An Educational Ministry of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc.
Author: Apu Adman Aghama
I am the Chief Priest and Founder of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. which is a Formal Correllian Wiccan Shrine in the Philippines.
I am a Second Degree Clergy of the Correllian Nativist Tradition of Wicca; a dedicated member of the Correllian Order of Peace Weavers; and A Correllian Shaman Guide who leads the Orange Feather Camp.
My Priesthood in Luntiang Aghama have created several ministries under the Shrine which consist of the Sacerdotal Order of Luntiang Aghama, National Community of Filipino Pagans, Philippine Correllian Aghamic Circle, Templong Anituhan ng Luntiang Aghama (TALA), Peace Prayer Interfaith Ministry, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan and Kaduwa Movement Equality through Compassion.
All I thought it was impossible to do it. In my mind I doubt of making it Happen to compress the following lessons in just 8 Hours from 9:00 am to 5:00 PM. And the lessons we took up are the following:
Definition, Origins and Hilot Treatment Methodologies; Basic Hilot Diagnostic that focus on Pulse Reading, Kapa and Salat; Discussion of Hilot Cleansing Rituals that focus on Suob; Dagdagay/Kulis Traditional Stick Foot Massage; Performing Tandok/Bentusa Fire Cupping; Pagsasala and Basic Hilot Touch Manipulation Techniques.
Selected Lessons on Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan Copyrighted 2016
Due to limited time of our Friend from London, She was able to spend 8 hours with us learning the some of the concepts of Hilot Binabaylan, and I wrote it down in her handout the work expectation of what a Hilot Binabaylan do.
As Hilot Binabaylan, one must be proficient in the following areas:
Diagnostic -performing Tawas Spiritual Diagnosis for the illness caused by the Spirits which affects the Mind and Emotion; Pulse Reading and Hilot Physical Assessment and Evaluation through Pagsasala/Panghihila, Pakapa and Pasalat.
Psycho/Emotional Counseling or Hilot Orasyon through Tawas Divination, Kilubansa Elemental Name Energetic Balance Analysis, and Siadtala Baybayin Mystic Oracle.
Physical Treatment through employment of different Hilot Treatment modalities such as Hilot Cleansing Rituals of Pagbababad, Pagpupunas, Paghihilod, Pagbabalot, Pagsusuob, Pagbabanlaw and Pagpapalina; Traditional Filipino Foot Stick Massage (Dagdagay/Kulis); Tandok/ Bentusa Fire Cupping; Pagpapahid (Wellness Massage).
Supplementation of Herbal Medicine such as in herbal tea, tablets, syrups, baths and so on.
And in between classes, we have a lot of chat that it seems we are redeeming each moment that we have together that we also forgot to have a toilet break. But at least we didn’t forget to have lunch. I am confident enough that she could pass all the knowledge I share as she establish Hilot Hands Academy in London. But this one day course is just an Introductory lessons as she will come back again to sharpen up her skills and not just theory as we have talked for 8 hours. Here are some of the activities that we had yesterday.
By the way, you could also ask for this one day training which is an Introductory Course on becoming a Hilot Binabaylan which we provide a Comprehensive overview of what is expected from you if you take the intensive course on Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan for 8 days or the Masidhi Hilot Training for 3 days.
We will be holding 2 sessions of the 8 days training the first one will happen on April 6 to 13 then next batch will be on April 16-23, 2023. We are going to conduct this on our new Training Center at Taguig City.
Most of the Training Program that we have created are designed for our Kababayan who lives in Diaspora that provides Room Accommodation and Food for 8 days aside from the Learning Activities we have set for them. Due to limited time of the students stay in the Philippines, the trainings were conducted on a consecutive straight days in order to fulfill the training requirements that been enrolled.
Now by May 2023, we are going to start offering Stay Out Classes that can be taken on a weekly basis. Depending upon availability of schedules of the student. These courses are ideal for people that are employed during monday’s through Friday’s and could only attend classes every Saturday or Sundays. Most of our newly designed Training Program are Short Classes either you can take it on 2 sessions and Maximum of 4 sessions. This means you can either take the course during Saturday and Sundays or once a week either on every saturdays or sundays, depending on the class you enroll.
