Beware the Signs: The Haunting of Filipino Death Omens

In this eerie Halloween special, we dive into some of the most spine-chilling omens of death from Filipino folklore and beyond. What does it mean when you dream of losing teeth? Could encountering your doppelgänger actually signal your final days? And what should you do if you see someone you know without a head? These unsettling experiences have haunted generations, but are they just coincidence, or could they be real warnings from something beyond?

Join me, Jane Bee, as we explore these terrifying signs, backed by cultural beliefs, psychological interpretations, and real-life stories. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this episode will have you questioning what you know and what might be lurking around the corner.

Show Notes:
[00:01:23] – Introduction: Overview of Filipino death omens and how they connect to deeper beliefs about life, death, and the supernatural.
[00:01:56] – Dreaming of Losing Teeth: Explore the spiritual and psychological interpretations. Is this dream a harbinger of death or simply a reflection of your inner anxieties?
[00:11:32] – Seeing Your Doppelgänger: Stories of famous historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Percy Bysshe Shelley encountering their doubles before death, and what Filipino culture says about seeing your own doppelgänger.
[00:14:54] – Headless Apparitions: From eerie urban legends to firsthand accounts of headless figures, discover the chilling belief that seeing someone without their head signals impending doom.
[00:16:06] – Jeepney Creepy Story: A late-night jeepney ride turns terrifying when the driver notices something horrifying in the rearview mirror—a woman with no head. 
[00:18:27] – Personal Story: Hear the unnerving tale of a friend of mine who saw her mother’s face disappear and what her family did to ward off the bad omen.
[00:20:27] – Conclusion: Are these omens just psychological tricks, or should we heed their warnings? Let’s reflect on how they shape our understanding of the unknown.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Have you ever dreamed of your teeth falling out or
caught a glimpse of your own double in an empty street?
But if you saw someone you know without their head.
These eerie signs, deeply rooted in Filipino superstition, are believed
to predict anty death. Hey, they're curious minds. Welcome back

(00:23):
to another spine tingling episode of The Little Word podcast,
where we dive into all things bizarre, creepy, and downright unexplainable.
I'm your houst Jane, and I have to confess I'm
actually scared of ghost stories and everything that makes your
spy crawl Yep, that's right. Talking about these eerie topics

(00:45):
is literally a test of courage for me. But hey,
in the spirit of Halloween, I'm pushing it through my
fears because I love this strange and spooky stories just
much society. Soup a blanket, Turn off the lights if
it there, and join me explore the creepiest tat omens

(01:06):
in Filipino culture, from terrifying dreams of losing teeth to
the cheating side of someone you look without their head.
Let's unravel the stories that keep us up at night.
You're ready because I'm not sure I am here we
go anyway. In this episode will deep dive into the
top three that omens in the Philippines. First is dreaming

(01:30):
of losing teeth. That's this simple dream really for shadow
death or is it just our subconscious playing tricks? Second,
see in your double gunner committing your double in your
days are number and turn headless apparitions. If you see
someone you know without their head, quickly warn them. The

(01:50):
headless figure is not just a chilling side, it's the
entire sign of impeding too. Let's talk about dreaming of
losing teeth. So in the philipping culture, dreaming of losing
tit is commonly seen as a bad dolman of fe
link to death or illness. I believe holds that if
you dream about your teeth falling out, it may signal
the impeding death of a close family member or a friend.

(02:13):
Some Filipinos, especially in rural areas, take this dream seriously,
performing countermeasures toward of the bad luck associated with it.
So here is a personal story. When I was young
when I first encountered this belief. So I grew up
mostly with the presence of our housemaid who has been
with us for more than seven years, so I spent

(02:34):
my teenage years with her, and these are the years
where when I can say that are mostly my exploring years,
because I found my interests, such as interests in the
bizarre things, especially the paranormal, and of course astrology and
the occult. This is also the first time I got

(02:54):
my first book of dream interpretations. As a child growing
up in the rural area of the Philippines, our perspectives
and how we do things or too deeper into odd
traditions and beliefs. The more secluded your community is, the
more likely you abide these customs and beliefs. It was
around my fourth grade when I first had an interest

(03:16):
in dream meetings, and this is also when I started
to dream vividly. The more I try to recall my dreams,
the more they become clear and complex. In some dreams,
I feel like I am watching a movie. Then I
also started dreaming of scary and dark things. But actually,

(03:37):
if I cope up a little further, I already have
dreams when I was younger. The farthest dream that I
can recall is that when I was around three or
four years old, when we were still living in our
old house. Our family is poor that time, so our
house is like that of the traditional nipa house or

