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.
Even before the Christian Era, our ancestors already know how to pray. It is documented that since the late Neolithic or before 2000 BC. the Ancient Filipino already know how to pray. This is evidenced through the cave wall writing in Angono, Province of Rizal through the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyph.
The engravings are mostly symbolic representations and are associated with healing and sympathetic magic.
This natural monument in the Province of Rizal shows that we as Filipino believe that there is a Higher Power than us that could provide us healing when we are sick. And in search for that Higher power we have learned how to pray. And for us we believe that Prayer has an amazing power to heal us in time of illness.
But how can Prayer Heal?
People recognize that they are sick when they feel it as secondary reaction to the main disorder of their internal system. It is through our feelings that we describe our illness. When we assess people when they are sick, we ask them how they feel. We usually measure their pain as well as the limitations it gives when we are sick.
Prayer can help people get well and have healing since it works towards the mind and emotion. Prayer is a form of Divine Communication that we express our thoughts, and our thoughts describe through prayer what we feel; and our feelings/ emotions as a reaction to the stimulus that been made. Prayer is a form of voicing out what is within us such as in a distressful situation we call out for Help.
In praying for Healing, we recognize that we are in need; that something is not going right within us that make us ill. By recognizing that something that is not right, we are given counsel by our higher selves the thing we need to do so that we may feel better and restore wellness back into our life.
Lana at Liwanag, our Tools in moving prayer
Hilot is a form of Prayer in Action. Action is needed when we pray as we have taught it in the Shrine.
Prayer in Action
Every action that we do in Hilot, whether in Pulse Reading Analysis, Tawas Spiritual Diagnosis, Suob/ Palina Ritual, Kilubansa, Dagdagay, Bentusa and Masahe are all form of Prayer and communication of the manghihilot to the Divine Self of the Patient we are healing. Thus as Manghihilot, our Orasyon or Prayer is not useless but it has direct effect of healing to relieve the person from illness and dis Ease.
Through out our writings and teachings here at Hilot Academy, we have taught that the medicine for our illness can be found within our yard. The herbs that grows within our community is our best medicine for our illness. But the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease that originates in China and now have spread world wide that it is declared as Pandemic, where can we find its cure?
We might not be able to help out our brothers and sisters in the Medical and Scientific Field, but the Wisdom of our Ancestors can be handy in preventing the spread of this disease.
As Manghihilot according to the principles of herbalism that we practice, we do not deal with the disease but rather we deal with the strengthening the body of man in order to heal our selves. The First Principle of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare is that we believe that man has own ability to heal our selves. That is why when we are sick complete bed rest and taking a lot of fluids are advised until the symptoms are gone.
The next thing we ensure is that the place where we live is thoroughly clean and sanitize so that re infection will not happen. Cleanliness and personal hygiene is necessary. We also have taught that in order to benefit from Healing, it is not only the body of the person we need to treat but also the environment. Remember our Gold Fish analogy?
When one of the Gold Fish is sick, we remove them from their aquarium and clean the aquarium, and the sick gold fish is separated to the healthy one so that it will not contaminate and infect the healthy one.
Sponge bathing is one treatment we do to maintain body temperature when the person is having a high fever. We place cold wet towel on the forehead to cool down and protect the brain from being cooked due to the rise of temperature.
Hypocrates also have mentioned that creating artificial fever would help in healing any kinds of illness. Thus the practice of Suob/Luop/Palina aka Steam Bath are advised to artificially raise up the temperature within the body to fight pathogens and free radicals that comes in to our system that cause illness.
Keeping our body warm and hydration is the best practice we provide in treating illnesses. In the practice of suob, we also prepare glass of drinking water so that from time to time we let the patient drink water as s/he will perspire a lot during the treatment. Giving a drink will hydrate the patient and replenish the loss of water in his system.
In keeping our body warm when we are sick, our parents cover us with blanket at wear us socks in our feet. There is a traditional practice also in making out feet warm is by clipping a clove of garlic or slice of ginger to the in between of our toes. And to some they also place a round slice of onion to the soles of their feet while wearing socks at bed time.