Of course we highly recommend our Hilot Master Class such as the Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan which is an 8 consecutive days of intensive training but for those who have a tight Budget may take our Special Hilot Class. Just make plan of where you will stay if you are going to take the Training Program.
Our New Course offerings can be found by clicking the button below:
What I like with our New Offering is the Family Care Hilot on which we encourage that every Filipino Home may have One Manghihilot in the Family. As we have the conception that It is the mothers role to be in charge of Health Care for the Family. But if mother is sick, it is good if the Father knows also how to take care of the Families Health so as the Eldest Child in the Family.
Indeed having power over our Health is the responsibility of everyone of us. So it is good if everyone has the knowledge, Skills and Abilities to do Hilot.
It was rare to see a Father who brings their Child to a Manghihilot. Usually, it was always the mother who brought their sick Child to me hoping for their Baby to be relieved from illness. And this is the first time I saw a Father who is very hands on in caring for their Family. Of course we consider their economic status that they could not send their sick children to be checked by allopathic doctors but instead see Traditional Healer for a quick relief. Though the illness of the Child is just symptomatic and no Medical illness. The child only suffers from Ipit Ugat or clipped nerve due to his being playfulness.
For those who are seeking Hilot Treatment that are in Brgy. Francisco Homes Narra, even in nearby villages such as in Brgy. Guijo, Brgy. Mulawin and Brgy. Yakal, you may freely visit us from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Monday through Sunday for our Donation Based Treatment.
Just a reminder to the Public, we do not provide Home Care Visitation specially those who are in Metro Manila. If you need Hilot Treatment we encourage you to come to our Place or ask for your Local Barangay Officials to refer you to a Hilot Manggagamot. Or better yet, contact Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care and ask for a referral.
Hilot Hands Ltd. of London will host us an Event that is called Pangalap which means Gathering and this will happen on April 7, 2023 by 9:00 AM GMT (London Time) or in the Philippines it will be 5:00 PM. This event is created in observance of the Roman Catholic Holiday which is known as Good Friday.
During the post colonial Tradition in the Philippines, Good Friday was known to be the best day in making Lana or Healing Oil. Usually the making of Lana starts during the Ash Wednesday, when devout catholic brings their Palaspas in the Church to be ritually burnt and the ashes will be used to Mark Cross on the forehead of the faithful reminding them of their origins that:
“From Ashes you Came, To Ashes we shall return.”
Gensis 3:19
On this day Filipino Mystics and healers starts collecting herbs that they will use as ingredients in making Lana or Healing Oil. In our Family, this tradition has been passed to me from my Father who consistently make Lana every Good Friday by Noon Time. Since the stove is busy in making the healing oil, so our Lunch has been delayed till 3:00 PM, and my Father being a Catholic himself says that delaying our Lunch will be our observance of the lent by doing the penitent of Fasting.
But why make a Healing Oil on Good Friday when all Catholics believe that Jesus Christ was dead by that time? Hard core Catholics may say that this practice is an abomination and blasphemy to the Catholic Faith, others would say that during this days Dark Power is on Height but for Authentic Healers and Mystics would say that this practice proves that God is not Dead. It is a celebration that even religion would consider God to be dead at that time, for Us even in death there is power to give life through the oil that we make on this day.
Is making Lana or Healing Oil is Limited only during Good Friday? No! Anytime is a Good Day to make Lana or Healing Oil as All Days are God given days for us. But of course, when we are sick we can not make the healing oil as we are weak, specially when we are dead. And during those time of sickness, we ask someone to anoint us with Healing oil so that we can recover.
The reason why we make our Lana or Healing Oil during Good Friday, so that we can align our intention to the intentions of all the mystics and healers who gathered on this moment of Time in making Healing Oil. These people came from either the Holy Mountain of Banahaw in Doleres, Quezon and the Holy Mouuntain of Bandilaan in Siquijor which are known for their Healing Powers.
