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 First 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.
I am contemplating on the behavior of some allopathic doctors that they discourage their patients not to engage with Traditional and Alternative Medicine, the probable reason because some of Alternative Healing Modalities that they claim cure on certain illness. For me there is nothing wrong if a Healer becomes proud of Healing someone and their methods become effecting in helping people to have cure from their illness.
Bet let us be reminded that as Manghihilot, we have a principle we follow.
This principle have been taught to me by my Professor and Mentor in the Alternative Medicine School which I still carry to my practice and pass it over to You. And that principle states that:
All Human Being has the ability to heal themselves and our work as a Healer is only to assist our Patient in achieving their optimum Health and Wellness.
Dr. Ruben M. Galang Jr.- Founder of the School of Alternative Medicine, St. Francis Divine College, Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines
So Beware of those who claim that they could heal Medical Illnesses and Disease, they will just Milk Cash from you and not treat you as you expect. Now-a-days there are many people who will take advantage of our weakness and in the end we will still be left unattended to our needs.
If Hilot cannot cure any disease, so what can Hilot do for you?
Hilot does not treat any diseases. It is different from the allopathic medicine. Hilot follows Traditional Medicine so the Illness that it treats is also Traditional. We refer to medical professional all the medical illness that a person may have. But we study it first and analyze if the Modern Illness will fall under the Category of Traditional Illness.
As Manghihilot we see illness may come in 2 forms. The first one is the Physical Illness and the other one is the Spiritual Illness. Both of these illness are known by a Manghihilot as Pilay. And Pilay has 5 types and they are:
Pilay Bali
Pilay Ipit
Pilay Hangin
Pilay Lamig
and Pilay Usog
The Manghihilot must carefully observe the condition of the patient before falling into a certain treatment methodology. This is done through Tawas. People might think that Tawas Diagnostic is done only for Spiritual Illness but Manghihilot has its Tawas Method in determining Physical Illness. This is the reason why as a Patient you must choose a legitimate Manghihilot does not only do Massage but also well versed in either Physical Diagnosis or Spiritual Diagnosis, because most of the time, the Physical symptoms are caused by Spiritual Illness such as having Frozen Shoulders and Back aches.
If you are interested to learn Authentic Filipino Hilot, just talk to me by messaging me at apuadman@hilotacademy.com
Very interesting question, and to answer this: we don’t have. Even the fact that our myth tells that the First Man and Woman came out of Bamboo through the help of ibong Adarna We do not do Bamboo Massage, but we use Bamboo Sticks to scrape off the mud attached to the Feet in Dagdagay Kulis Foot Care Treatment so as Historically according to the Book of William Henry Scott in Barangay Sixteenth Century Culture and Society in Page 118 it says:
Abortions were common form of family planning, practiced by ranking ladies to limit their lineage and preserve their heritage, or by others because of poverty or poor prospects for their children. They were induced by massage, strong herbal medicines, or probe with a stick.
William Henry Scott Barangay Sixteenth Century Culture and Society page 118
Though it did not mention what kind of stick that was used but throughout History Bamboo can be beneficial or malevolent for us.
In my research on the practice of Hilot, I never have seen an old Manghihilot brought out Bamboo poles or stick in giving treatment unless they scrape the skin in making herbal tea. I remember my father cutting bamboo poles into strip and the sticks he made put it in a pot to support the Fish he is cooking called Sinaing. Aside from support it will make the food tastier which I really enjoy.
In our Hilot Healing System, we use either Bamboo, Guava or any sticks we polish to stimulate the nerve endings found at the feet. Originally it was the young Children of Ifugao used this technique in Scrapping off the mud that is attached to their father feet that comes from the rice field.
In our Hilot Healing System, we use either Bamboo, Guava or any sticks we polish to stimulate the nerve endings found at the feet. Originally it was the young Children of Ifugao used this technique in Scrapping off the mud that is attached to their father feet that comes from the rice field. And when I am in a Mission at Cervantes, Ilocos Sur on 2013 and we call their group as Mabangaran Hilot which we incorporate the principles of Reflexology that it may produce more beneficial result rather on just scraping dirt alone.
In our Pamulngagan or Hilot Heling Center, we have a Traditional Foot Care Treatment that will start on Foot Bath. Your feet will be soaked on Lemon Grass tea and poured with coconut milk, then we will scrub it with chopped banana peel mixed on grated coconut and peppermint and wrap it for 5-10 minutes so that the feet will absorb the healing properties of the herbs then will rinse it out and perform the stick foot massage and do the regular hilot.