Hilot Masahe is also provided in giving warmth to the body as well as in aligning nerves or bone structure into position. Sometimes disalignment is also cause of pain and imflamation.
In handling fractured leg, both medical and traditional healers know that moving the affected part of the body will only make the fracture worst. So the treatment for fracture is to limit the movement in order not to cause more harm and damage to the person.
It is believed that our bones has the capacity to heal it self specially when the person who had accident is young. So when it happen, traditional medicine practitioner apply pounded herbs to alleviate pain and wrap it with a stick so that it will prevent from movement.
It the same thing that is happening to the world right now. The whole world is experiencing a Pandemic Illness that needs to limit the movement of the people. Traditionally, we know that complete bed rest with proper nutrients will help us to recover. This is the same thing that we must do. We limit our social movement so that we can manage to strengthen our immunity to fight the virus that is spreading around the world.
Our life here on Earth is monitored by our healthcare provider through the progress of our Physical, Emotional and Mental Health. From there we are advised to eat healthy food and physical activities that will satisfy our mind as well as emotions. In Hilot, aside from valuing the Physical, Emotional and Mental Health- we also give importance to our Spiritual Health.
As Manghihilot, we believe that life comes from the Spirit. And the illness of man is caused either by Physical factor or by spiritual factor. So if there are Physical Medicine that been administered to the Physical Illness of Man, Prayer is our Spiritual Medicine that we administer to Spiritual Illness.
Apu Adman performs Pagpag Pauli Ritual as part of Kilubansa Healing.
Prayer is a form of Spiritual exercise that can affect your emotional and mental Health. Through prayer we express our thoughts by describing through words what we feel. Prayers also help us create a positive outlook in life through voicing out positive affirmation and our goal desires that assure us to have a better future. Prayer help us to be at the present by making us aware of voicing out the content of our hearts, and by hearing it our mind remember and take action through our body.
Prayer is not just a religious or spiritual activity, but it can be used and employed into a Holistic Healthcare delivery system.
Our cities has been locked down. Schools and offices are all closed. People are wearing mask and stay at home. All of these are the result of the scare of Coronavirus Disease. The economy is slowing down so as you.
Since everyone of us are staying in the house. Our movement has been limited due to this Pandemic emergency. Lately i saw many post that people are seeking for help. They are looking for their Mayor and Barangay Captians to give them aid. But come to think of it, is everyone of us are sick?
We are not sick and those who are contracted by the Virus are being taken care of by the medical professionals. But us at home, we are all well and healthy. We are only limited on going out of our home to practice social distancing with strangers. Actually being at home is not a punishment for us but a precautionary measure that we will not be contracted with the Coronavirus Disease 2019. We should be thankful that life and wellness are still with us. But instead of complaining, let us take this opportunity to learn Home Skills and connect with our inner selves.
Practice Deep Breathing. This will calm your mind and relax your body. Drink a lot of water and it will flush out all of your body waste. Take a Bath to cool you down and it will make you safe from getting infected. And exercise, move your body to stretch. Do not be stubborn by still going out of your house. Think of what you can do and avoid being contracted with the disease. Stay at Home and be Safe!
I’ve been ask to write an article about how people could win this battle against Coronavirus Disease. I am not a medical doctor but my knowledge on Philippine Traditional Medicine could help.
Let us remember what our Grand Mother and Mother does when we are sick. They clean us and keep us warm. They put socks on our feet and cover us with thick blanket so that we get sweat. And lastly they prepare us a meal so that we could recover fast from our illness. Proper Hygiene, Hydration and Diet help us recover quickly from any ailments. And our recovery process within our body is caused by our Immune System.
Lugaw is one of the cheapest but a powerful meal that we could have to strengthen our Immunity. It is made from rice, ginger, onion, garlic, pepper and water to solute. The health benefits of these ingredients are listed down below.
