leave them to be partaken of by animals, insects, and creepy-crawlies. And then I taught the man how to perform a libation at the roots of the tree, which is to hold the red wine bottle in one's left hand and then pour the wine on one's right hand and onto the roots of the tree, as though gently sprinkling water on a plant.
I immediately felt a lift in the atmosphere, as though the inhabitants of the tree smiled on us, but I did not bother to ask my companions if they felt the same. Our return to the office building was uneventful. I'd brought six pieces of coral, also symbols of water, with me and advised the men to locate them round the farm, exposed to the sun, the moon, and the rain, to protect the entire property. We had a snack and then departed for Metro Manila, taking the newly-built Skyway 3 that was still free of charge due to the pandemic and exited at Santa Mesa. We were not spared, however, from more cloudbursts and sporadic, heavy rainfall, so that night had taken over by the time I reached home.
Unbeknownst to everyone I lingered under the old banyan tree before leaving it and had a brief, mental conversation with the Serpentine residing there. She was not the same Serpentine I encountered in 2010, but she seemed to recognize me as an old friend. She relayed to me certain bits of information that were interesting to know:
--The volcano on Mount Makiling will never erupt, at least for the longest period of time, and, if and when it does, it will be a sign that the Serpentines have abandoned Laguna Province and have moved elsewhere.
--The hot springs of Laguna blessed by Serpentines have unusual healing powers.
--Laguna is the seedbed of many geniuses and talented artists, most, if not all of them, guided by Serpentines.
I asked the Serpentine how possible it was that, if the story in Genesis were literally true and not merely a Hebrew midrash (a story authored by a rabbi to carry forth a lesson, equivalent to the parables of Jesus in the New Testament), the Serpent that conversed with Adam and Eve were not in fact a Serpentine from another planet--considering that it did not live in the Garden but merely visited, and also did not belong to the Garden because it was created not by the god of this world but by the god of another planet. I wondered whether its description as being "the most beautiful animal" should not have been translated into English, instead, as being "the most wonderful animal", meaning that it had many powers and capabilities that other creatures did not have, but that the god of this world's anger at its having penetrated his Garden compelled him to curse it and make it crawl on its belly on the ground forever.
To that, however, I received no reply, and she remained silent even as we said goodbye and walked away from the old banyan tree.
On the way to Cubao I remembered that the Chinese revered serpents because they believed that they were baby dragons. My thoughts drifted to the issue of the West Philippine Sea, which China has been claiming for itself. Was it all about territory? Was it all about fish and coral reefs? Could it not be that the Serpentines have an underwater station deep inside the sea between China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam in an area embraced by the submerged land bridges among all four countries, and that China wants it in order to maintain power? Territory is all about power, a primal example of which is how dogs and cats urinate in places they claim as theirs.
As in every Spirit Quest I have more questions than answers at the end of the day, but one thing is always for sure: I am extremely happy to be home with my family once again.
Visible land bridges between ASEAN countries. What is deep within the "South China Basin"?
Photo from the Brittanica
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