To end up, Bamboo Massage is not of Filipino Origin, it is part of modern spa services that becomes popular in Europe even the fact that South East Asian Countries has plenty of Bamboo. Spa Experts credited it to the Traditional Chinese Medicine so as to the Native Americans. But what is funny about the history of Bamboo Massage they credited the technique when a massuer saw a monkey massaging each other with bamboo sticks while going home. This is how Nature tell us when we adopt it. But Bamboo Massage is not part of Hilot Healing Tradition.
It is already 25 years when the Philippine Traditional Alternative Medicine Act of 1997 has been passed into law, and with that Law- the Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care has been created and Established with the following goals or objectives as its Mandate.
In Republic Act 8423 or An act creating the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to accelerate the development of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare in the Philippines, providing for a Traditional and Alternative Healthcare Development Plan and for other Purpose. In this law which was enacted by the 10th congress on December 9, 1997 stated clearly their objectives in Article 1 section 3 that they are:
1.To encourage scientific research on and develop traditional and alternative health care systems that have direct impact on public health care;
2. To promote and advocate the use of traditional, alternative, preventive and curative health care modalities that have been proven safe, effective, cost effective and consistent with government standards on medical practice;
3.To develop and coordinate skills training courses for various forms of traditional and alternative health care modalities;
4.To formulate standards, guidelines and codes of ethical practice appropriate for the practice of traditional and alternative health care as well as in the manufacture, quality control and marketing of different traditional and alternative health care materials, natural and organic products, for approval and adoption by the appropriate government agencies;
5.To formulate policies for the protection of indigenous and natural health resources and technology from unwarranted exploitation, for approval and adoption by the appropriate government agencies;
6. To formulate policies to strengthen the role of traditional and alternative health care delivery system; and
7.To promote traditional and alternative health care in international and national conventions, seminars and meetings in coordination with the Department of Tourism, Duty Free Philippines, Incorporated, Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation and other tourism-related agencies as well as non-government organizations and local government units.
To plan and carry out research and development activities in the areas of traditional and alternative health care and its ultimate integration into the national health care delivery system;
To verify, package and transfer economically viable technologies in the field of traditional and alternative health care, giving emphasis on the social engineering aspects necessary for group endeavor;
To provide the database for policy formulation that will stimulate and sustain production, marketing and consumption of traditional and alternative health care products;
To organize and develop continuing training programs for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and other professional health workers and students, as well as scientists, research managers and extension workers in the field of traditional and alternative health care;
To formulate policies that would creat public awareness through educational activities, conventions, seminars, conferences, and the like by focusing on the promotion of healthy living for preventing disease, thereby uplifting the health care industry;
To acquire or obtain from any governmental authority whether national or local, foreign or domestic , or from any person, corporation, partnership, association or other entity, such charters, franchises, licenses, rights, privileges, assistance, financial or otherwise, and concessions as are conducive to and necessary or proper for the attainment of its purpose and objectives;
To receive and acquire from any person and/or government and private entities, whether foreign or domestic, grants, donations and contributions consisting of such properties, real or personal, including funds and valuable effects or things, as may useful, necessary or proper to carry out its purposes and objectives and administer the same in accordance with the terms of such grants, donations and contributions, consistent with its purposes and objectives;
To serve as the coordinating center of a national network of traditional and alternative health care stations located in the different regions of the country;
To formulate a code of ethics and standards for the practice of traditional and alternative health care modalities for approval and adoption by the appropriate professional and government agencies;
To formulate standards and guidelines for the manufacture, marketing and quality control of different traditional and alternative health care materials and products for approval and adoption by the Bureau of Food and Drugs;
To coordinate with other institutions and agencies involved in the research on herbal medicine;
To adopt and use a corporate seal;
To sue and bu sued in its corporate name;
To succeed by its corporate name;
To adopt its by laws and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary or proper to implement this ACT, and to amend or repel the same from time to time;
To enter, into, make and execute contracts and agreements of any kind or nature;
To borrow, raise or obtain funds, or to enter into any financial or credit arrangement in order to support or carry out in research programs, finance its capital and operating expenses, subject to pertinent laws governing public debts and expenditures;
Well, its power and function is stated as well in the Republic Act 8423 which we can find at Article 3 Section 6 of the said act.
Last December 4, 2022- i have presented a webinar on Redefining Hilot in modern time as our participation to the 25th year of mandating the Philippine Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997. And we have presented this webinar on 3 different time zones.
On the East Coast of United States of America, our webinar has been participated by Jamee Pineda and Daphne Domingo; then on the Pacific Coast, we have Camille Cruz and Dezire Smith; and in London, we Have Jutheanne Cruz, Heather Bajade and Junkim Nieva. Though not much people participated, but what important is that we were able to reach them out and delivered our message to them.