Rice
When i was in Brgy. Kinakin, Banaue, Ifugao- Apung Mamerto told us that before our rice been served into the table as food, it passed through numerous rituals. So technically, the rice that we are eating are already ritually blessed.
Rice are the gift of the Gods to humanity specially for the Filipino. I remember that i compare the rice to other grains that when you soaked it into water it will not sprout unlike others. But this grain of rice has a power to boost your energy and sustain life.
It is said that rice can provide you instant energy as well as it can regulate and improve bowel movement and manage blood sugar level. It also plays a role in providing Vitamin B1 to the Human Body.
Vitamin B1 fights against many nervous disorder and helps to improve memory. That is why i remember when i was still at school, my mother told me not to skip my breakfast (which consist of fried rice, egg and tuyo) as it will not make my mind work if i come to school hungry.
Other benefit of rice include its ability to aid skin care, boost metabolism, regulate digestion, reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system and provide protection against chronic disease.
When i was at Mamerto’s place at Kinakin, Banaue- the rice spirit have talked to me that said that they can be used as poultice to mend the broken bones. So i get one table spoon of cooked rice and pound it together with tiger and carabao grass and applied it to the broken leg wrapping it with a banana leaf.
Ginger
Salabat or Ginger Tea is a popular recipe of our grandfather during the cold weather season. It is also the secret formula of the old singer/ artist to obtain a good voice. But aside from keeping us warm and to have a good voice, Salabat or Ginger Tea is also used to relieve cough.
The active component of Ginger is called Gingerol which has a powerful anti-inflamatory and antioxidant effect. It is said that Ginger is used to help digestion, reduce nausea, and help fight flu and common cold.
According to Healthline.com, Gingerol can help to lower the risk of infection. Fresh ginger may also be effective against the RSV Virus, a common cause of respiratory infection.
Onion
Onion or Allium Cepa
Onions contain various vitamins and minerals as it grow underground. I personally eat onion as blood purifier. But in ancient times it is used to cure headaches, heart disease, and mouth sores.
As we have mentioned that Onion are nutrient dense, it highly contains vitamins C that involved in regulating immune system, collagen production, tissue repair and iron absorption.
Vitamins C acts as a powerful antioxidant in our body, protecting our cells against damage caused by Free Radicals.
Onions are also rich in B Vitamins which are folate (b9) and pyrodoxine (b6) which play key roles in metabolism, red blood cell production and nerve function.
Onions are a rich source of fiber and prebiotics, which are necessary for optimal gut health.
prebiotics, which are necessary for optimal gut health.
Prebiotics are nondigestible types of fiber that are broken down by beneficial gut bacteria.
Gut bacteria feed on prebiotics and create short-chain fatty acids — including acetate, propionate and butyrate.
Research has shown that these short-chain fatty acids strengthen gut health, boost immunity, reduce inflammation and enhance digestion.
Additionally, consuming food rich in prebiotics helps increase probiotics, such as Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria strains, which benefit digestive health.
A diet rich in prebiotics may help improve the absorption of important minerals like calcium, which may improve bone health.
Onions are particularly rich in the prebiotics inulin and fructooligosaccharides. These help increase the number of friendly bacteria in your gut and improve immune function.
Garlic
Allium Sativium aka Garlic
In Philippine folklore and mythology, garlic is known among Filipino as weapon to drive away the Aswang and Manananggal which as form of demon that hunts people at night. Most Filipino foods has garlic on it such as the morning Fried Rice or the Adobo or better yet the Pares meal.
One clove of garlic contains the following:
Manganese
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C
Selenium
Fiber
Calcium
Copper
Potassium
Phosporus
Iron
Vitamin B1
Garlic is also known to boost Immune System.
Pepper
Piper Nigrum or Black Pepper
Black pepper is rich in plant compound known as piperine, which is found to have a potent antioxidant properties which help prevent and delay the damaging effects of free radicals.
Chronic inflamation may be an underlying factor in many conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and cancer on which Black Pepper may effectively fight inflamation. I remember that my father also use black pepper feeding to our chicken that has illness and for giving bath when sick.
