Why is it difficult for us to stay at home?

3D illustration of Coronavirus, virus which causes SARS and MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

With the rise of this pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019, many people around the world are asked by our government to stay at home and be safe. This is one of the model that we as human being can beat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease which is by not being exposed and contaminated with this pestilence that is spreading to fast.

Staying at home means that you only connect with people that you trust. You are not exposed to strangers that you do not personally know outside of your home and the person you might encounter outside be a carrier of the deadly virus. But it seems that staying at home is difficult to do. The more we are asked to stay at home and be safe, the more we struggle to go out and have the chance to be infected with the virus. This is the current problem of the world government right now aside from the virus, are the people or the citizens specially here in the Philippines. It seems that this simple ordinance of our government is the most difficult law to observe. People think of it as an abuse of authority and violation of the government to human rights. Well our government can explain themselves in implementing this law but to the commoners it will be difficult for them to understand.

As Manghihilot we already have recognize the danger of what can this virus bring on to us, but we must also understand why do people around the world are having difficulty to stay at home?

Baby comes out from her mother’s womb through C Section

Probably the first reason why is it difficult for people to stay at home because as human we are designed to come out like when we are born into this world, we are pushed out from our mothers womb. And when we are growing, we are being cultivated to go out of our home such as playing in the park or hanging out at the mall with friends, buying stuffs at store, market or groceries. We even go out of our home to study at school and even worship God in a church.

Almost all human activities requires of going out of our home and this because of the progress of commercialization of almost every thing. We are being influenced that all of our needs to have a better life can be found outside our home. Such as in having a good income opportunity you have to go out of your house to work in a company that pays good salary. The Filipino way of thinking that working in Manila or even abroad is much better that staying at home. But what we all forget is that life started inside and not outside.

When egg is broken by an outside force, for sure that egg is dead. But when it breaks out from inside, there is new life that we can expect in this world.

At this pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus, our planet is transforming into a new world. Many of us may not understand what is happening, but one thing for sure is that we are being taught to go back to the basic. And the basic thing that we need to learn is to stay at home. Staying at home right now can be likened into a seed planted on the ground. We need to be inside the earth so that we could germinate life. It is the same thing that happen to a caterpillar, he weave his cocoon and stays there until he is transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Transformation will not happen if we stay outside. Today is a day where we change our selves into something beautiful and wonderful. This is a wonderful time for us to heal and be re created into something worth of praise and glory. This is the time for us now to be part of Human Evolution, which is strong and healthy and at the same time united in love with our Family.

Healing with Plant Medicine: Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera or Sabila is my very first herb that i like most. It actually is my favorite and for me i called this as my personal sacred Plant. I grew it as a child and even filled the wall of our fence with it. I thought it was just an ornamental plant but when i grow up I learn it has a powerful medicine within it. I also have seen its flower. Yes! Through time it gives flower and it smells sweet. Though i rarely see it blooming in pots and i don’t know when it will give flower once again. I’m so sad that i was not able to capture it flowers through film because that time i don’t have camera nor mobile phone that has camera. Yeah! I’m very old school that only knows soil and its healing herbs.

Aloe Vera or Aloe Barbadensis Miller has been known for its medicinal and cosmetic purposes. I have read that this plant was used to embalm ancient Pharaohs of Egypt as well as Jesus Christ. The word Aloe has an arabic origin which means Shinning Bitter substance while Vera is a Latin word meaning True. In my old notes on healing herbs, i found that this herb can endure extreme stress such as i test it hanging on the air without soil and water for about a year but still it is alive and didn’t dried up. It taught me spiritually to become patient, tolerant and humble. As i work on it, i found its power to be amazing. I apply it to open wounds, burns and even on skin infection. Our Elders have taught that this plant is a good hair grower and can heal all kinds of skin disease. And later on i found out that we can scrape of the white gel on it and eat it directly.

In making Herbal Healing Oil i add 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel in distilling coconut oil with mix herbs and when i put my finger in it while boiling i didn’t get burn.

It is found out that Aloe Vera has many active potential constituents such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, sugar, lignin, saponins, salicylic acid and amino acids.

Vitamins: It contains vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are antioxidants. It also contains vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline. Antioxidant neutralizes free radicals.
Enzymes: It contains 8 enzymes: aliiase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, bradykinase, carboxypeptidase, catalase, cellulase, lipase, and peroxidase. Bradykinase helps to reduce excessive inflammation when applied to the skin topically, while others help in the breakdown of sugars and fats.
Minerals: It provides calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc. They are essential for the proper functioning of various enzyme systems in different metabolic pathways and few are antioxidants.
Sugars: It provides monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) and polysaccharides: (glucomannans/polymannose). These are derived from the mucilage layer of the plant and are known as mucopolysaccharides. The most prominent monosaccharide is mannose-6-phosphate, and the most common polysaccharides are called glucomannans [beta-(1,4)-acetylated mannan]. Acemannan, a prominent glucomannan has also been found. Recently, a glycoprotein with antiallergic properties, called alprogen and novel anti-inflammatory compound, C-glucosyl chromone, has been isolated from Aloe vera gel.
Anthraquinones: It provides 12 anthraquinones, which are phenolic compounds traditionally known as laxatives. Aloin and emodin act as analgesics, antibacterials and antivirals.
Fatty acids: It provides 4 plant steroids; cholesterol, campesterol, β-sisosterol and lupeol. All these have anti-inflammatory action and lupeol also possesses antiseptic and analgesic properties.
Hormones: Auxins and gibberellins that help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action.
Others: It provides 20 of the 22 human required amino acids and 7 of the 8 essential amino acids. It also contains salicylic acid that possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Lignin, an inert substance, when included in topical preparations, enhances penetrative effect of the other ingredients into the skin. Saponins that are the soapy substances form about 3% of the gel and have cleansing and antiseptic properties.
National Center for Biotechnology Information