(04:00):
what we call cubo in the Philippines. It was made
of nepa and wood, and just like the traditional cubo,
it was elevated, so there is a space below where
the chickens or dogs would usually stay. Then the kitchen
is almost like a separate part of the house. So
I was sleeping in one of the two rooms that

(04:20):
we have. By the way, the windows are that kind
of made out of nepa wer You can just push
them from the inside and you would place a bamboo
stick in the middle to keep it open. So as
I was sleeping, I dreamt that there was a huge
black entity on the window trying to take me. Well,

(04:40):
the weird thing is, I know that that figure was
trying to take me, but at the same time I
was traveling down to our kitchen to ask for help.
Then I saw my teeto or uncle and my Lola
or my grandmother busy about something there, like they're talking
or something, and then they couldn't notice me. So in

(05:01):
your respect, it was like an out of body experience
I'm having, but with that age, so that's just a
little weird right Anyway, Fast forward to and I was
about ten years old. Our housemid taught me a way
to deal with bad dreams. She told me that whenever
I wake up from a nightmare, I should immediately heat something,

(05:23):
whether it's the wall or the headboard of the bed,
because according to her, this act would transfer the bad
energy from the dream to whatever I heat, preventing it
from affecting me. Then it was also her, I think,
what taught me not to tell my bad dreams to
anyone to prevent them from coming true. Then I started

(05:43):
dreaming of my teeth falling out. I told her about it.
Then she told me that it was a bad woman
as it signifies tragedy or even death of someone close
to me. She told me that I need to put
it off a wig to counter it. Then I started
not saying that whenever I am dreaming of a tooth
falling out, I would hear of a bad news the

(06:05):
next day, whether there's someone I know would be in
an accident or something bad happens. I also learned that
I need to buy a living wound actually instead of
a wooden for nature like the bed. It's a bit
weird and funny when I think about it right now,
how I am looking for branches of trees or plants
I can easily buy, just to counter the dream. Then

(06:28):
I also started hearing other people, either from my family
or someone I know of, but tell stories about how
something terrible happens when they are dreaming of the same thing.
This convinced me that this can be true without sharing
that my personal experience. Since then, I am always worried

(06:49):
whenever I dream of it. When I got to college,
our psychology professor said that this dream does not necessarily
mean that our misfortune. I don't recall now what she
said exactly, but it has something to do about the
feeling of vulnerability or powerlessness. So as I research about it,

(07:10):
I read that losing teeth in dreams indicate deeper issues
of insecurity or low self esteem. It often appears when
people are facing situations where they feel inadequate or embarrassed,
such as public speaking or performance reviews. I still originally

(07:30):
have dreams about my teeth falling out, but I no
longer believe in the spiritual fears tied to them, such
as death or misfortune. Those old fears just don't hold
any wait for me anymore. Maybe it's something that happens
as we get older, we begin to dismiss these superstitions,

(07:51):
especially those that seem strange or hard to explain. It
could be because you've learned to question their truth, or
you just stop carrying because adult life gets in the way. However,
as someone who experienced these dreams firsthand, I wouldn't entirely
discredit the feelings I had when I was younger. But

(08:13):
looking back, I think the easiest explanation for why strange
coincidences happen is confirmation bias. It's when you treat yourself
into believing that something is true because you selectively notice
are interpret events that support your belief. In other words,

(08:34):
you're filtering the evidence too much what you already think,
rather than objectively assessing the situation. Well that's just my take.
So now let's explore how the Filipina interpretation of this
dream compares to similar beliefs in other culture. In Chinese superstition,
dreaming of losing teeth can also symbolize that, but it

(08:54):
is more commonly interpreted as a sign of family troubles
or lies. It's said that the person who dreams of
losing their teeth might be withholding the truth or going
to a period of dishonesty. In Mexican culture, particularly within
rural communities, losing teeth in dreams is considered a bad

(09:15):
women similar to the Filipino beliefs, it can indicate sickness
or death, especially of someone close, while in Greek superstition
it aligns also closely with the Filipino and Mexican beliefs.
Dreaming of losing teeth is seen as a sign that
a relative or loved one may die soon. The Greeks

(09:35):
often advise dreamers to prepare emotionally when they experience such dreams.
In many Western cultures, however, the interpretation of losing teeth
in dreams leans more towards anxiety, fear of aging, or
loss of control, rather than direct associations with them. It
can indicate concerns about self image or fear of losing

(09:58):
personal power. The Homa thread across many cultures is that
losing teeth is rarely considered a good sigence. But while
in some cultures it's tied to death or misfortune, as
like in the Philippines, China, and Mexico, in others it's
seen more as a reflection of personal insecurities and stress. Okay,

(10:19):
so how about in the lens of science. So let's
check the scientific or psychological perspective on losing teeth. So
first it is stress and anxiety. So from a psychological viewpoint,
dreams of losing teach are often linked to stress or anxiety.
Study suggest that this story may reflect inner turmoils, such

(10:40):
as concerns about what's appearance, fear of embarrassment, or general
life anxieties. Is particularly common among individuals experiencing high stress
situations such as major life changes or personal challenges. It
can also be a symbol of change and transition. It's
a way or the subconscious mind to process feelings about change.

