August is a “lean month” for the Ilonggos. They call it tigkiriwi, derived from a Hiligaynon adjective kiwi which means “asymmetrical” or “not balanced.” (It is a cognate of the Cebuano word hiwi which means the same.) Old folks also called tigkiriwi “tiempos muertos” (Spanish for ‘dying times’) in times in Iloilo. Socio-culturally, the harvest …
Source: Tigkiriwi: Why August is a Bad Month for the Ilonggos
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan offers training program that mostly deal with the Spirits. But why we are offering this when Hilot tends to care for the Body of an ailing patients?
Well our ancestors believed that a Body without a Spirit is dead, and taking care of the Spirit of Life in human will provide them optimum health and wellness. We believe that Life comes from the Spirit and the integration of the Spirit to the Human body makes them live.
Human is a complete being that is composed of the Physical Body, Emotional Body, Intellectual/Mental Body, Social and Spiritual Body. These aspects of Man pertains to the 5 Elemental Components or Ingredients that made mankind. Balancing the Elements by caring for the Spirit within Human will provide them the fullness of Life. In Hilot, we are not just dealing with the individual spirit of the person but also we deal with nature as they could affect the condition of the spirit of life of a person.
This is why we offer Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit working Course that offers certification to an individual to become a Magtatawas/ Pangatauhan/ Pangutanahan and Magaanito. All those terms or title are one certification that an Individual could use when they have completed this course. It is one qualification of a Babaylan out of 7 in accordance to the studies of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. In this certification program, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan will certify an Individual and grant them a title of Magtatawas/ Pangutanahan/Pangatauhan or Magaanito.
This title are used by a person who does ritual divination or spiritual diagnosis.
This title is derived from the Visayan word Pangutana which means to ask questions. Thus the role of the Pangutanahan is to answer questions of the people who are ill.
This is a traditional Title or name of the Tagalog Diviner. This is much appropriate term to use rather than to Manghuhula which can be translated as Guesser or the one who makes a Guess.
Magaanito or Panganituhan is more traditional term for magtatawas who conducts divinatory ritual or spirit diagnosis. They aim to communicate with the Spirits either of Human, Ancestral, Nature or Divine Spirit. Maganito means to conduct ritual.
In Tagalog Language- there are no translation for the word Ritual, but the term Anituhan which is working with the spirits can be used instead of the tagalized word “ritwal” for the english word RITUAL.
It’s been almost a year already that we provide Online Classes here at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan. So our Traditional Method of transferring knowledge and skills to our student has been halted for the moment due to the Pandemic of Coronavirus, but instead we adopted the technology of Online Learning through Google Classroom. Indeed our Academy has been empowered by Google Enterprise for Non Profit Organization and through them we are enjoying the technologies that we have in sharing the Wisdom of our Ancestors in Healing Arts and Science.
Our Traditional Method requires the student of Hilot to come to the Philippines and stay with us for 9 days. The method of Learning Hilot to the Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan Training Program is through apprenticeship method. In this training method we can share all the techniques that we know so that our Hilot Binabaylan can benefit more as they apply what they learn from us in person. We are sharing to our students all of the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviour and make them competent to perform the duties as Magtatawas, Manggagamot and Albularyo.
Due to the Pandemic of Covid19, we have to freeze temporarily this training program as travel abroad has been limited by most of the governments of the world. But through the availability of Internet, Learning Hilot will not be anymore be limited but we can now enjoy learning Hilot just right at the comfort of our home. This is how the Non Contact Hilot Online Training Program was created last year.
The Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working Class provides a certification to the students on becoming a Certified Magtatawas, Magaanito, Pangutanahan or Pangatauhan which is a skill of a Babaylan that communicates with the spirit and determine the condition of the souls of an individual. In this Training Program, Touch manipulation is not being taught but rather we share techniques on how we can affect cure to a person even without placing our hands directly to their body.
This Training Program has 3 Learning Units that are composed of lessons that a student may define hilot, perform hilot diagnostic methods and apply basic healing rituals without physically touching the patient/client. The learning activities that a student will perform are the following
With that, we are going to employ our resources that Google Technology have provided us, and they are:
There are other technologies that Google have provided but for the meantime, we are using what we know how to use.
