Embracing the Challenges of Time

Hilot is a Filipino Traditional Healing modality that been passed down by our ancestors orally to their relatives and students. Most of the time people learn this sacred healing arts through apprenticeship and not in school. Usually patients who has been healed by a Manghihilot are the one who are likely to become an apprenctice of manghihilot as that person will share the gift of healing that they receive from Hilot. And now at this 21st century, Hilot is adopting to the modern challenges of this world that we can now learn this sacred healing arts and science of Filipino Hilot Online.

Before the pandemic of Coronavirus, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan offers in person and live in training program to any individual that wish to learn our Ancient and Sacred Healing Arts of the Filipino People. People from different countries such as USA, Canada, France, Austria, Italy, Japan and Chile have come to the Philippines to learn Hilot. But because of the Pandemic and the social distancing policy implemented by most government leaders, Hilot Training has been halted. But on June 2020, we have open up our academy again but this time students will not come to the Philippines but instead they can learn Hilot at the comfort of their home through our Hilot Online Training.

The face-to-face training will be missed but people around the world will now have an opportunity to learn Hilot even without coming to the Philippines through our online platform which is at Google Classroom. And this website that is powered by WordPress.com is very beneficial in becoming an instrument of Defining Hilot of the 21st Century to the world. Of course aside from Google and WordPress, we also upload our Video lectures through YouTube. And here is one of our lessons that we talk about in Hilot Online Training.

If you are interested to learn Hilot, our August 2020 Class is now open for enrollment. Kindly click here for details.

Reading Signs and Symbols in Tawas

Today in our Hilot Online Training we have talked about signs and symbols in reading tawas. And as I look back to our memories posted at Facebook, here what i found.

Day is light; night for darkness; moon calls the tide; and clouds for the rain; smoke rise to signal a fire; and a flower bloom to signal a tree bearing fruit. Strong winds, thunder and lightning if there is a storm.

Mother nature provide us clear sign to know the time.

Years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, seconds we have but still short for us to live.

Live life worthily in accordance to our purpose in order to enjoy wellness and doing not so will make us suffer to illness.

New Reading Materials for HOT Program

We are already almost a month in doing our HOT Program or Hilot Online Training. And all the learning materials we use are new and updated. So if you take Hilot Training with us before, consider checking us out for new updates. And here below i share a few reading material that we use in Tawas: Hilot Method of Scanning.

Tawas as a tool of communication

Sometimes people come to us for treatment telling us that there is something wrong with them and they don’t feel well. When you ask them about their problem, they could not tell what it is except that they will just tell and describe what they feel. As a healer we do not just rely on the words of our patient/client but we verify their needs through our tawas procedure. As Manghihilot or Hilot Binabaylan, we do not just treat our client/patient, right away, if they ask you to massage their back or shoulder because there is pain in it. It is just like when a patient goes to the doctor, the patient will not just easily ask the doctor to subject them to a heart transplant operation or other modern medical procedures. The patient must undergo proper diagnosis first before they will receive proper treatment.

It is part of our Job as Hilot Binabaylan to determine the nature of illness of our patient so that we can formulate the right treatment procedure for them to affect cure. Through Tawas or Traditional Alternative Wellness Analytic System, we conduct certain evaluation and assessment procedures to determine exactly the nature of the problem such as Pulse Reading Analysis, Dampi-Pindot Method of Scanning, Iris Analysis, Tongue Analysis and many more. In Hilot Academy what we use to determine the nature of illness are through Pulse Reading, Dampi Pindot and Pagsasala Scanning using fresh leaves such as banana leaves. Through these methods of scanning, we are like communicating with the parts of their body and even their internal organs by observing their shape, size, weight, color, scent, texture and even the activities they can perform. These all can be employed in order to understand the physical condition of our client/ patient.

Whereas, we also observe the condition of the emotional and intellectual/ mental aspect of our client through the use of Tawas as spiritual diagnosis. In this procedure, we use materials such as candles, paper, glass of water, eggs, and other to conduct a ritual that will catch the attention of our client/patient to participate in the procedure. Through this, we use the ritual in order for the client to participate and open up themselves to communicate their mind or their inner selves. Sometimes, out of their preoccupation in meeting their daily needs and goals, they have forgotten to take care of themselves and value their own lives in accordance to the purpose of creation. With this ritual procedure, we as manghihilot serve as a channel or catalyst to heal their inner and real selves.

Below is a short video clip that is part of our Weekly online video conferencing.

The Function of Life

Teaching Hilot online is a new experience to us. Though it is less exciting than the normal face-to-face class but it brought out the creative talent that is within us as a trainer. As we share our knowledge and skills online we also are adding up to our own experience on how to improve our selves in delivering our advocacy message to our students.

