Category: Hilot Teaching

Hilot Recipe works wonder

I was able to talk to a friend yesterday from overseas and she mention that her mother is ill. I ask her what kind of illness that struck her mother and she told me that her mother is having difficulty to walk due to constant numbness of both of her legs.

I do distant tawas on her to see what the cause of her illness. And this is what I saw. As the oil drips as i introduce it to the flame of candles, it forms an intestine. As i finish the ritual, the smoke attached to the paper formed the image of a girl that has black spot on her chest. I tell her the situation of having emotional disturbance that she confirm to me to be right. I also mention the intestine that i saw that might cause her irritation. She confirms that she also have difficulty in her bowel movement that i made me land to provide recommendation of using Coconut Milk and Carrots as a remedy for 7 days which she will take on alternate days.

It means if she take the coconut milk with carrots juice today, tomorrow she will not take it but on the other day until she complete 7 intake of the recipe. And today as she does it, she message me with her testimony. ( I hide her identity as part of client privacy. I do not usually expose the names of my client or patient even with consent. This is part of the sacredness of our practice in hilot.)

In this situation of Pandemic, we as manghihilot are not hindered to provide our care to people who need our services. We can still provide our wisdom to people who needs for it. So if you need our help, you can also connect with us by contacting Apu Adman Aghama through his mobile number at +639952467040 or email at hilot.binabaylan@gmail.com

No Therapeutic Claim

Before the discovery of modern medicine, people around the world heavily rely on the power of nature to provide cure when they are sick; and these practices of our ancestors are now known as Traditional Medicine which in the Philippines is known as Hilot. As the modern medicine rise into power, they dismantle the role of traditional medicine to be an alternative and made the modern medicine as the conventional and more accepted form of providing cure. So the people who practice the traditional form of medicine was set aside so that the conventional medicine could work out in taking care of the health of the people. And those people who do use plant medicine in healing, they are encourage to brand their form of Medicine to have NO THERAPEUTIC CLAIM. It is known that years before the coming of Spain in our country, our ancestors rely on the efficacy of Plant Medicine to affect cure from any illnesses. It is also been recorded that Spanish Friars have conducted research on the Plant Medicine that our ancestors used until the first modern pharmacy was established in our country on 1830.

But now-a-days when a traditional healer produce and manufacture herbal medicine, the Pharmaceutical will label it as Food Supplement that has No Therapeutic Claim. Indeed as true as it was said by Hippocrates who was known to be the Father of Modern Medicine that:

Let Food be your medicine, and your Medicine be your Food.

Hippocrates

As Human being living in the modern day, we eat food 3 times a day or more. We eat breakfast, Lunch and Dinner plus the time we eat snacks. We eat our food to give us energy and strength. But we do not eat the prescribed medicine more than the recommended dosage that was given to us by the doctor. And those who do are known to be substance abuser which becomes an illness as well.

At this time of Pandemic, Hilot practitioners have the desire to help people by providing them relief from Covid 19 through Suob. But the Health Department whether locally or internationally have forbidden it’s use as it does not provide cure.

We agree that our practice will never provide nor Claim any Therapeutic Cure. As this will violate our Teaching that the Human Body has the ability to heal them selves from any diseases. The techniques that we apply does not compete to the modern technology that the modern medicine have, but our techniques only aim to assist the individual who suffer from illness and disease to find their own power to heal themselves. The video presented here talked about our role in Facilitating healing by removing the obstacle to the flow of the life force within the body of man. But until there is no exact cure for Covid 19, we pray that our Government will allow us to contribute in sharing our knowledge in caring for the people whom we love.

Defining Hilot according to Filipino living abroad Part 1

This pandemic of Coronavirus, staying at home and physical distancing made us to utilize more the available resources that we have such as the use of our laptop, desktop and mobile device to learn our cultural pride which is at the same time our very own Traditional Healing Arts and Science that we know as Hilot. It is a struggle for me to create this training program, since Hilot is more of Traditional Method whereas now we are using modern devices in order to share the wisdom of our Ancestors in Healthcare.