During the time of the creation of this course, we intend that this training program will last for only 8 days if the student will give 4 hours a day to focus on their training. But most of our students are also working professionals or either also having academic subjects to complete, so we ask them to spare an Hour every weekends for live video call session.
Unit 1 is composed of 8 Lessons that has reading, watching and answering evaluation form activities. And at the end of each unit, we ask that student should write a summary of each lessons and share their thoughts on how they could apply the lessons in their daily lives.
In Unit 2 there are 6 lessons which has reading materials and video presentation. Aside from reading and watching, we ask students to record themselves in a video performing the task assigned to them to do. and after completing the whole lessons for unit 2, again there will be a unit test in a form of essay.
In Unit 3, the students will just only read and watch. There will be no evaluation exam for this learning unit but they have to prepare a presentation as their final exam and assessment.
For the return demonstration on Learning Unit 2, we are giving each students two weeks to complete their task. While for the the Learning Unit 3, we give them a month to complete their procedures and film them selves in performing it before they will graduate from our program.
Our weekly video conferencing is always held every week end. And we have 3 schedules for that in Philippine Time and that is on Sunday 9:30 PM to 10:30 PM, Monday 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM and Monday 12:00 NN to 1:00 PM.
Since our students are coming from different part of the world, we are the one who adjust so that each students can participate to our Video Conferencing which we discuss special topics of interest related to our training program. As of this moment the time zones we cover are from:
I am not very familiar yet with different time zones in the world, but thanks to Google that they are helping me to cope up with the different time zones in the world. We are also looking forward to accomodate people from Europe such as in France, Italy, Spain, Austria as we also have established Hilot Binabaylan in those areas of the world.
This coming Sunday May 16, 2021 by 9:30 PM Philippine Time we will have an Online Virtual Webinar about Hilot Orasyon as participatory class requirement for our students at Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working Class. Many people have thought of Orasyon as something connected to Agimat and Anting Anting and when you utter it may produce miraculous and magical effect like an incantation or mantra.
In this webinar/workshop, we will explore on the powers of Orasyon in creating wonders. We will cover different types of Orasyon such as the Latin Prayers used by the Antingero’s, some Islamic Dua, and Hindu/Buddhist Mantra. We will also discuss here how to make an Orasyon and we will discuss also if orasyon is only limited to spoken word and whom we are calling when we say an Orasyon.
So if you are currently enrolled to our Class or Graduate of Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, you are free to attend our webinar and if you want to have a copy of the video of this webinar, I encourage you to become a monthly supporter at Filipino Magick to receive invites and video lesson on specific topic we are discussing here at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan.
I started searching to know this Filipino God of Healing on 2009. I remember that on 2010 i went to a Coven Leader from Las Pinas if he know about this local God. He said that he will search his files and shared it to me until that my request for the information has been forgotten. Hilot is the only Magick that I have aside from reading Tarot as Divination and Tawas. This is my strength that i develop to my self that other see as a weak form of Magick.
From the start that I embrace Hilot, i see it as a Gift of the Divine in helping humanity as it only not provide relief but also as an art that truly heals. Since the time I use hilot, i already see the connection of our Body to the Spirit and I see that the Spirit makes the body complete in order for Life to exist to an individual. I know that Hilot is the Filipino Traditional Medicine that is connected to Spirituality of our Ancestors. It is an inseparable fact that when a body separates itself from the spirit it will die. Hilot aims to maintain and preserve life, and I know that God is the only source of life to all the lives on Earth.
So in my desire to connect Hilot to Spirituality i must search a Filipino God of Healing that from my desire I found the Diwatang Kilubansa. I even asked Baylan Alibata (who is now Lakay Magbaya Aghama) if he have information about Kilubansa, but unfortunately he doesn’t know either. So i decided to channel Kilubansa through the art of Tawas and an image appear before me. A man with a long hair that almost look like Jesus Christ but it has a rabbit in front of him.
Well Kilubansa, is that you? I ask then I sang a Chant for him so that through sounds that i make the Spirit of Kilubansa may talk to me. And i sing:
Kiiiii Lu Bansa! Kiiii Lu Baaansaaaa! Kiii Luo Baaaan Sa! Kiiii Lu Baaan Sa EeehhheeeYa!
Kilubansa Kilubansa
Kilubansa Kilubansaaaa
Kilubansa Kilubansa
Kilubansa Kilubansaaa Ahoy!!!!
