Sikodiwa Circle - Lectures & Mentorship

This is a space for the deeper study of identity and wellbeing, through the lens of Philippine folklore, language, and cultural customs. "Sikodiwa" comes from Sikolohiya (Psychology) and Diwa (Consciousness/Spirit).

As a member, you will learn from me, but you will also learn with me, as we enter the forest of our collective cultural subconscious, together. This is a dynamic and endlessly fascinating landscape: we will explore it, try to map it out, and discover tools for psychospiritual healing and liberation.

Here we will explore topics such as:

• Indigenous concepts used in holistic healing
• Modern animist practice, including Christianized animism
• Psychoanalysis of local myths and sacred symbols
• Psychic phenomena and tapping into cosmic consciousness

Who am I?

My name is Carl Lorenz Gaston Cervantes. I'm a Filipino researcher, lecturer and psychologist. My research focuses on folk psychology and spirituality. For a selection of my published academic work, you can visit this link.

My fascination with the supernatural started in childhood. My grandfather had a library of old books on religion and the paranormal, and I spent my afternoons in the province reading these books. My readings were reflected in my real-world experience: I was surrounded by actual magic and mystery. As a child, I became intimately familiar with healing ministries, mystical trance states, people who could "see" invisible non-human beings, young ladies who claimed to be courted by folkloric entities, bizarre and prophetic dreams, and various strange miracles.

I draw from everyday experience, confirmed by ethnographic studies within the field of the Philippine social sciences. We will explore various traditions, and we will find psychological patterns across myths and traditions. My approach attempts to harmonize the philosophical and the scientific, grounding spirituality in embodied, material reality.

My work can benefit:

• Those who want to explore the "unusual" while still being rooted in ethnographic literature and empirical evidence
• Those who want to understand everyday magic
• Those who are on the journey of reconnecting with ancestral memory

I am deeply grateful to everyone who continues to support my work. Your support helps me sustain myself as a researcher from a developing country. I firmly believe that psychological research is incredibly important—after all, worldviews influence real-world behavior. Your subscription allows me to continue pursuing this strange and magnificent field, introducing more and more people to the dynamic and timeless magic of our collective cultural subconscious.

Subscription Tiers

This space offers two monthly subscriptions: as a Member, or as a Mentee.

As a Member, you will receive:

• Access to live lectures, gatherings, and Q&A sessions
• Hours of video and audio recordings, and immediate access to future content
• My personal research notes, delivered by email

As a Mentee, you get:

• Everything in regular membership
• 1 monthly one-on-one virtual consultation (by appointment)

What do these consultations look like?

• Personal Authenticity: We can align cultural symbols and values with your lived experience, finding more resonant ways of cultural self-expression.
• Psycho-education: We can explore and apply concepts from indigenous psychology in your everyday decolonization.
• Creative Guidance: I could help guide you through your personal projects by providing structure, feedback, and recommendations.

Please note that these consultations do not include medical, legal, or financial advice. And although I am a mental health practitioner, this is not a substitute for psychiatric diagnosis or intervention.

These benefits may be updated at any time, such as when new offerings are made available.