So with every spoonful of Lugaw coming into your mouth, you are also welcoming these healing agents to be within you to work and strengthen your immune system. By having a daily dose of these food medicine, together with proper hygiene and exercise, we are confident enough that we can overcome this Pandemic situation that we have by protecting our bodies from getting infected.
Free your self from the fear of getting infected. Stay at home and you’ll be safe. Make sure that all areas of your house are clean. Don’t stock up with so many things in your house as it invites many creatures such as pathogens or disease bringing micro organism get inside your house. Hoarding so much food will invite creatures that will spoil or decompose your stuffs. So as too much toilet papers and other products will invite rats and cockroaches. Just stay calm and covid 19 will not enter your house as long as you practice mindfulness.
Detoxify your self and strengthen your immunity. You can practice what our ancestors does in protecting them selves from any disease and evil spirit. You can do a self care Suob/ Palina in your house either doing it steam or dry.
Palina Ritual
Technically Suob/ Palina is a Hilot Treatment that induce sweating and perspiration either through steam vapor or dry fumigation. According to Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, Creating false fever can cure any disease. Accordingly, Fever is our body’s natural response to pathogens or disease causing bacteria or viruses. Thus heat produce by our body helps maintain good health and wellness. Heal is also a response to the rise of temperature within our body. Suob/Palina creates artificial fever by rising body temperature that helps our body fight pathogens within us.
Sweating and Perspiration is a natural reaction due to the rise of temperature within our body. Usually, sweat contains water and various salts and other substances. Sweat is a waste product made by our body. And it needs to expel out from our body so that it will not become toxins. Toxins are poisons and are dangerous to our health and wellness. Suob helps sweating process to detoxify our body from poisons that can be found inside our body.
Hilot Suob/ Palina treatment is governed by the Principle of Heat Therapy. Heat is a therapeutic agent used for healing. Induced heat by suob can be called artificial fever. During a Fever, the functioning of the immune system is stimulated, while the growth of bacteria and viruses is forced to slow down. The production of white blood cells, the primary agents of the immune system, is increased, as is the rate of their release into the blood stream. The generation of anti-bodies speeds up, as does the production of interferon, an anti-viral protein that also has powerful cancer-fighting properties.
Join us on this powerful collaboration of Filipino Healers as we share to the world the Filipino Ancient Ways of Healing. On the said event, Four powerful healers will work together to create a Vortex of Energy to awaken the inner healing powers of those who will attend the Workshop.
Our Collaborators who will present their gifts to the world are:
Apung Lagitan: A Mumbaki of Ifugao
Mamerto Tindongan who is an 8 Generation Shaman from Brgy. Kinakin, Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines. He will share to us his technique on Self Healing through Shamanic Journey and the Ifugao Style Qigong which he develop and known as UMUWANCHIYAN CHI NITAGUWAN.
Archimedes De Leon is a Certified Yoga Instructor who is the visionary of this Halika Na Workshop will guide us everyday by giving daily inspiration and Yoga experience.
Lakay Magbaya Aghama who is a Binabaylang Tala of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. which is a revivalist church on Philippine Traditional Indigenous Spirituality will lead us to attune to our selves to the energies of the ancestors;
and Apu Adman Aghama, the Founder of Landas Ng Lahi and Hilot Academy of Binabaylan will teach us our ancestral knowledge on Filipino Indigenous Healing.
For more details kindly contact Archimedes De Leon at:
archimedes0320@gmail.com
09172489016 globe
+639989209920 smart
These beautiful scenery awaits you in Brgy. Tupsan, Municipality of Mahinog, Camiguin Island, Philippines.
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There will be 2 batch of training depends on your availability.
The First Batch will be on June 22 to July 4, 2020 which are dedicated to Japanese Participants. And for this you have to contact Ms. Mayumi Saito. And the 2nd Batch will be on July 6-18, 2020.