Hilom Lunas Hilum Lunas
Kilubnansa Hilom Lunas
Hilom Lunas Hilom Lunas
Kilubansa Hilom Lunas
Ahoy!!!
The chant for Kilubansa
At the start, I do not know about Kilubansa as the source of this information that I found on the Internet does not tell anything about him. It just mention that Kilubansa is the God of Medicine and the Father of Dihas which is the Goddess of Herbal Medicine, and aside from it there are no more information. There are links that connects Kilubansa to one character in a Role Playing Computer Game which do the same work of healing. But other information such as what tribe he came from there are no information.
Other people might throw this info as there are no supporting document or evidence that this God exist in Philippine History. But for me since he was mentioned somewhere (specially on the internet) his name is just enough evidence that the energy of Kilubansa exist. And from that time i devote myself in raising the energy of Kilubansa that it may give it’s blessings to us today in the modern times.
On 2011 I started working out with Kilubansa. I have created a Facebook Page dedicated to this God so that people may see him and prove his existence. I have developed a Healing and Diagnostic Procedure named after him and now, Kilubansa moves and exist. From 2012 upto this date, I have taught this system to people and have used it to help people know themselves as we believe that each individual has their own ability to heal themselves as Kilubansa is within them too. I want to share here some testimony of our fellow Hilot Binabaylan as they learn the art of Kilubansa.
I can see Kilubansa as a beautiful way of re-membering Ancestors and channelling the elements to access that embodied support. Kilubansa is an accessible way to provide support for individuals and families in-person and or online. I can also see Kilubansa as a way of connecting & remembering ancestral stories through the direct counsel of the reading. The counselling or conversation allows individuals to be in relation to what they already know of their Ancestors along with the practitioner providing the diagrams and information on Ancestral Trinity, 7 Ancestral Powers, and Circle of Ancestors. It is a connective way for the medicine that is offered through this process and what wants to be known through the Elements.
From the works of Jen Maramba
Kilubansa is indeed a wonderful art. You may get know the techniques if you enroll to our Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working class which will open a new cycle on June 7, 2021.
I met this person virtually as Recommended by a Famous Advocate of Philippine Traditional Medicine and Mangaablon of California name Virgilio Apostol Mayor. And this person is Maria Haswell. At first she availed my service online then later on decided to learn Hilot with us. And now, let us get to know her here:
I have been a healer all my life and was initiated as a shaman in Peru. I offer spiritual classes & workshops, readings, sacred rituals for clients.
I felt called to go to the Philippines to learn different methods of healing and connect with my ancestors.
I learned so much about my culture while I was in the Philippines. I had to un-learn conditioned beliefs and opened my heart to new ways of healing. I learned to read & write in Baybayin, I loved the hands-on training in Hilot, Tawas, Bentusa, Suob, learned about plants as medicine, and so much more! I treasure every moment I had while going through my own personal healing. The guidance from Apu & Lakay was instrumental to my growth and my connection with my ancestors.
I have incorporated the lessons in everything I offer; Tawas, bentusa, Suob, Hilot, Tarot Reading, spiritual classes, workshops & retreats, sound healing meditation, shamanic practice, sacred ceremonies & rituals
My client received clarity from Tawas. She was suffering from chronic pain in her lower abdomen. The information I provided gave her so much clarity and realized that her mental stress was manifesting into physical pain. She made some significant changes in her life to be less stressed and learned to be more mindful of where her energy is at every moment. She is now pain free!
Get to know her more by visiting her website through the link below. Click on her picture and you will be redirected to her website.
Happy Easter mga Ka Habi!
How are you doing? I hope that you have enjoyed our Easter Break and from today April 5, 2021 we will resume our class by posting lessons in our classroom so as our weekly Video conferencing by weekends and it will happen on April 11 and 12 for me but most of you it will be April 11- Sunday either morning, afternoon or evening class.
This Easter Break seems to be more busy for us here as our City has been put again into ENhanced Community Quarantine that means curfew hours have been implemented again and our movement going out has been limited. And during this break we were able to conduct private healing session and even face-to-face exorcism ritual within the premises of the shrine.
It seems that many people still believe in the Power of Hilot but the principles within their belief are clouded with Spanish Influence such as the Christian Orasyon. Well its been 500 years since Spaniards arrive in our country and have introduced Christianity unto us. Our Struggle now as Binabaylan is the reintroduction of our Indigenous Spirituality to the people by making them ReMember themselves to be part of us.