So this April 7, 2023- we invite you to come to our Shrine at Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. by 12:00 Noon Philippine Time as we make together our Healing Oil. And to those who will come there will be an Energy Exchange of Php 500.00 that will be used in buying the ingredients we will use during the Ritual. For those who are interested to join, kindly fill up the form below for RSVP.
Since the Time we started Hilot Academy on April 5, 2016- we are Moving! I register first at DTI Makati office and they refuse to Accept the name of Hilot Academy so from Makati I move to DTI Malolos Office and Register our name there and Gratefully we have been Recognized. Though we register our name in Malolos, Bulacan we made our operations in Brgy. Pio del Pilar, Makati City and from there we start teaching Hilot.
On regular days when there is no student, we entertain some Japanese Business men and their wives to experience Hilot (Since by that time I am with my Japanese Wife who have big connections with the Japanese Community residing in Makati at that time). From the experience they had, curiosity arouse in them that they wanted to learn and become a student. With that, it gives me hope that Hilot will become popular and accepted in Japan which it happened by establishing the Yamahata School of Traditional Hilot in Hakodate, Hokaido, Japan which now extends in Ebisu 2-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan and been administered by Kayoko Yamahata (which becomes my ex wife now).
After we establish Hilot School in Japan, My relationship with my wife have shaken and become not in good terms that we parted ways. And as I go back to the Philippines I focus more on Sharing Hilot to the rest of the world especially to those who have Filipino Blood in themselves but lives in Diaspora.
Jose Miguel Trillo Zurita
Mamarokpok of Barcelona, SpainVerma Zapanta, San Francisco, California,USAJohn Nagas
Mamarokpok of Quezon City, Philippines
Jose Miguel, Verma Zapanta and John Nagas were one of the non Japanese pioneers who studied with Hilot with me in Brgy. Pio Del Pilar, Makati City, Philippines. Jose Miguel being a Pure Spanish Blood of Barcelona, Spain who fell in love with our Country that pushed him to learn Cebuano as well as our Traditional Healing Arts which he incorporate to his diving school in Carcar, Cebu; Verma Zapanta which is a Filipino American that is based in San Francisco, California, USA who seeks to reconnect with her Filipino Lineage through Hilot; and John Nagas who is a Pure Filipino Descent and native of Quezon City which learn Hilot to reconnect and strengthen his Spiritual Calling and Vocation.
But prior to them, we have teach Hilot through TESDA Train for Work Scholarship program that we conduct in almost all places in Quezon City. The above images that you see are my graduates from Brgy. Pasong Putik in Quezon City. And we conduct our training at an old Chapel Office which the people set tent in front of the Chapel so that we could perform Hilot. And this happened on 2011 even before we have our Hilot Academy.
Then on 2013 we went for a Teaching Mission at Coayan, Ilocos sur followed by another teaching mission in Cervantes and San Esteban with Lakay Magbaya Aghama which is all in Ilocus Sur.
As we teach them we make sure that they can use the techniques in their community as I also talk to their community government leaders to provide them space where they could perform Hilot and earn a living as well. The Knowledge, Skills and Abilities that we impart to them will be useless if these wont help them financially as well.
We were also able to teach Hilot to Koreans Students of Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the University of Makati on 2013. Then we move again to Kingspoint Subdivision at Brgy. Bagbag, Quezon City and have opened up Free Hilot Training for 30 students for 8 days which took all the Saturdays and Sundays of the Month. And those who lives far away stays and live with us for free which includes their food from breakfat, merienda, lunch, merienda and dinner with overflowing supply of coffee and hot water and these had happened on 2018.
After warming up with our Free Kaduwa Hilot, Ryah Paz which is a Pinay Austrian came to learn Hilot from us. Which followed by Verma again to take her Mastery Course on Hilot from us.
Then we have Jan Denise of Canada/ France. Ita Montero which is non English and only Spanish speaking from Santiago, Chile and Bonn Monzon, a pure Blood Filipino of Metro Manila which is our last students who took classes from us at Kingspoint Subdivision in Brgy. Bagbag, Quezon City.
