Hinga at Pahinga Bucket Hat

Beyond the Word

Hinga at Pahinga translates to breathe and rest.

The design for hinga at pahinga is inspired by the sitting position of one who is practicing mindfulness. It is a stylized illustration of one who is at ease and in connection with their breath. As you look in more detail, the mouth is fully opened, a reminder that we are always whole. The hand comes together to form a heart, an homage to the overall message of self-love, self-compassion in the practice of breathing mindfully.

This figure is created by writing the prayer, hinga at pahinga written in blue in contrast to the peach colour. By intentionally obscuring the prayer from our vision you are invited to feel and embody this prayer instead. Underneath the image is the word pahinga written in baybayin. A direct reminder to return to our breath so we can reset to our natural easeful state of being.

Thich Nhat Hanh said that the path of coming home is with the breath. Breathing mindfully helps us listen to our own suffering. And the act of acknowledging our feelings without judgment is an act of homecoming (in the here, the now, in the present & in the body). 

Our own ancestors understood the significance of breath or air. I will always be in awe and in gratitude to them for giving us the code to good relations through our script, baybayin. I reflect on the baybayin HA ᜑ (doesn’t this look like how you would draw wind?). HA is the foundation syllable for any words rooted in air, wind (hangin) and breathe (hinga). Such as ginhawa, the tagalog word for wellbeing. In many Filipino indigenous teachings, the breath is understood as our spirit, our essence. Our diverse teachings emphasize our well-being depends on our harmonious relation to self, nature, spirits and community. Our breathing tells us when we are not in harmony in these realms, so it is good to pay attention to our breath and the air in our body.

To return to our breath is to return to our essence. I see this to mean, reset our nervous system and to realign back to the rhythm of mother nature. The act of rest (magpahinga) is to give attention to our breath so we can reset to our natural harmonious easeful state.

Design and artist statement by Althea Balmes

Product Features 

• Corduroy style bucket hat
• Adjustable
• Hat circumference: 22.83 inches
• Adjustable strap included inside