On basic uses of Aloe Vera, it is effective on wound or burn healing. I remember my nephew when he was 3 years old playing around my kitchen on our Canteen and he accidentally placed his whole hands on a boiling pot of soup. It was too hot because we boil it continually in low fire using fire wood for our Mami Soup and thankfully i have my aloe vera around and apply it directly, and amazingly no trace of burn can be found on my nephew.

Another testimony on the effectiveness of Aloe Vera is when my younger sister accidentally hammered her little finger. We brought her to the hospital and the doctor said she need to undergo surgery removal of her finger or stem cell treatment. We do not have enough money for the surgery so we just went back home and apply aloe vera on her finger. With patience and faith in God her finger was cured and no trace of being hammered can be seen.

Aloe Vera Gel can also be taken internally to treat stomach ulcer. It is also used to clean up our intestine and give us good bowel movement. It is said that Aloe Vera can also use to lower blood sugar and it has antioxidant to boost our immunity.

Plant aloe vera in your home it may be handy and helpful for you someday as it will heal you from your illness or it may be your living companion in your house that will listen to your prayers.

Healing with Plant Medicine: Mulberry Leaf

My Tita call this as Tahebo but when i conduct close study to this tree i learn that it is a Mulberry. I get this when it was still young at Cupang, Muntinlupa to the old place where Tita Edith lives. And now i see it bearing many berries.

I have utilized the leaves to make tea and have administered it to nanay to lower down her blood pressure as well as to relieve her constipation. Tatay made a joke that when nanay poop it will be like silk because Mulberry Leaf are used to feed the silk worm.

I use also the dried powdered leave of mulberry in making herbal tablet which i call as Amulaser.

Mulberry leaves are highly nutritious as it contains polyphenol anti oxidants, vitamins c, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

There are study that says that Mulberry leaves can help lower blood sugar, cholesterol and inflammation. These attributes are useful in fighting heart disease and diabetes.

I believe that this leaf can do more when it comes to our health. As member of Luntiang Aghama that advocates Philippine Traditional Medicine through Hilot Academy, Mulberry Leaf can help improve our healthcare delivery by making it affordable and within easy reach.

Angelikai Journey to the Path of Babaylan

Angelica Kai journey to Hilot Binabaylan started February 25- March 3, 2020. She was the last student that becomes Hilot Binabaylan before the Quarantine. And here is her story:

Since I was young, I have always been drawn to the spirit world, strange phenomenon, the supernatural, gods and goddesses, numerology, ESP, astrology, runes, you name it. In elementary school my favorite books were The Guinness Book of World Records, The Encyclopedia (for the pictures and bird drawings, etc. 😋), A book of the Planets, and book on ESP.
Over the years since then, I have studied and learned from teachers from many different lineages. I have read and researched tons of books, but there was always something missing for me. I kinda just did my own thing and followed my own book while incorporating things that worked for me. Long story longer, I decided to embark on another spirit journey, after traveling many countries and meeting shamans, curanderas, yogis, medicine people, channelers, etc. etc.I decided to go back to my roots here in the Philippines to learn about who we were before we were colonized, mostly by the Spanish, Japanese and Americans. Each invasion causing slaughter, rape, destruction and erasure of language, spiritual beliefs, culture, indigenous alphabets, history, and knowledge of self. I came back to learn back the pieces that went missing. Let me tell you, there is a lot, so now it’s up to myself and others to use our own intuition and knowledge to carry on the traditions. So I am here, tapping into the land, myself, lineage and learning from traditional healers who are dedicated to the preservation of our culture pre-colonization. At Hilot Academy if Binibaylan (Those who walk the path of the Babaylan) (Babaylan is a shaman/healer…there’s much more, but look it up), I learned about herbs native to the Philippines, how to read them and create medicine. We learned to create herbal baths for pregnant women, ailing people, etc. Hilot, which is a form of healing body work using the four elements to balance the body. Hilot can also be used for bone setting and fertility. I learned how to read situations and divination from the spirit using traditional ways and also using Baybayin, the ancient script to read, literally, and to read your future I learned bentusa (cupping) to get dead circulation moving again using the element of fire 🔥. I learned about our ancestors, nature spirits, and goddesses/gods. Anitos, encantos, diwatas. So much. Too much. I have a long road ahead, but so far this has been part of my journey and I am honored to have been part of this. So now, it’s official, I didn’t need a diploma for it, but it’s official, I’m a certified Filipina witch 😋. Thank you to
Angelikai11 Instagram Post

The Power of Prayer to Heal

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.

Looking for a cure

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.

Fractured Leg

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.

Shaping our life through Prayer

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.

Go within

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!

Recipe for strengthening Immunity

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

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

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

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.

So stay healthy everyone!