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.

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.

Attune to the Energies of your Home

The common problem of people living abroad (outside Philippines) as they learn Hilot Pahid from us they may opt out to perform Pagsasala when they go back to their home country because in their country there is no banana leaf available. But that should not be a problem.

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If there are no banana leaves, there are other alternative aside from Banana Tree. Traditionally when there is no banana leaf the Manghihilot use cellophane or paper to do pagsasala, but in Hilot Academy we refrain our practitioners in doing that but instead use different leaf that is similar to the texture of the Banana Leaf.

Pagsasala is a Pre Hilot Pahid procedure which prepare the body of the client for a deeper treatment session. It could also become a stand alone treatment due to its therapeutic nature of detoxification as well as in providing rich in oxygen nutrients to the skin. The pagsasala ritual acts as a cardio pulmonary resuscitation using the leaves.

So in using glass or plastic, instead of releasing oxygen it will only release carbon and other toxins inside the body through the pores. So better use banana leaf or any other green leaf that has smooth surface.

As Manghihilot you are encouraged to attuned to the energies of the place where you live. Take a walk along the neighborhood early in the morning. See if there are plants or trees nearby. Recognize each of them by breathing with them. Recognize their scent. Recognize their texture by touch. When there are no plant or trees nearby, find a garden shop and start cultivating plants in your home. Or better yet go to the supermarket and find Turmeric Rhizome or Ginger and plant it.

Ginger

Turmeric

As manghihilot, we must refrain ourselves to be limited on the tools we use in Healing. We already have learned that all the things we need are already provided to us by the Universe. As much as possible we only use herbs that is endemic into our place and as we use it we also cultivate and propagate them so that they will continue to provide the medicine we use and need. You as Manghihilot has the responsibility not only to your life but also to the life of our Planet.

A day with Hilot Binabaylan

64659476_2750984058309237_503475514049036288_n — Lakan Aku, Lakay Alsent, Kai Kai, Doc Kit and Apu Adman

It’s June 16, 2019- Sunday is a Busy day for Hilot Academy of Binabaylan at the Shrine of Luntiang Aghama. A night prior to this we had a Freedom Redemption ritual that was Participated by the Members of Luntiang Aghama who is at the same time our Hilot Binabaylan in the Academy and so as with our new student from Washington DC no other than Kai Kai. Last night was a great opportunity for Kai Kai to learn the ways of our Ancestors in Healing as she does Tawas and Pagpag. We also did a mini Psychism Workshop focusing in Alterative Abilities and Psycho Kinesis which went great.

64206201_402146547177320_5362602024397438976_n This morning we have been greeted by Russel Lim of Quezon City as he come to remember the Art of Pulse Reading through a Workshop with Kai Kai his Kasama on this journey back to the Path of our Race. We’ve done a lot this day. We do the western Pulse Reading like on a Vital Sign Check Up, the Oriental Hilot Pulse reading, we do also Tawas and the Kapwa Tarot Reading by Kai Kai. It was like a baptism of Fire for Kai Kai as she practice what she have learned from us in the past days. Indeed i agree to what she always tell that she need to learn her Human Anatomy and Physiology as she willl work out with Hilot. Though most of our Hilot are Spiritually inspired but all the inspiration of the Spirit will come into matter as it is said that:

As above, so the Soul;

AS Within, so Without;

As the Spirit, So as the Soul!

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Hilot Pulsuhan: Pulse Reading Analysis Workshop

Pulse is one of the Cardinal Signs of Life as it shows the internal activity not only of the heart but also of the other internal organs within our body. By learning to feel your pulse, you will determine which organs need special attention for treatment. This skills of Pulse reading is a great method of preventive health care.

You dont need to be a professional Healthcare provider to learn to feel your pulse. You yourself must learn to feel your pulse as your internal organs communicate with you.

In this workshop you will learn the basic pulse site in the body,, the proper finger position, the organs connected to the pulse, the behavior and characteristics of each pulse, the psycho emotional effects of each pulse, and the basic remedy and cure to enhance our pulse for optimum health and wellness.

Registration fee is Php 2,500.00 but we will provide 30% discount to all who will click going to this event page.

For more details on registration you may call or text Apu Adman Aghama at +639952467040.

Tawas: A Hilot method of Diagnosis

Tawas is an abstract form of communication whereas the practitioner of Tawas gather information from the subject utilizing tools such as paper, water, candle, oils and others to observe and analyze form and symbols. It is a indigenous art of Divination and Diagnosis practiced by rural folks to determine the cause of illness.

In Hilot or Philippine Traditional Medicine, the cause of illness is not limted to Physical factor but also through emotional, mental,social and spiritual factor thus Filipino believe in Usog, Buyag, Gaba, Bati, Kulam, Engkanto and Multo.