After that we move back to Bulacan because my mother is very sick. And while I am caring for my mother we were able to accommodate Dr. Catherine Sy Luib who is an Acupuncturist and Chiropractor and came to learn Hilot from us.
I am grateful that Doc Catherine became my last student who were able to pay respect to my mother when she is still alive. I know that my mother also remembers her even now (my mother) is already on the after life. After Doc cathy, we were able to conduct event within our Shrine that been attended with many people. Though we have very small place, we were able to accommodate for a day training of more than 5 people.
Then we also have accommodate to train Hilot to our good friend from Antipolo which is Lera Padua, after her comes Kai Maskarenas of Washington, DC, USA; then Agar-Agar a Pure Italian who explores our Philippine Traditional Medicine and lastly with Jeremy Pascal, a Pure French National and his Filipina French Wife Gerone Pascal.
After these we start to move again as our Friend in Fairview, Quezon City have lend her house to be our venue on Hilot Binabaylan Training and in there we had Jaimee of Baltimore, Maryland, USA and Julz which is a Tattoo Artist following the Mambabatok Tradition from Hawaii, USA; then followed by our Soul sister Maria Haswell of San Ramon, California and Dina Snaith of United Kingdom; then with 2 pure Spanish couple of Catalan, Spain and they are Noel Zamora and Laura Castillo.
Then the last venue that we have before pandemic is the training that we held for Kai Bautista, together with the House Owner Kara Barientos and Ice Infante in Tagaytay which happened right after the eruption of Taal Volcano then the lockdown of Pandemic.
During the Pandemic we stopped doing training instead we shift in doing Online Classes which focuses on Non Contact Hilot which only limited in doing Hilot Diagnosis of tawas, and from 2020 to 2022 which we were able to train 46 individuals to become a Certified Magaanito and Magtatawas that comes from different places around the world. And we thank Google Workspace on becoming our partner to make this online training possible through the Google ClassRoom and Google Meet app which provides us affordable subscription package that we maintain on monthly basis.
And when the world opened up again this 2023, we were graced to have this January by Lani Brown, our Magaanito from Corona, California to continue her studies from us and became officially Hilot Binabaylan and we held her initiation and ordination at International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Silang, Cavite and followed by 2 learning buddies who took the Masidhing Kamagaral Training Program which are Argo and Nawa who are both from Australia.
And this constant moving from one place to another proves that our movement is alive. But the consequence of it is that we do not have an exact location where people could see us except on our Virtual or online presence. We are like nomads that jumps from one place to another, and in times that people will need us, we are on the road to some places and this makes our body weak (me and Lakay). This made Lakay to offer his place in Taguig which is just 15- 30 minutes away from Manila International Airport. But his house in Taguig is still in the process of Reconstruction.
And the construction for this building is still on going. and the ground floor on which our Hilot Activity will be held is almost complete. I made a floor plan for a 2 story building on which I include student dormitory so that we wont rent rooms from Hotel anymore.
We plan that as you enter our venue you will see herbal garden on both sides of the Path Way before you enter the main Building. The path way can be an activity area where we could conduct traditional Filipino Games such as Piko, Luksong Tinik or Luksong Baka and other games that will warm up our body as part of our Hilot sa Apoy Training Program. Then as you enter you will find our Hilot Activity Area that will conduct training as well as treatment when there are no Students on Training. Besides the training area will be the Admin Office and fronting it will be our Common Toilet and Lavatory. Then besides the Toilet will be the stairs going to the second floor where the Students and Teachers dormitory will be found. On each room for student and teachers dormitory will have their own toilet and bath on each room. And there will still be wide multi purpose hall to held our Hilot Indak and Munimuni session as part of Hilot sa Apoy and Hangin Program.
With these being said, we will be needing your assistance in completing the remaining funds that we need to finish the construction. We already have spent Php 500,900.00 pesos in constructing the First Floor and we still need Php 774,400.00 to complete the construction of the 2nd floor.