(11:04):
And lastly, it could also mean health and physical manifestation.
Sometimes streaming losing teeth could be just tied to dental
health issues or subconscious worries about physical health. This can
be true to the phenomena of bit grinding or brooxism
or jog lenching during sleep. It can actually lead to

(11:26):
dreams about losing teeth as well. Okay, so that's it
about the first omen. Now let's move on to seeing
your double ganger or your double So The double ganger
is a term originating from the German words double or
double and ganger or walker, which means double walker. I
don't know if I pronounce that properly, so double ganger

(11:50):
refers to a look alike or a double of a
living person. In folklore and mythology, a double ganger is
often considered an ominous or supernatural entity, believed to be
a harbinger of bad luck or even death. So in history,
I found two familiar stories that talk about this phenomena

(12:11):
of double ganner. One of the most famous historical accounts
comes from Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States.
According to Lincoln himself, shortly after his election in eighteen sixty,
he saw a vision of his double ganner in a mirror.
He saw two faces, his own, an appeal ghostly version,
besided his wife, Mary Todd. Lincoln interpreted this as a

(12:35):
bad omen believing it meant Lincoln would serve two terms
as a president, but would not survive the second one.
This eerie story became more famous after Lincoln's assassination. Lincoln
did indian serve two terms as Mary had predicted, but
his second term was tragically cut short when he was
fatally shot by John Milksmooth while attending a play at

(12:59):
Ford's Day. The second story is about the English romantic
poet Percy Busch Shelley. In eighteen twenty two, Shelley's wife,
Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, wrote that her husband had
seen a vision of himself walking along a terrace. In
an eerie twist of faith, Shelley drowned shortly after seeing

(13:21):
his spectral double, reinforcing the belief that such encounters predict death.
In Filipino culture, there are similar beliefs to the idea
of doubleganger, although they are often linked to a supernatural
entities like muto or ghosts or encanto or elemental beings.

(13:42):
These beings are thought to mimic the appearance of living individuals,
causing confusion or fear, and are often seen as harbingers
of bad luck or even death. Much like the Western
concept of the double ganger. Here in the Philippines, it
is said that you shouldn't meet your double gang or
your double because it surely means death. The popular belief

(14:04):
also has something to do with the shape shifters or
some malevolent entities that copy someone you know to trick you.
So in some instances, doubles doesn't strictly account the bad
luck or even death. So what are the psychological explanations
of this phenomena? In psychology, seeing a toppleganger can sometimes

(14:27):
be attributed to autoscopic phenomena where a person perceives an
image of their body in their environment, often associated with
conditions like epilepsy or brain lesions. Is it really supernatural
or a phenomenon that can actually be explained? Well, we're

(14:47):
not sure about it. Perhaps the safest way is just
to avoid seeing your double. Okay, So now let's talk
about the part where I am mos caared of, and
this is the headless apparitions. So, in Filipino culture, seeing
a person without a head is considered a strong woman

(15:10):
of death or misfortune. This belief is tied to the
notion that encountering a headless figure signifies that the person
who appears to be headless will soon encounter something terrible
or worse. It's an omen that the person is going
to die soon. Seriously, hearing stories of people witnessing this

(15:31):
is downright spine chilling. As I am reading and researching this,
I really feel so uneasy. But let me share with
you a well known story that ties into this theme.
Many Filipino horror fans may already be familiar with it.
It's a tale that takes place in a jitney, which,
for those who don't know, is one of the most

(15:52):
iconic forms of public transportation in the Philippines. If you've
never seen one before, you can look it up online
to get an eye idea of what it looks like.
It's colorful, open air vehicle used by many Philippine with stay.
So the story goes like this. It was late at night.
A woman was sitting quietly in the back of a chimney.