As we prepare in delivering this webinar, i conducted prior studies first and check first the Status of Hilot in World Health Organization and I found this Free Download which is the World Health Report 2019
In page 176 of the World Health Report 2019, we can read that the focus on regulation is in the manufacturing or herbal medicine so as regulating training centers and clinics, but unfortunately it has not shown any certified hilot in the report so as hilot training centers and clinic. I have shown this same status on the webinar and have shared my personal knowledge based on my studies what Hilot is. In the webinar, I have also mentioned the uprising problem in Colonizing Hilot such as there are Hilot Organization that been established incorporating Veganism as a mandatory practice for Manghihilot and claiming that this practice has been blessed by a certain Indigenous Tribe in the Country.
You may watch the video or listen to its audio form below.
As Hilot Practitioners in the Philippines, the problem we face here is that People don’t give much value to our profession and instead go to Luxurious Spa to be pampered. But when they do not have money and is really sick they will go to be treated by a Manghihilot and expect it to be free or just cheap. And those who embrace Alternative Medicine, they rather want to spend their money enrolling on Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Naturopathy and Homeopathy rather than Learning our very own Healing Arts and Science. So as in Massage rather learning pagpapahid they instead learn Swedish, Thai, Shiatsu and so on. People here will give value when the modality comes from the west. It is evident enough that even the Religion that our Kababayan practices comes from our Colonizer which is Catholicism and even before that the Religion of Islam which also comes to the West.
No one loves their own but when an Individual goes abroad, from then they will realize the value of our own Culture and Tradition. Such as what is going to Happen now that a Hilot School will be established in London. I know many of our kababayan will react that it is not authentic but a Fraud. But I guarantee everyone that it is not because Hilot Academy of Binabaylan will be part of it.
When I started Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, I worked with my Japanese Ex- Wife that we even have established Hilot School in Japan which is the Yamahata Academy of Philippine Hilot which is in Hokaido and now in Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan. Our intention is to introduce Hilot to Japanese people so as to provide Holistic Healing method that will deal with Psycho-Emotional issues that affects the Physical Health of the Japanese people.
Now as Hilot getting popular, We aim to introduce Hilot Great Britain and United Kingdom to heal their Generational Trauma through our Binabaylang Siadtala Dayang Alab Sikat’s HilotHands.
Being one of our own, Hilot Hands can expect support from us in terms of technical and academic on which we will Guarantee that the Hilot in London will be Authentically Filipino as we work out to obtain Philippine Government Approval. Consider Hilot Hands to be an extension of Hilot Academy that has a solid structure to learn our very own Ancestral Healing Arts and Science.
So by 2023, we expect that 2 school of Hilot will rise, the First one is the Hilot Philippines Development center and Hilot Hand School in London.
In Celebration of mandating the Philippine Traditional Alternative Medicine Act of 1997 or Republic Act 8423, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan invites all interested Party to join us in a Webinar. This webinar is ideal for Traditional Complementary Health Care Workers so as to the Conventional Health Workers.
We make this webinar available in different time zones so that we may reach out all Filipino in Diaspora to know more and reclaim their rights towards Filipino Ancestral Healing Arts and Sciences. This webinar aims to correct the common conception of the General Public about Hilot, by providing them opportunity to develop Fundamental knowledge of our ancestral healing arts and science that will open up opportunity of proficiency in the field of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Our webinar will be available on the following dates and Time Zones:
In United States of America, it will be available on:
December 3, 2022-Saturday/ 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
December 3, 2022-Saturday/ 8:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
In Europe, it will be available on:
December 4, 2022- Sunday/ 8:00 AM for those who are living in London.
December 4,2022-Sunday/ 9:00 AM in Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands and Spain.
And in the Philippines it is available on December 4, 2022- Sunday on these time slot/s:
9:00 AM/ 12:00NN/ 4:00 PM
There is a minimum energy exchange that each participants should pay.
For participants in US the amount is USD 10.00, for Great Britain and London the amount is GBP 10.00, for those in Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands and Spain the amount is Euro 10.00. You can make your payment of the energy exchange through our Paypal account with email address at luntiangaghama@gmail.com
And the energy exchange for our participants in the Philippines is Php 500.00 which you can pay through G-Cash with account number 09952467040 account name is Rev. Rolando Comon.
This webinar will be held through google meet and link for the webinar will be sent through your email upon receipt of energy exchange.
To register you may click on the image below or scan the QR Code.
