‘Bringing out the divinity. Bringing out the remembrance of your truth, of your authentic self, beyond the projections, beyond the expectations, beyond the judgments that’s programmed in us.’
(FROM left) Bechie Mangoba, Rosa Saturay and Nikie Jabonero see spiritual exploration as a personal journey, with different practices offering different paths toward greater self-awareness.
Photograph by Andre Adriano for DAILY TRIBUNE
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In a world where stress, grief, and the pressure to always have everything figured out can become overwhelming, healing does not always look the same for everyone. For some, it can begin with a sound, a card, a candle, or simply a quiet space to pause and reconnect with themselves.
That is the space Lunar Soul PH has sought to create since opening in 2017.
Located in Poblacion, Makati, the mystical shop brings together spiritual practitioners, tools, and alternative practices. These range from tarot and palm reading to astrology, sound healing, energy work, space clearing, and other forms of spiritual exploration.
At the center of Lunar Soul PH are three women whose journeys into these practices took different paths: Rosa Saturay, Bechie Mangoba and founder Nikie Jabonero.
Self-discovery
For Nikie, the shop grew from a personal practice rooted in her family and ancestral traditions. She also wanted to give people a physical place where they could explore their curiosity. Due to her background in psychology, she became increasingly drawn to listening to people and understanding what they were going through.
Rather than directing visitors toward a particular service, Lunar Soul begins by asking what they need.
The approach reflects one of the shop’s central ideas: there is no single entry point to self-discovery. A person may arrive looking for guidance about relationships, clarity during a difficult period, or simply a place to unwind. The different practices can then serve as tools for reflection.
Bechie, however, said that the first step can be overcoming assumptions surrounding alternative spiritual practices.
“It’s not demonic, it’s actually a guide to the Source, to God, to the universe,” she said, pushing back against the idea that these practices are inherently evil.
Her perspective is less about presenting these practices as substitutes for established faith. Instead, she sees them as ways to develop greater awareness of oneself, one’s choices, and one’s surroundings.
She describes Lunar Soul as a “spa for your soul,” where people can step away from everyday expectations and turn their attention inward.
That sense of acceptance is also central to Rosa’s practice.
For her, spiritual exploration is personal. Different modalities can offer different ways of examining one’s experiences, but the process ultimately leads back to the individual.
“It’s really a respect of who you are, honoring who you are because you are very sacred,” Rosa said.
Grief, remembrance and reflection
This emphasis on self-awareness also extends to emotional expression.
One of Lunar Soul’s most distinctive spaces is its Wind Phone, inspired by a Japanese concept involving a telephone booth where people can speak to departed loved ones.
Nikie created the space after witnessing friends navigate grief. The phone is not connected to an earthly network; hence, visitors can speak freely, with their words carried away by the wind.
“It’s a healing shop. Whatever your beliefs, you just go there and you talk to that special someone,” Nikie said.
The Wind Phone gives people a physical space to express emotions that may otherwise be difficult to voice. For some, it can be a spiritual practice. For others, it can simply be a private moment of remembrance.
That openness is ultimately what the three practitioners see as part of Lunar Soul’s purpose. Visitors do not need to arrive with a particular belief system or a clearly defined reason for being there. Curiosity is enough.
Bechie sees the process as a way to look beyond the expectations, judgments, and social conditioning that can shape how people see themselves, and reconnect with a more authentic sense of self.
“Bringing out the divinity. Bringing out the remembrance of your truth, of your authentic self, beyond the projections, beyond the expectations, beyond the judgments that’s programmed in us.”
Exploring alternative practices does not have to mean abandoning what a person already believes. It can simply mean being open to different ways of understanding oneself.
The practitioners acknowledge that these practices may not resonate with everyone. But they believe that should not automatically make them something to fear or dismiss.
Lunar Soul PH encourages visitors to approach spiritual exploration with curiosity, discover what resonates with them, and find practices that deepen their understanding of themselves.
After all, healing can take many forms.