(16:14):
She was watching the deserted streets of the city slip by.
The air was heavy with the stillness of the hour.
But there was something else, something that made her feel uneasy.
At first, she couldn't figure out what it was. Maybe
it was the driver. He kept glancing at her through

(16:35):
the rear view mirror, quick and furtive, as though trying
to make sense of something. She brushed it off initially,
maybe he was just checking on his passengers. But the
glances became more frequent, more deliberate. His eyes started back
to her with strange intensity, Each time she caught his gaze,

(16:55):
his expression seemed more troubled, like he was seeing something
she couldn't. Her unease grew. I wasn't looking at her
like that was something wrong. She shifted in her seat,
The feeling in her got tightening His glances once queak
now lingered filled with what seemed like fear. She could

(17:15):
feel the tension building in the small quiet space of
the chipen and it wrapped around her like a cold chill.
The driver was just being curious. There was something deeper,
something unsettling in his kins. Finally, the chip slowed as
they approached her stop. Relief washed over her as she
stood to leave, But just as she was about to

(17:38):
step out, the driver's voice, low and trembling, broke the silence.
Burn your clothes when you get he said. Startled, she
turned back, her brow furrowing in confusion. What his eyes
wired fear and red locked onto hers. I kept looking
at you in the mirror, but I couldn't see her head,

(17:59):
her blood dre and cold. The driver hadn't been watching
her out of curiosity. He had been seeing something horrifying,
something that he'd didn't believe could only mean one thing.
A headless figure an women of death. So this story
happened I think in upid liman. Anyway. I added also

(18:21):
some creativity to the story telling to make it interesting,
but basically that's how the story goes. A case of
here is another eerie story that comes from my best friend,
something that happened to her during our high school years.
So the story goes like this. It was already late
in the afternoon, just as the sun was setting after school.

(18:45):
She was at home with her mom and sister. Her
mom was outside on the balcony chatting with their neighbor
while my friend stayed inside watching them through the window.
From where she stood, she could clearly see the neighbor's face,
but when she looked at her mom, something strange happened.
She couldn't see her mom's face. Instead, it was as

(19:08):
if a dark, featureless circle had replaced it, blocking her
face from view. So she panicked in fear and ran
towards her sister, who was in her room, and then
she told her what she had seen. So both of
them were terrified by the strange occurrence, so they rushed
the other mom. After discussing it, they made a quick

(19:30):
decision to take out of the clothes her mom was
wearing at the time and throw them into the nearby river,
hoping to ward of whatever bad women this might be.
That night, her mom was supposed to attend an event
at the school where she worked, but after witnessing such
an unsettling sign, they urged her to stay at home.

(19:51):
The atmosphere in the house was stick with tension as
they tried to shake of the fear. Hours later, they
received shocking a fight had erupted at the event. Had
her mom gone, she might have been caught in the chaos.
It was as if the strange, faithless vision had been warning,

(20:11):
and it felt as though something sinister had been avoided.
To this day, my friend can shake off the feeling
that she had annoyingly claims a shadow of danger hidden
just beneath the surface of ryality. As we wrap up
this episode, let's take a moment to reflect on the

(20:32):
unsettling stories and superstitions we've explored. The night dreaming of
losing teeth may seem like a simple nightmare, but for centuries,
it scary deep rooted meanings in cultures around the world.
Some say it's a direct message from the spiritual realm
of foreshadowing of death or misfortune. Others believe it's merely

(20:54):
our subconscious wrestling with stress or fears. But with ever
you believe, you have to wonder how many coincidences does
it take before something becomes more than just a dream.
Then there's a terrifying experience of seeing your double guner.
For many, meeting their double is more than just an

(21:15):
eerie encounter. It's a sign that something dark glooms ahead.
Could it really mean your days or number or is
it just a trick of the mind. Either way, it's
the thought that can make you question reality the next
time you catch a glimpse of someone just a little
too familiar. And of course we can forget the most

(21:36):
chilling of all handless operations, whether it's in the mirror,
on the street or in the face of sommino, seeing
a figure without a head is more than just a
creepy side It's an omen a warning that danger or
even death is near. Is it near superstition or should
we hit this warning more serious? In the end, these

(21:58):
stories challenge what we think we know about the world
around us. Maybe they're just coincidences, maybe they are tricks
of the mind. But if there's even the slightest huns.
They're more than that, which I want to ignore the
signs or would you rather be cautious just in Kings.
So as you go about your day or night, pay

(22:19):
attention to the dreams you have, the faces you see,
and the strange signs you encounter. You never know which
ones might be trying to tell you something. And that
brings us to the end of today's episode. Thank you
so much for joining me on this eerie journey through
death Omen's louple gangers and handless apparitions. These stories, while

(22:43):
deeply rooted in superstition, challenge ask the question how much
we really know about the world around us and what
lies beyond it. If you've enjoyed this episode and want
to hear more spine chilling tales, make sure to subscribe
to The Little Word podcast on your favorite platform, and
don't forget to leave where we wi. It helps us
reach more curious souls. You can also follow me on

(23:07):
social media for updates behind the same content and more
awareness you don't want to list As always, stay curious,
stay brave, and until next time, keep questioning what you
think you know, because sometimes the strangest things are the
ones closest. Always be curious and embrace the weird. Thanks

(23:30):
for listening.