Hey guys, just wanted to share something strange that happened to me a while back. I’m 20M, not superstitious at all, but what happened made me question things.

My stepdad’s side of the family is from a province I won’t name for obvious reasons. People there are…different. The place has a reputation. Locals say there are “mangkukulam” living there—folk witches, both good and bad. Everyone in the area is careful about how they act, what they say, and who they look at. Even my stepdad warned me: “Always be respectful and never let your guard down.”

Anyway, we went there for a short visit. One afternoon, I bought a sealed bag of chips and was just walking and snacking when I felt someone behind me blow air directly at the back of my neck. It wasn’t just wind—it was like someone exhaled on me. I turned around, but no one was there. Just a few old houses and quiet streets. I brushed it off.

A few hours later, I started feeling really weird. Dizzy, heavy. I lost my appetite completely, and my sense of taste disappeared. I couldn’t enjoy food, couldn’t sleep well, and just felt drained. My chest felt tight, but no fever. We went to a hospital the next day. Blood tests, vitals—everything came back normal. Doctors told me I was fine, maybe just stressed or tired.

But I knew something was wrong. I felt off. And I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

My stepdad immediately took me to someone he knew—an old man who lived in a hidden house far from the center of town. No signs, no lights. Just a path locals apparently already knew. This guy was quiet, calm. Didn’t ask questions, just told me to sit. He placed his hands on my head, muttered something in a language I didn’t recognize, and then blew gently over the top of my hair. He handed me a small shot of some kind of bland-tasting oil and told me to drink it.

I don’t even know what was in it, but I followed along. Nothing happened instantly, but about a day later, I started feeling normal again. Appetite came back, taste returned, the fog in my head lifted. Whatever that old man did—spell, prayer, placebo, I don’t know—it worked.

I’m not saying I believe in kulam or spirits, but I can’t explain what happened either. I just know that something invisible messed with me, and science didn’t catch it.

Be careful out there, especially if you’re visiting places with deep-rooted traditions. Some things can’t be explained, and sometimes the old ways still have power—whether you believe or not.