Constructing our permanent training Venue of Hilot Academy of Binabaylan
We pray that this will move you by sending us Financial Help in completing the construction of our permanent training venue in Taguig City. You may send your donations through our Paypal account by clicking on the Button below.
Time run so fast and we are already on the 6th of March 2023! Even though the time changes, it seems that my mind is stuck on the last activities that I made. Well in order for me to move forward, I will just leave the memories of yesterday here so that I may presently prepare for the future.
But do you experience the same? Sometimes your memories are stuck on the past event that had happened to you? Or you are having difficulty to move on in your life specially when it comes to break up in a relationship or death of a love one?
So this kind of situation is considered a mental/emotional illness that Hilot could help you with! So what do you think the kind of Hilot Treatment needed in order to relieve a person from this kind of illness? Which part of the Body that a manghihilot should focus on in treating this kind of situation? Well you are free to answer by making comment below specially if you are a graduate of the Academy, you may have an Idea how to treat this situation. But before I give my answer, let me post first our Day 2 Activities with Argo, Nawa and Lakay.
We may think that it is our memory is the issue on this situation that having hard time to move on and let go of the situation. That might be correct, but in traditional indigenous medicine of Hilot, we see it that it is the Small and Large Intestine has the problem here and most likely those who suffer from these issues might also be suffering from constipation. So in treating this problem let me post first our Day 3 activities on Masidhi Hilot Training.
Do not think that the work of Manghihilot is just limited on treating the Physical Illness of a person and that is the common perception of the public that the work of manghihilot is no different from a Massage Therapist. But in reality, we are more than that! Our Training program that we offer here at Hilot Academy on becoming a Certified Hilot Binabaylan goes beyond the limitation of Physical Illness, but through the treatment methods and techniques we provide could help an individual to deal also with their emotional and mental Dis Ease.
You will be surprised to know that each of our emotions has its corresponding body organs that we could stimulate with. Such as on this problem of difficulty to move on and let go, we can treat the intestine through a water treatment. So in using water in healing there are many ways but the water must come in first in order to flush out what have stocked inside us. Enema might be invasive but our ancestors have used it as well and we might benefit from using it. But aside from enema, can make a blend of smoothie made of carrots, ginger and coconut milk to drink and do suob. After 10 to 15 minutes we can do pagpapahid manipulation on the stomach area.
If you want to learn more on how Hilot could help you treat different situations like this aside from physical illness, I recommend you to enroll on our Hilot Binabaylan training program. So plan ahead make a schedule of your visit in the Philippines that we may have our Learning Journey together in preserving our Philippine Traditional and Indigenous Healing Arts here at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan.
In the book of William Henry Scott titled: BARANGAY SIXTEENTH-CENTURY PHILIPPINE CUTURE AND SOCIETY
Massage was applied for injured or dislocated muscles, or pressure put on nerve centers
page 118
and the person who perform this was known as Hilot which is an expert on Physical Medicine. But as time goes by, this identity of Hilot has been diminished into just a Mamarokpok on which William Henry Scott have described as a Massuer who simply pummeled the back and spine and was usually a Datu’s husky slave.
And a Spanish Friar that was called Father Sanchez have described the work of Hilot in massaging women’s abdomen to cause miscarriage or abortion; as at that time, abortion were a common form of Family Planning.
Comparing the work of a Manghihilot and Mamarokpok, we can see that Hilot is medically inclined as it works deeper than what the Mamarokpok is doing. such as in comparing the Touch Manipulation of Massage and Hilot that both may manipulate either deep or superficial layer of the persons body. But the difference of Hilot to a Massage is that people may get pampering from a Massage, but those who have Injuries see a Manghihilot for a Serious Treatment. As the Goal of Hilot is to correct, restore the things that have been wronged with that person.
And naturally every touch of a Manghihilot towards the body of a patient, it will be painful. In massage therapy, the masseur has been taught to adjust their pressure by using body weight. This can be also applied in performing Hilot Massage, but Pressure weight does not matter if the Manghihilot can locate the point of origin of the pain, whether you only exerting light pressure the patient’s body, it will still be painful as the nature of pain is radiating.