Last week I also saw a post in one of the Social Media Platform that talks about Babaylan as an umbrella term for Manghihilot, Albularyo, Magaanito and so on and so forth. Well the later is just some work of a Babaylan but not all manghihilot, albularyo, magtatawas, magaanito and so on can be a Babaylan. If we convert the term Babaylan into a modern sense, it is a Title that has many qualifications and not just one qualification alone but a multiple role.
With that me and lakay are thinking to release to the public our Binabaylang Tala Initiation Course which will help an individual to reclaim their own Spiritual Lineage in accordance to the Guidance of the Ancestors. With that we assure our Students who have taken the Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan and Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working class to be pre-qualified in taking our Initiatory Course in Binabaylang Tala.
Binabaylang Tala is a path to Priesthood Course which will enable you to work with our Old Traditional Divinities. We will let you know more about this during our video conferences sessions.
Aside from this, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan want to let know everyone that we open our doors for new students every new moon so the registration for enrollment continue until we have served people that want to be reconnected into our race.
Our Next Admission Class will be opened on April 12 and new class will start by Full Moon April 27, 2021.
And to announce that we have candidates for Graduation and they are JL Umipig of New York and Lorenzo Pau of Hawaii. Our Class Graduation does not mean that their connection with us will be cut off but only it open them a new door to continue their dedication in serving the people within their community.
All of our Graduates are free to sit in to our class anytime and join our online video conferencing at their own free time.
So see you in our classroom!
Sincerely Yours,
Rev. Rolando Gomez Comon CNT-OPW
Chief Priest/ Founder
Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan
When we hear the word Albularyo what the common Filipino see in their mind is Mang Kepweng. Check the video trailer below.
Mang Kepweng is an Albularyo or medicine man that he gained his power to heal through his Magic Bandana worn on his head. It was given to him as a reward for his good deeds. An Alburayo is an expert on medicinal herbs as well as use of words or orasyon to affect cure. In the movie Mang Kepweng, the healer is shown to have power over the spirit world on which he communicates with spiritual beings and entities that possibly attack humanity by inflicting illness.
Now-a-days, we are seeing some resolution being drafted to call the Albularyo as Herbolaryo which the original term was derived. In this post, I will share to you our stand about the resolution of changing of the name.
Indeed it was true that the term Albularyo derives from the word Herbolaryo which means to be a person who is knowledgeable in using herbs to affect cure. But during the pre colonial times this term was not known among the common people because the name Albularyo or Herbolario are a word that been used by Spaniards to describe the person who uses plants, roots, leaves and barks with medicinal properties to affect cure to a person who has illness. And our local people doesn’t call the practitioner as Albularyo but Mananambal instead.
Before we talk about the difference of both terms, I want to emphasize first its similarity. Both Albularyo and Mananambal works with Herbal Medicine. The Albularyo or Herbolaryo are the Herbalist who have studied herbs and their medicinal properties and the process on which they can apply herbs to affect cure on illness of a certain individual; whereas the Mananambal are herbalist too which they learn the medicinal and magical properties of the herbs taught to them by their elders, observation to nature, and guidance by the spirits.
We can see that the name Albularyo is a name given by the Spaniards. So technically the name albularyo is unknown to our ancestors prior to the colonization of Spain to our country. The name Mananambal is older than then name Albularyo and their knowledge on herbs are most sought by our ancestors because modern medicine arrived only when the Spaniards came. The first Hospital in the Philippines was in Cebu established by the Spaniards on 1565. At that time Hospitals were called as Pamulnganan which the locals knows as house of Medicine which is derived from the local word Bulung which originally means as Medicine.
We can see here that over time, the Pamulnganan term is now unknown to us in modern time as we already have been accustomed to the words we adopt to call the house of medicine as Ospital or Hospital. And the word Bulong has changed it’s meaning which originally means as medicine but now Bulong becomes a word to describe what in English is called as Whisper. This is why we also know that Albularyo is an expert in Bulong or now they call it as Orasyon as prayer or magic words that could provide cure. Our knowledge on the Ancestral Healing Arts became complicated as the changes that been implemented during the time of colonization intentionally erase our memories so that we could embrace what they are giving to us.