On this article we are sharing to you a video clip that is part of our Video lecture that talk about the Concept of Life, Health, Illness and Wellness. You can watch the whole video by enrolling to our Non Contact Healing modality: Mind and Spirit Working Class through our Hilot Online Training. In this short clip video we have talked about the Function of Life to organization. Watch the entire clip to learn on why Life has the Function for Organization?

When we talk about Organization you might think about a structure, group of people gathering together with leadership and membership. Yes it is like that because this social structure that we have is patterned to the Physical structure that is within our Body. In this video we have discussed about that our body being a unified whole that is made up of individual body parts as a member. In this we understand that each body parts from cells, tissues, organs to organismal system works together to make our entire body function well. Even the tiniest pores that can be seen in your skin as an outward appearance has its special function.

This wisdom is a good thing to know so that we could apply it also to our social organization level. Social Organization such as Habi or Luntiang Aghama is made up of people who gather together in one cause. As an organization we work to accomplish certain goal. And this goal is pushed by its leadership and members work together to accomplish these goals. Every part of the group must coordinate and cooperate to one another; and this is done through Communication. Most of the time, the Leader communicates their ideas and so as the members also communicate theirs to the leader. Communication happen when there is an exchange of ideas going on such as the sender and receiver process of communication. When a certain part does not communicate, there might be a barrier that been build up so that communication will not happen. With that happening, to process of cooperation and coordination will also be hindered that will affect the whole. These issues must be addressed by Hilot in order to revive and restore back the process of operation of the group. This is the same thing that we do in our physical body.

Learning the techniques of Hilot will allow us to determine the problem that is happening within the body. By removing the hindering blocks, it will restore back the flow of communication so that each body part may continue to coordinate and cooperate to one another to produce a unified whole. And with this, the principle of Balancing the Faculty of Man may happen which is stated Filipino as:

Sa isip. Sa Salita at Sa Gawa!
In thoughts. In Words. and In Deed!
The three faculties of man

Suob Treatment becomes trending in Cebu City

From the start of this Pandemic of Covid 19, all medical and even the para medical community are working as one in finding cure to stop the spread of covid 19 all over the world. And different countries have their own local version of preventive medicine so that they will not catch the infection of Covid 19. Here in the Philippines as early as March 2020, there is a local Filipino Traditional Medicine that becomes trending on Social Media that been practiced by Filipino to counter act and protect them from the effect of Covid 19 and that is Suob.

Last week I receive a call from the production research team of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho which is a TV show of GMA 7 asking me some information about the effectiveness of Suob. And the video that you will see below is the full segment that talks about the topic we are sharing now.

Though at the beginning of this video we can see a tragedy has been presented in performing suob as an infant has been accidentally burned by a boiling water in doing suob. Before we discuss here the efficacy and benefits of Suob as a Traditional Filipino Healing modality, i want to give you a heads up in practicing safety as well.

In this traditional method of affecting cure, we are invoking the element of fire to produce heat in our body. So like in how we treat fire, we should handle this element with care as it might burn us and be injured. When we work with Fire, we should observe safety distance to it as it may give benefit to us or the worst is that it can injure us. Fire produces light as well as heat. It can directly affect our sense of sight as well as our sense of touch. When it affect our sense of sight, it provides us light to see the colors and beauty of the world; and as it affect the sense of touch, we can feel its temperature and will give us also a clear sense of identifying what is rough, smooth, soft and hard as it can activates our nerve endings to determine those things.

In performing our Traditional Suob, i have to remind everyone that we have two types. The first one is the Dry Suob and the other one is the Wet Suob. These two types of Suob has its own prescription to it self. This mean that both type of suob has different healing effect depending on the illness that you have. This matter has been discussed when you take our Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan Training Course here at Hilot Academy.

So in doing suob, the safe distance that need to observe between the skin and the fire should be 1 meter or 3 feet away. Of course when i say Fire i don’t meant it to be a burning flame. What i only mean is just an ember flame such as putting a charcoal in fire but it is not flaming.

On using wood ember to create a fume or vapor, we put fresh pounded healing herbs on it. Putting dry leaves on the ember will create big fire as it fuels and this will be dangerous as it will burn you. The purpose of our Suob Palina is to employ the fume or vapor to do their job in healing and the burning coal and fire is only an agent so that we may extract the healing properties of herbs that we need in healing. It is not also advised to place on fire medicinal oil such as the one commercially produced as it use Mineral Oil which is highly flammable or even herbal healing oil that is made with natural organic nutritive oil. On stone ember, you sprinkle it with herbal infused water or tea to create vapor. Remember in doing this you have to observe 3 feet distance to the fire as it may burn you. The only thing that you need in this treatment is the vapor or fume and not the fire it self.