Hilot is not just Massage as I always tell and that is what I teach at Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan. And sad to say almost everyone in the world even our kababayan who lives here in the Philippines have the same understanding of What Hilot is. But our Ancestors will disagree on what we know right now. Though when I conduct research, there are still elders who can describe what real hilot is and it affirms to what we are providing.
The problem with what is happening now is that even our government (Tesda, PITAHC, Tourism), in order to please the majority of the people, they are providing Hilot according to what people think. The Definition and Identity of Hilot has already been confirmed to what the world think about it and not according to what really it is.
In Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, we are working out to redefine it according to its Natural Nature even that some of the original roles of manghihilot has been cut off to them by the Philippine Department of Health, such as the role of attending birth to a laboring mother.
The Pandemic of Covid 19 have put the role role of Manghihilot down by preventing us to do our part as primary healthworker. But as Manghihilot, we are also a Warrior, that even that we are forbidden, our duties to take care of the Health of our people prevails. And through that our Hilot Technique on Suob has become popular Home Remedy and Treatment to have relief from Covid 19. So as our Government look for the possibilities of the effectiveness of Virgin Coconut oil which is a product of HIlot in fighting Viral Infection as well as the use of Lagundi and Tawa-tawa as oral medication for those who have been infected by these Global Virus.
These are only some of the works that we did so as in empowering people around the world to be in charge of their own health by providing the online course on Non Contact Hilot Mind and Spirit Work that could help relieve people from any Psycho-Emotional Disturbances caused by this pandemic.
Right now, we are updating our Training Program at Hilot Academy as I plan to provide a Diploma Course which consists of 3 Certifications and that is the Magtatawas Certification, Manggagamot Certification and the Albularyo Certification. This Training Course will take time as our Magtatawas Online Training already took 9 months of Completion, How much more if we do the manggagamot as well as the albularyo training.
Originally, like what our ancestors did, Learning Hilot is through apprenticeship. And usually those who becomes a Manghihilot started first as being a Patient that been healed by Manghihilot and out of gratitude for having their second life, the patient dedicates to assist the manghihilot and learn its technique directly from a Manghihilot.
It seems that the Pandemic of Covid 19 is over as the entire world is opening up again their economy and that people are getting in touch again with their familes and friends again face-to-face in real time. But let us all wait for the official declaration of World Health Organization if the Pandemic is really over. We must still practice the Health Safety Protocol because as i heard that there are still been inflicted with Covid 19. But the Good News from what we all have experience is that Covid 19 is now manageable that is why people now con go to places without fear of being infected.
The main reason why we Shifted from having an Online Class and stop the face-to-face class is because of Pandemic. But now, to be honest with all of you, the activities of our online training is not that active any more compared to 2020 and 2021 training. It means that our participants could actively participate in our class activities by reading all our learning materials, watching our videos, answering their self learning evaluation and turning in their performance demonstration videos on time. I understand why they could comply and that is they have enough time to devote in their online studies.
But now that the world is getting okay, many people start to go back to their money market or work, so as some students do face-to-face class that is why some of our current student weren’t able to comply with their submissions of assignment. Enrollee also drop down in number compared last 2020 and 2021.
That is why we have decided to turn back to face to face classes again by 2023. Though we have our trial program that will happen this November 2022 which is a Program that i made for International School of Sustainable Tourism which I already have mentioned here. But our own Training program which is the Magtatawas, Manggagamot and Albularyo Certification or the Hilot Binabaylan Training Program is currently updating its Learning Content.
At the same time last February 2022 I had stroke and this illness slows me down in doing the online Class. But Worry not because we will still be offering crash courses online such as Tawas sa Papel, Tawas sa Kandila at Tawas sa Itlog. And with our new Curriculum in Magtatawas Training (formerly known as Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Work), we are also going to include the Sibulan Adlaw Tala Baybayin Mystic Oracle which was developed by Lakay Magbaya Aghama. Aside from these we will also include the practice of Luknit and Abiyog as mentioned in the book of William Henry Sc Barangay 16th Century Philippine Culture and Society. We will going to offer these soon through a Webinar Series, as most of you cant come in person, so we will still open the door of opportunity for everyone to learn this things at the comfort of your home.
Donate for Gift Giving Charity outreach for the Benefit of 100 Daycare Pupils of Baybay, Leyte
By the way, before I end this article, I want to ask you a favor. Every December we are doing Charity work in Gift Giving and last year we were able to send 100 sacks of rice and groceries to the People of Esperanza, Del Carmen, Siargao Island, Surigao Del Norte, Philippines as they have been hit by a tremendous typhoon that have destroyed their houses so as their livelihood. And this year we plan to give gift to the 100 Pupils of a Day Care Center in Baybay, Leyte and ill need to raise Php 30,000.00 or USD 500.00. So if you have spare coins to help me raise this amount kindly do so by making donation through Paypal. or scan the QR Code to make donation.