But Now, this is our Mission in Luntiang Aghama through Hilot Academy of Binabaylan- we will serve as a window to bring back the memories of the past in to the present not only through information but also we make that information to animate as we can experience it today and preserve it for the future generations to come.
To make it clear, Albularyo or Herbolaryo is a Spanish name that used to describe a person who uses herbs to affect cure. They are the Herbalist who took Herbology in studying the effects of medicinal herbs. It means that in studying plants they observe academic method in accordance to the modern standards and procedures implemented by an modern educational institute. Whereas the Mananambal are a traditional herbalist who learn herbs that been passed down to them by their elders, observing the behavior of plants in nature, communicates with them and as guidance by the spirits. Mananambal are not only a herbalist but they are also a spirit medium.
So in Hilot Binabaylan, we do not just treat the body of a person but we also treat the spirit. So in using herbs- we do not just use the herbs to treat the physical body of the person but also we communicate with the herbs in order to heal also the spirit of the person.
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2021 has Gloriously arrived and Hilot Academy of Binabaylan still continues its mission in Promoting Hilot as Philippine Traditional Medicine. I thought that last year pandemic will stop our activities in sharing the Ancestral Knowledge of Healing Arts and Science as we all know that learning Hilot is through apprenticeship that requires face-to-face supervision. But through the Grace of the Diwata and with the help of the ancestors, we are being reminded that caring does not always require physical contact. We are also being reminded of the purpose of Hilot in accordance to its delivery system which are preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative. And through that, even at the midst of pandemic Hilot treatment modality can still be employed even without the Physical Touch of the Healer to the Patient/ Client.
As we open up our Door for Distant Learning- people from Canada, Singapore, Hawaii, New York, Colorado and California have been able to learn the Non Contact Hilot Technique through our Mind and Spirit Working Course. Due to the Physical Distancing implemented by the Government, our Job as Manghihilot has been limited since they do not recognize us as a Essential Health Worker. But even though we are being limited to our function, the Right for Health is on the responsibility of each individual. And the power to protect ourselves from being infected by Covid 19 is in our hands and does not merely rely on the Government Plan.
Last Year we have also witnessed how the Philippine Department of Health debunked the suggestion of Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care in employing Suob to provide relief. Aside from that initiative to conduct research on Tawa- Tawa, Lagundi and Virgin Coconut Oil has been made as it has been found to provide relief from the symptoms of Covid 19. Well let us just hope and pray that all this effort of our fellow Traditional Medicine Practitioners be recognized and let us continue to do our part to eradicate this virus in our society. Remember what our ancestors teach us, WE AS A HEALER WE DO NOT PROVIDE CURE AS EACH MAN HAS THE ABILITY TO HEAL THEMSELVES. What we do is to facilitate that healing and assist the person to achieve their optimum health and wellness through our guidance and supervision.
As we supervise and guide others in obtaining their optimum health and wellness, the society also expect more from us by always in our good health. We as Hilot Binabaylan should be an example to our people on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Though some of us may not believe on the pandemic virus, but prevention is still better than cure. Always practice safety in all that we do. When going out always keep Physical Distancing. Wear Face Mask and Face Shield. Sanitize your Hand with disinfectant. And most of all if you do not have business outside your house, just stay at home.
Since Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is now have our Distant Learning Program which you can take at the comfort of your own home and that is our Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working. This Training Program is ideal for you to take if you like the work of a Counselor.
DISCLAIMER
Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working is a non-professional, non-academic course that does not require government certification and license. This is a Specialty Course offered by Hilot Academy of Binabaylan as part of promoting Philippine Tradition, Culture, Spirituality and Healthcare. Mind and Spirit Working does not intend to replace the treatment procedures from the help of the professionals.
By taking this course, you will receive certification as Magtatawas or Spiritual Counselor that been recognized by Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. which is a religious organization established in the Philippines that focus on Philippine Traditional and Indigenous Spirituality and Healthcare.
This Year, we will start our Class on Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working this coming 24th of January 2021. And we will open our Google Meet for video conferencing on the following time schedule:
SUNDAY MORNING CHAT
SUNDAY AFTERNOON CHAT
SUNDAY EVENING CHAT
All Video Chat will be held through Google Meet. But for schedule and personal consultation, you may message me through our Whats App.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 
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