This is the same when you apply Wet suob. You boil water with incorporating healing herbs. Turn off the fire and place the cauldron of boiled herbs under the chair and sit down cover your self with a blanket as the vapor rise to your body and make you sweat. In doing steam inhalation, you place the basin of boiled healing herbs on a table, open an umbrella and place a blanket over it so that you may inhale safely the vapor. With this i will make a video on how to do this steam inhalation suob for proper guidance of the Public.

Going Online Class

Yesterday we start to migrate our training materials to our Online Platform which is the Google Classroom. This training requires the student to have either laptop, desktop, Ipod/Tablet or smart phone. It is advised that your device must have a built in Camera and Microphone. Or When using Laptop or Desktop, we will ask you to secure a Camera so you can you can upload your work to our Classroom. When you use Tablet or Smart Phone, you will be asked to download a web browser either Google Chrome, Mozila Firefox or Microsoft Edge. As a teacher, I am using Laptop and Android Phone that has a Google Chrome Browser. Aside from this if you are using mobile phone, we ask you to also download the following Apps:

Google Classroom
Google Drive
Google Meet

And the activities we could do within the classroom are the following:

Read the uploaded Learning Material using Google Document. (Since you have downloaded the Google Drive you can access the Reading Materials to it posted inside the Google Classroom.)
Watch the Video Presentation/ Lecture (as you watch, you are asked to take down notes on the subject presented and ask it out during the Video Call Conferencing through Google Meet.)
Video Call Conferencing using Google Meet ( this will be real time conversation/ discussion of the things you have noted during the Video Presentation that you have watched through Google Drive/ Youtube.)
Answer the Self Assessment/ Evaluation Quiz through Google Form posted in Google Classroom. (With this we could assess and evaluate your learning process)
Filming or video recording ( The student will be asked to video record to capture the process on how they will perform the activity task. This will be a form of grading or evaluating your learning capacity as we present the skills through Video Demonstration. In our Live and In person Learning Session we call that as Return Demonstration.)

As its System Administrator and Training Director for this Online Training, it make me feel excited in doing this as it makes us to explore many potential possibilities on how we can promote our Traditional Healing Methodologies using Modern Technology. Indeed, we become the Doorway of Time as we use this modern method in teaching the the old ways of healing arts and sciences.

With these, i want to share to everyone a 6 minutes video that is part of our 60 minutes video lecture presentation on the Non Contact Hilot Healing Modality which is the Mind and Spirit Working.

If you find this post interesting and want to learn more, consider enrolling to our Hilot Online Training. Click here so that we could help you process your enrollment.

My thoughts on Hilot Online Training

This June 2020 we are about to implement our Hilot Online Program (HoT). This mean that there will be no Face-to-face classes but instead we are going to transfer the Ancestral Knowledge of Philippine Traditional Healing Arts and Science purely online. This will be a great opportunity for everyone to take class without coming here in the Philippines where ever you are in the world. The Hilot online Training will save you from spending travel fare and room accommodation expenses.

As a requirement, you need to have at least a Desk Top, Laptop, Ipod/Tablet or smart phone that can be connected to Internet. Then on your device you need to have a web browser either Google Chrome, Mozila Firefox, Microsoft Edge, etc. You also need to download Google Classroom App, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive and Google Meet for Video Call and Conferencing.

Our expected activities during the class will be the following:

Reading Information Sheets
Watching Video Presentation/ Demonstration
Answering Self Check Evaluations
Video Filming for return demonstration/ Observation
Video Call/ Conferencing for evaluation/ assessment.

At this moment, Hilot Online Training only provides Non Contact Hilot Modality such as the Mind and Spiritual Workings which will help you to master on Psycho and Emotional Health as well as on Bio Chemistry through employment of Herbs.

Before we make our schedule on the actual training, let me express my self clearly through this Video.

Ever since we start our training program in the Academy, the method of teaching hilot was always been live and in person. It is the same thing that our ancestors do in transferring their knowledge of the Healing Arts and Science to their apprentice. Since Learning Hilot is not just transferring skills knowledge and techniques of healing, but it is more about developing relationship from Students to their teacher. It is the same thing that you will do when you are already practicing Hilot to your patient/client you have to build relationship with them.

Learning in Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is not about satisfying the amount of money you pay to learn Hilot, but it is about gaining experience of what really Hilot is all about. That is the reason why we asked our previous student to stay with us in one roof to learn Hilot with us, because most of the lessons in hilot can not be found on a scheduled learning materials but on the random event that occurs during the training period.

Each words, actions and thoughts that come to us during the days you stay with us are part of the learning process. Each breathe; each emotions and even single creatures that come to pass on our way will give us message that will bring forth learning to us. And now, time is teaching us to evolve and adopt to the modern changes that is happening around us. And we will face this with Faith to the Divine that we will overcome this challenge and bring us success.