In Luntiang Aghama, Apu Adman also have developed similar Techniques using Bio Energy Healing which Apu have named after the Filipino God of Healing named Kilubansa. Later on, Lakay Magbaya have dig deeper on the Symbols used in Kilubansa because Kilubansa Healing uses the Philippine Traditional Writing Script which is Baybayin.
Our upcoming webinar on November, will initiate you to the Divinatory as well as Magickal use of Baybayin which has been channeled unto us by the Diwata known as Sibulan Adlaw Tala or SiAdTala Baybayin Mystic Oracle®
Our Webinar will be held through Google Meet and just choose one date on November and that is on the following dates:
November 5,6, 12, 13,19, 20, 26 &27 all will happen by 8:00 PM Philippine Time.
Registration Fee is only Php 8,500.00 or USD 145.00
you can register on the link to participate on our Webinar.
When we talk about Magick, many people will think of spells or words of power written in Magickal Scripts. Western Magickal Traditions have taught magical practitioners to write their spells in rhymes and to reach its out most potential, they write their spells in magickal scripts.
There are many magickal scripts that been studied by practitioners and one of it is the runes. Actually the right term for this writing system is called as Futhark Writing system which has been used by Germanic People in Northern Europe, Britain, Scandanavia, and Iceland from about 3rd Century to 16th or 17th Century AD. Now-a-days, each Characters of the Futhark alphabet are being used for Divination, Charms as well as Magickal Sigil for manifesting desires and healing.
The popularity of Reiki as a form of Bio-Energy Healing which evolved and have used different symbols other than the symbols that been prescribed by its…
There is an article in the Internet that Identifies the Male Babaylan as Asog. And this article can be found at The Aswang Project. I have nothing against Jordan Clark which is the Author and Publisher of The Aswang Project, he is just a researcher and what he is sharing is just a research and made by other person.
The Aswang Project have quoted the works of According to Milagros Geremia-Lachica’s which is alsoa researcher that :
some of the Spanish friars managed to chronicle religious practices of our ancestors headed by women. Yet they also found male priests who preside during sacred ceremonies. These male were properly called Fray Alcina, one of the Friars who took a keen interest on the early religion of our ancestors, elaborated as follows:
Alcina also added that society might tend to have degrading outlooks towards a man who is found incapable of partaking his role as a male, for it is expected of him to take part in the practice of matrimony and to beget children. For “effeminate men” who found themselves in this kind of position, becoming an is an alternative way to claim what would be perceived at this moment in history as their lost honor. Their traits and life style which lean towards being a female categorically puts them appropriately to the woman-centered class of
I SEE THIS ARTICLE AND STATEMENT AS AN INSULT TO OUR RACE CALLING A MALE BABAYLAN AS ASOG BECAUSE OF BEING IMPOTENT AND EFFEMINATE.
OUR ANCESTORS DO PRACTICE GENDER EQUALITY, IT IS DURING THE TIME OF SPANISH COLONIZATION THAT HAD GENDER ROLES AND IDENTIFICATION THAT EVEN EXTEND TO OUR UTENSILS AND APPLIANCES SUCH AS OUR SPOON IS CALLED LA KUTCHARA FOR BEING FEMALE AND EL TINIDOR FOR FORK AS MALE.
If we can recall Lakapati, which is a Second Generation Divinity of our Land being known as Female Diwata but also have Male aspect so as the Famous Bathala who has been always depicted a Patriarch Divinity but actually has its Femine Aspect as well.
Now-a-days, people make gender of Titles such as for Male Religous leader they will call as Pastor and for Female they will call Pastora. Male Healer as Doctor and Female as Doctora. In the use of English Language Doctor is doctor whenther the practitioner is male or female. The Babaylan is a Babaylan whether ther are born male or Female.
It is sad to say that because of the influence of our Colonizer, the colonized Filipino have this mindset of identifying our selves in accordance to gender roles and pronouns.
Notice our Tagalog word, we do not have pronoun for He, His, Him/ She, her, hers. When i am going describe a male person in English such as He is Handsome whereas in Tagalog we describe him as sya ay gwapo. and for female as she is beautiful while in tagalog sya ay maganda.
Male pronoun= He in Tagalog is Sya Female pronoun=She in Tagalog Sya
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 
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