For me as Manghihilot, my students may see me having pleasure to see them suffering pain when I demonstrate Hilot Massage to them, but what I am teaching you is that when you feel pain at the first time you received Hilot Massage, it means your body is responding to the treatment saying: “Yes! Do it because there is something wrong within me. Fix Me!”
In my experience in providing Hilot, Pain has been my friend and assistant. It helped me to know which area of the persons body I should work with fixing. It is also a good indicator to me that whenever I touched a person’s body and they responded to my touch as painful; this means that I have restored their senses that they feel pain and blood will flow again. As I continue to do the appropriate touch manipulation in helping the blood to circulate within the body, the more that I know that the patient that I am handling will get well.
So in my personal life, I am grateful to experience pain even it hurts because it reminds me that I am still human and alive that I could still feel pain rather than being numb and paralyzed to the worst which is i could not feel anymore because life force have left already in my Physical Body.
I believe that each of all creation when they exist has their own purpose and the end point of doing our purpose is what I believe to be our Fate or Destiny. This Fate or Destiny maybe good or bad depending on how we did our purpose. This purpose of ours may be run by our own Free Will or Choice in doing our purpose. Such as what we teach in Hilot if we do our purpose we will be rewarded by Wellness so as not doing it we may receive illness. These rewards and punishment is changeable depending on the actions we take. So as our Fate and Destiny can be changed according to what actions we take into our life.
3 days is already over and we started it out with a Great Meal and on our table we only not share food but also the stories of our life. I am very happy that these people enjoys great food such as I am as we love to make our lessons like a festival as how many food has been placed on our Table so as the lessons they will learn from us here at Hilot Academy. Though we are just renting for our Training Venue but I pray that soon enough, we will be able to own a Place where you can stay and learn from us. Our first official lesson started with nature walk to introduce them to the Spirit of the place and also to greet this Big Tree that stands firm inside the compound of International Institute of Rural Reconstruction which is at Brgy. Biga 2, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
Then I asked them to pick any herbs that seems they are attracted to and have called them.
Through this I showed them how our ancestors determine which plants to use in healing as the plants can talk to us. Indeed, it is amazing that our ancestors have these special abilities to communicate to almost everything aside from human beings that has the ability of speech. But if we attune ourselves that all the creations in this world are all equal and we learn how to respect them, the boundaries that separate us from them will be lifted and we will be able to know what they are saying unto us.
During this class, I have emphasized that Hilot is about Communication and us as Manghihilot are opening up ourselves to receive and understand the messages that is being communicated unto us either by nature or by our inner selves.
Tawas is a Hilot Technique that enable us to become a mediator of the person between their present life to their past life. It is an important tool in a form of Ritual so that we can ease up the situation of our patient in unloading all the burden they might be carrying all along. We have seen it through our Masidhing Manghihilot, all they thought that they are being afflicted by Mangkukulam, but when we release them from Tawas, they learned that it was just an emotional baggage that they are carrying for a long time.
I am very proud that after 3 days, we have able to create a New Manghihilot that will serve the people in Australia. One in Queensland and the other in Tazmania. Congratulations and Welcome to the Path of our Race!
We are so happy that our prayers have been answered!
Australia is just near our Archipelago, and its located south of our country passing through the equator and make them part of the Southern Hemisphere.
Almost all of our Graduates in Hilot Academy whether in person or online, we do not have personal relationship nor acquainted through a common friend, that’s why I believe that all of you are God given to us to embrace the calling of being a Hilot Binabaylan.
Now, God has sent to us 2 wonderful soul from Australia that has pure Filipino Blood and working out in Decolonizing themselves by learning our very own Hilot. They are taking our Hilot Masidhi Kamagaral training program on Hilot Traditional Medicine. And these 2 wonderful soul are facilitators of Banka Healing Arts. Get to know them by clicking on the link and more information about their learning Progress will be posted here soon!
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