So until then, wait for our further announcement on when we are going to start our class this June 2020.

Healing with Plant Medicine: Makabuhay (Tinospora Crispa)

I start to cultivate Makabuhay Vine way back 2013 as i need it to make a charm to improve health and long life. Though this herb was commonly known to have an abortive properties, I still hold on to the meaning of it’s name which is makabuhay or the one that promotes life. As Manghihilot or Traditional Healer, we do not just work on manipulating the Physical Body of the person to treat them but we also make medicine that could restore and maintain good health. A person Health for us as we see it does not limit to the Physical Movement of the person but we see also his/her emotional, mental, social and spiritual health as a basis for Holistic Wellness. And the medicine we provide is not also limited on Physical Manipulation of the Body but also we do preparation of Medicine for internal consumption, topical application or to carry it in their person such as in the use of Amulets, Talismans or Charms.

On my personal practice and use of Makabuhay, i mix the dried herbs and vines to alcoholic drink such as rum in a tincture and add few drops to a glass of water before i sleep. The vines can also be added to make a docoction of coconut oil to be applied on the part of the body that is affected by rheumatism and arthritis.

Studies suggest that Makabuhay has cardiotonic, antioxidant, antidiarheal, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiproliferative, hypolipidemic, antimalarial, and antinociceptive properties. According to Medical Health Guide, the list are the Traditional Medicinal Uses of Makabuhay vine:

Makabuhay roots, stems and leaves are used as herbal treatment for fevers, malaria. Makabuhay leaves and roots are pounded then dissolved in cold water. Applied with a soft cloth over the nape, forehead, underarms and other body parts to bring down the body temperature.
Makabuhay poultice is used to treat gout, arthritis, and rheumatism by reducing pain and edema.
Makabuhay is used to treat skin diseases (athlete’s foot, scabies, etc.), promotes wound healing and alleviate skin itching. Makabuhay tonic is believed to promote overall good health and longevity, improves memory, improves skin tone and texture, and provides energy.
Makabuhay tonic is also used to treat fever and malaria. Makabuhay tonic is used to treat gastrointestinal and digestive problems, which includes diarrhea, hyperacidity, abdominal pains, gas pains (kabag), vomiting, dyspepsia, dysentery, colitis, constipation, loss of appetite and even worm infestation.
Makabuhay is also used in the treatment of diabetes, heart problems, hepatitis, anemia, impotence, tuberculosis, jaundice,

Healing with Plant Medicine: Lagundi aka Vitex Negudo

I remember as a kid when we have cough and fever, my mother will pick up some lagundi leaves, oregano and ginger. She will pound it together and extract the juice of the combined herbs and make us drink the juice. She will add little amount of sugar so that it may taste good.

Lagundi or Vitex Negudo was known in English as the 5 leaves chaste tree. It is one of the 10 Herbs that the Philippine Department of Health approved to be known as Herbal Medicine. Though there are lot herbs can be found in the Philippines that shows potency as medicine but only 10 were approved to be classified as medicine and one of it is Lagundi.

Lagundi has been tested clinically to be effective in treatments of cold, flu, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and pharyngitis. With the rise of Coronavirus Disease we have seen Caloocan City is distributing Paracetamol and Lagundi as part of their help to the citizen in battling Covid 19. Though there is no record that it has been used to treat the disease but it plays role in the prevention of the spread of the virus. As a herbal medicine that been recognized to treat respiratory problem, this might be a promising herb that also has a potential relief or even cure to the Coronavirus Disease.

Though at this moment, the role of Hilot in the Philippines works on preventive and promotive health care, taking lagundi as tea will protect an individual from having the symptoms of the disease as long as the guidelines on social distancing, hand washing and physical fitness is observed. Healthcare professionals can also consider administering this herbs to treat the symptoms as it is used to treat colds, fever, flu, chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis, rheumatism, dyspepsia, boils, diarrhea and certain skin and digestive complaints.

Below are the list of traditional use of Lagundi:

Expectorant/Cough Remedy
Sore throat relief
Anti-asthma/Bronchodilator
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Diuretic
Antinociceptive/Analgesic
Anti-allergy
Antihyperglycemic
Antimicrobial
Anthelmintic /Antiparasitic
Promotes wound healing
Hepatoprotective
Improves digestion
Carminative
Relieves anxiety
Promotes relaxation
Insecticidal
Reduces risk of cancer

As Traditional Medicine Practitioner, we recommend you to see your healthcare professional or Certified Manghihilot before taking any herbal remedy. It is good to identify the symptoms first in order to have a proper treatment that will result to a successful cure of any ailments. Self Medication is discouraged and right procedure of herbal administration is required.

For more information on Philippine Traditional Hilot and Healthcare, you may contact me at +639952467040 or connect with me at Facebook at Rolando Gomez Comon.

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