Student Spiritual Biography Series

Installment 5 - Athena Masilungan

I was born and raised in the Philippines to eclectic and hippie parents. My father follows a Hinduistic path, and my mom is a Christian believer who is open to all spiritual traditions.  They both believe in God, as well as in reincarnation.

I can say that growing up, a religious family life was not something my parents consciously cultivated in our home, but what was consistent in our family was the rhythm of praying together before meals, as well as the reminder to always pray at night.

My childhood summers and holidays were spent on an island where I was exposed to all sorts of permutations of religious, agnostic and atheistic convictions. 

My parents owned a souvenir shop in the main harbor of this island, and one of my favorite pastimes growing up was watching tourists from all over the world walk down in droves from the ferries. I realized from observing people that every human being is a unique, original story. It was also interesting to observe how travel changed people. 

While I had my island life, I also had a city life, and they were in stark contrast.  

I was baptized in a Catholic church and I went to an all-girls Dominican school in Manila where I had my religious upbringing.  I had my First Holy Communion in school at the age of seven.  The teachers chose me to lead the singing during the service and I remember feeling that the altar was a special place to be. It felt like a stage, but also almost like a forbidden space. 

Growing up in a Catholic school helped me to believe in God, and also made me think a lot about sin.  I was afraid to sin for the simple fact that I did not want to end up in hell. But also, I wanted to please God. 

As time went by, my unspoken questions and quiet rebellions against religion started to pile up.  And as my consciousness grew, the contrast between my island life and my city life became more and more apparent.  In my Catholic school, I had to conform and mold myself according to other people’s expectations.  I was less free and yearned to just have my island life. But in hindsight, I also appreciated the structure and form my city life gave me.  Despite my inner struggles with Catholic teachings, I still feel truly grateful to the nuns and teachers in my school for giving me a religious foundation, and for helping me believe in God and the kingdom of heaven. 

Looking back, I now realize that I had the best of both worlds. The polar qualities of my island life and my city life were the yin and yang that made the circle whole, and both prepared me for meeting Anthroposophy.  The crossroad between these two worlds also paved the way for my openness to The Christian Community.  Believing in the Gospel, as well as in reincarnation, was not a far-fetched idea to me. It all made sense. 

My introduction to Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education happened when I was around twelve years old.  I overheard a conversation between my mother and her friends about a new, radical school called Waldorf.  This would be the very first Waldorf school in the Philippines.  

In college I became agnostic and got involved in service-oriented organizations, social causes and activism.  But empowering as it was, activism left a void in my heart.  I’ve since realized that it was the lack of spirituality that was missing.  I have yearned for a religious life, even though I haven’t realized it yet.  

After graduation, I went into theater. I was cast as the lead in the company’s original musical staging of Pinocchio and I sang about longing to be a true human being. In hindsight, perhaps this is the theme song of my life. 

I met my husband, Joseph Angelito, in the theater when we did an original staging of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  I played a vampire, and he played a doctor vanquishing vampires.  Soon after we started the relationship, I became pregnant at 21. My pregnancy was an unplanned surprise, but it is what I consider the biggest gift I have ever received.  We named our son Gabriel Angelito. 

After my son was born, I took whatever Anthroposophical courses were available, eventually leading me to become a teacher.  My journey through Waldorf Education started 23 years ago, and continues to this day.  I still currently teach and do volunteer Board work for Waldorf schools.

I met the Christian Community in 2012 after feeling like there was a void in my life. While I was involved in Anthroposophical studies, arts and Waldorf Education, I still felt a missing piece.  I needed something more for my spirit– I needed a religious life.

I attended my first Consecration of the Human Being with Reverend Anand Mandaiker during a Holy Week retreat in Manila.  I cried from that first experience.  The words and the mood of the sacrament touched my heart deeply.  I had found what I was looking for.  Finally I met a religious experience that made sense to me, and one that had entered my heart deeply and found a permanent place.  From then on, I would keep going back to the sacrament. 

My relationship with the Christian Community became more active in 2015 when I moved closer to Manila, around the same time I carried a class as a main teacher.  

I was very happy to have been included in the DLP (Distance Learning Program) of the seminary two years ago.  I felt my heart fully open, and I had profound experiences of grace.  I am still figuring out what it means to be truly human, but this time with my gaze and gratitude turned towards Christ. 

Last year, at the seminary, I felt my whole being finding a compass towards the Lord.  It is funny to think how my rebellious Catholic school girl self would react to this statement.

Needless to say, I am excited for this new year, and very happy to continue the journey with all of you.

Athena Masilungan, is a Knowing Christ student in the hybrid-online program. She lives in the Philippines.

This is a blog entry by The Seminary of the Christian Community in North America.  These are posted weekly by the student blog team of Athena Masilungan, Nicole Reinhart, and Lincoln Earle-Centers.  For more information about our seminary, see the website: www.christiancommunityseminary.ca and for more video/audio content check out the Seminary’s Patreon page: www.patreon.com/ccseminary/posts.  

The views expressed in this blog entry are the views of its author, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Seminary, its directors, or the Christian Community.