Ancient Filipino view life as a Divine Gift so as in having illness is viewed as a punishment. In this concept of life, Health is a condition of life where you are experiencing good health which is known as kaginhawaan and bad health condition as karamdaman. Wellness and Illness condition of man is a result of mans response in doing their life purpose.

Life is characterized by motion and movement, so in the concept of life purpose there must have growth and progression. When growth and progression is absent into one person not only physically but holistically, Tawas is performed to determine the malady that causes illness and implement cure.

Tawas ritual start with silencing of the mind of both the pratitioner and the recipient. The Magtatawas will ask permission to the Divine Creator to allow him or her be used as a medium of healing and will call on the Higher and Lower self of the patient.

Then using a small piece of blank paper, the magtatawas will swipe it over around the body of the patient from head, shoulder, arms, hands, chest, stomach, legs, feet, and back parts of the body.

The magtatawas will put 3 drops of oil to the palm of the patient and will place the paper on it and be covered with another palm and start to connect one another in a prayer position.

The praying hands will be placed in front of the heart, then to fore head and lastly to the stomach with the paper still inside the praying hands. And the magtatawas will ask the patient to release the hands and will get the paper and will introduce it to the flames of the consecrated lamp or candle and will read the shapes and symbols formed.

From our last Tawas workshop that was held on November 25, 2018 at the Shrine of Luntiang Aghama in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan they reported that while doing tawas they are like looking at a story board as the read the images formed in the Paper Tawas. Their Psychic senses has also been enhanced and was able to develop Empathy which is essential in doing Healing Works.

From our Workshop we have produced the Millenial Magtatawas from the persons of the following:

Doctor Aris Siazon (Doctor of Homeopathy)
Wilma Villalba
Rovie Dela Cruz
Meliton Siazon

Congratulations to our new Magtatawas and welcome to Hilot Academy of Binabaylan.

If you are interested to learn the Ancient Art of Tawas or other Hilot Modality, you may write us an email for schedule through hilot.binabaylan@gmail.com or you may call and text us at +639952467040

Healing Crisis

This video demonstrate what happens to a person who is recieving Hilot.

When a sick person comes to manghihilot, the person is being filled with clean energy upto the brim and overflow.

Watch the bubble (which is the toxin within the body, this may represent negative energies that affect also the mind, emotion and the spirit).

As clean energy comes in to the body (represented by the faucet water) the unclear energy is being brought up and expelled out, but cleansing doesnt stop there becuase it needed to be thoroughly cleansed.

When someone feel that their ailments become aggravated, that means all negative energies have been purged out. The same thing happen in soul healing. The person will experience mood swings, hatred, bad luck and so on until overflowing love and blessings will flourish.

The work of healing does not stop in addressing pain but ot should work continuesly until we gain the expected result.

When all is well then, the patient becomes now the vessel of possitive energy that s/he also becomes a healer.

Prayer and Time

Through prayers we got our answer. As we recite the words to the Universe of our desires, it already been given to us.

Last night i am praying for the health condition of a special someone in my life. Special attention and medication was given so as prayer.

And while praying answer has been given.

“By the Power of Love that give us Life, Peace prevails on Earth.”

This i continually recite until some voice in my head tells me that the Power of Love will cure illness of the lonely soul.

Sometimes a person get sick because they feel that they have been neglected and ignored. And this person nurtured that feeling that s/he is not important that it comes to his/her mind that its better for them to get sick and die.

With that in their mind they loose their own motivation to live.

They eat little. They become weak. They become stink because proper hygiene was not observed. And so on…

Love on other hand as we have mentioned is the force that gives life.

By spending our time to the sick person; Talking to them and hear their stories; Exerting effort of moving their muscles in exercise and physical mabipulation; Spoon feeding them and assisting them to drink; are all possitive energies that we share to the person that could help them recover their health and achieve wellness in life.

The power of prayer to heal is not only through the amount of words we say but through the quality of time we spend with the patient and to the actions we perform to the patient.

Pwera Usog

In our discussion during the Hilot Pahid Workshop on defining Hilot healing modality, we have talked about that heat is different from light as a healing method.

On the following day after the workshop, me and lakay are giving feedback on the activities we have done so that we may improve our delivery method in conducting workshop and trainings.

During our feedback session, lakay have clarified that heat is differentiated to light by the sense perception it affected such as heat is for the sense of touch or feelings while the light affects the sense of sight.

Hilot pahid produces heat to the body of the person as it’s action in manipulating the surface of the skin is through friction. While light therapy can also be equated to Color or Chromatherapy which use color in treating the person.

Since color is visual, it can affect the nervous system through its psyho emotional reactions through color. As we continue our self evaluation and feedback, we look also for evidence that our traditional healers use color in treating dis Ease.

And we remember that we have used color to treat and avoid Usog. Usog is a condition where a person absorb too much negative emotions from other person that makes him or her sick. Its not only the babies who can suffer from this illness but also the grown ups too.