Ms. Mayumi Saito
齋藤 真弓(For Japanese)
mayufarm73@gmail.com
+819086184152
Available Slot for participants: 20
Registration Fee: USD 2700.00
Activity Inclusions:
Food (Breakfast and Lunch)
Hilot Learning Materials and Certificate
Daily Yoga
Tour in Camiguin
Daily Time Routine:
6:00 AM Wake Up/ Morning preparation
7:00 AM Daily Yoga & Meditation
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Worshop
12:00 NN Lunch
1:00 PM Class Resume
6:00 PM End of Class
Apu Adman teaching the 7 Ancestral Power
Hilot Class Expectations
The Hilot Workshop will be divided into 2 parts. The First 4 days will focus on Mind and Spiritual Workings and the other last half will involve literal Body work as we learn how to apply the Philippine Traditional Hilot as our Ancestral Healing Arts and Science.
At the end of the said workshop, the Participants are expected to perform confidently and competently the following skills as has been taught by our teachers.
Gather Patient/ Client Profile
Pulse Reading Analysis
Kilubansa Elemental Name Energetic Balance Analysis
TAWAS : Traditional Alternative Wellness Analytic System
Hilot Hygiene (Suob, Hilod, Paligo)
Herbal Hilot: The Use of herbs in affecting cure (healing oil, liniment, ointment, tincture, syrup and tablets)
Dagdagay/ Kulis: Philippine Traditional Foot Massage
Bentusa Fire Cupping
Hilot Pahid: The Art of Applying oil in performing Wellness Massage
It is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about 10 kilometers off the northern coast of Mindanao. It is geographically part of Region X which is the Northern Mindanao Region and formerly part of Misamis Oriental Province.
The name Camiguin is derived from the native word Kamagong which is a specie of Ebony tree that thrives near Lake Mainit in the province of Surigao Del Norte, the region from which the early inhabitant, the Manobo’s came from. Manobo’s are Indigenous People that comes from Northern Mindano which are known as The River People. It is derived from the word “Mansuba” which means man or people, and “suba” means river. It is said that Manobo people are great hunter and as well as a healer.
I found a story on the Internet that narrates how the Manobo People originates and you can found the info at Things Asian.
According to the Story the Manobo’s were lead by two brothers: Mumalu and Tabunaway, they lived by the Banobo creek, which flowed into the Mindanao River near the present site of Cotabato City. In the 14th century Sharif Kabungsuan, a muslim missionary, arrived from Johore, to convert the people of Mindanao. Tabunaway did not want to convert to Islam but told his younger brother not to reject the Muslim Faith. Tabunaway and his followers moved up the Pulangi River to the interior of Cotabato, they decided to part ways and in the years to come established their own tribes. These groups retained their indigenous beliefs, practices and the name of their original site, Banobo, which eventually became Manobo, the descendant’s of Mamalu became the Maguindanao.
It is nice to know that the people of Camiguin are descendants from the Manobo Tribe which also connects to my lineage that my Paternal Ancestry comes from Surigao Del Norte.
From June, July and August of 2020, Hilot Academy will explore the Beauty and Wonders of Camiguin Island as we will conduct our very first Halikana Workshop as conceived by our friend Archimedes De Leon.
The workshop that is to happen in Camiguin Island will be a collaborative work and effort coming from our Elders and Great Healers of our Time.
Mamerto Tindongan is an 8th Generation Mumbaki from Brgy. Kinakin, Banaue, Ifugao, Philippines. He was known for his work as wood sculpting, Blacksmith, Qi gong/ Tai Chi/ Yoga Instructor and have developed the Ifugao Farmer’s Qigong known as Umuwachiyan Chi Nitaguwan.
Apung Lagitan is also the initiator of “Self Healing through Shamanic Journey “.
Lets get to know more about Apung Lagitan as we watch this Video.
Mamerto speaks about a particular blessing called Gopah in Ifugao
I hope that everyone will come and experience the great collaboration of our Indigenous Healers in Camiguin Island, Philippines on June- August 2020.
For more details you may visit our Facebook Event Page by clicking on the link.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 
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