As we begin our online study on Non Contact Hilot training program, we ask our student on how they will define Hilot in this present generation. I will omit their name here but will share the works they have done and these are what they write about defining Hilot:

Introduction (from our June 2020 online trainee)

When I was growing up, my father taught me a form of massage that I thought was hilot, but in this essay, I will review the complex system of indigenous healing that is hilot based on the eight different sections presented by the Hilot Binabaylan Academy taught through Apu Adman and Lakay. These eight sections give an overview of the origin and virtues of hilot through the generations of healers, the terminology of health and illness, the understanding of health and illness through the natural law that is divided into purpose and integrity, and the modalities and healthcare delivery system of hilot. Lastly, I will conclude with how I would explain hilot to others.

General Overview

The overview’s glossary of Tagalog-to-English terms, as well as clarify that hilot is more than just massage, is the highlight of this section for me. It is especially important for people in the diaspora, who may be reclaiming and relearning their languages to have access to the specific terminology of illness and wellness. Much of the heart of the culture is the language, and by beginning with a language lesson, we begin with a meeting of the heart and the mind, to bring about the voice.

Modalities

Since the first section established that hilot is more than just massage, I found that this section on modalities is extremely important to describe what else is part of hilot. It also goes through the general framework of hilot procedures, which is very helpful and clear– there is a divination/diagnosis of illness with tawas, a cleansing with banyos and/or suob, then deep healing with hands-on methods, and then recommendations for home-care treatment such herbs, prayers, and lifestyle changes.

Virtues

Though I am already familiar and have a deep respect for the virtues of hilot, what was important for me to understand here was the explanation around giving money and the belief that it lessens the ability to heal. My father has told me that according to the traditions in his lineage of hilot, we cannot put a price on the healing or touch the money directly afterwards and instead only accept donations preferably sent as an e-transfer or given to a third party to put in a box somewhere, but he never explained why this tradition existed. This beautiful explanation that life cannot be bought, that this is more of an energetic exchange, resonates with me deeply.

Origins

This is the first time I have been introduced to the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs and I am so deeply grateful. I am familiar with the petroglyphs of the indigenous peoples of this land and how it is connected to their healing and way of life, and to know that our people have that too makes me determined to not only do a pilgrimage to the petroglyphs of the Anishinaabe, but the petroglyphs in the Philippines. I am also grateful to the Kabunian creation story, and the use of the hands as the first healer, and the different kinds of clay that made the different peoples. I disagree that some people are burnt or undercooked, and instead see them as reflecting the different colours of the world around us.

Concept of Life, Health, Illness, and Wellness

The world “silbi”, or purpose, was significant for me in understanding life, health, illness, and wellness, as my whole understanding of wellness revolves around purpose. I appreciate the 10 different functions of life that is understood to be part of the purpose, but I also understand that each function is actually representative of a much larger spiritual concept, such as each organ or limb is a physical manifestation of a spiritual concept. For example, “reproduction” can mean physically reproducing, but it can also mean spiritual bringing forth more creation energy into the world through art, technology, creativity, joy. “Excretion” can mean the physical removal of waste, but it is also connected to all cleansing processes, including the spiritual ones. “Metabolism” are chemical reactions about breaking things down and releasing energy, but they are also the spiritual connection we have to other beings, and our place in the cycle of life and death. “Respiration” is very similar in that it represents spiritual connection, but this is more about the reciprocal stage that maintains life, as opposed to the cycle that also includes death.

Elements & Faculties

This section covers 13 different parts of life and humanity: 3 faculties (thoughts, words, and deeds), 5 elements (earth, wind, fire, water, spirit), and 5 aspects (physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual). By understanding the harmonious relations of these 13 concepts with each other and in themselves, we also have another picture of how “silbi”, what individual purpose, is all about, beyond the 10 functions described in the previous section. But more than just individual purpose, we have integrity, or dangal. The harmony of the functions, elements and aspects must be expressed in the faculties, which then can be witnessed as dangal/honour. Our individual purpose must manifest in this world with integrity, otherwise there is an imbalance, an illness.

Indication & Contraindication

Like the first section, I love the sixth section for the same reason– the language lesson, the deeper understanding of culture, and in this case, of “pilay”. By understanding the “natural law” that is also deeply outlined in sections 5 and 6, pilay can also be seen as ways that the natural law is broken. For example, “pilay lamig” is an indication that the elements are out of balance, that there isn’t enough fire, while “pilay hangin” shows that there is too much wind. Supporting rites of passage as a human grows also supports the function of “growth” and “metabolism” and “respiration”, the connections between beings, and the cycles of life and death.

Healing Practices and Healthcare Delivery System

Though I am familiar with the history of the different generations of healers, what is very helpful and new to me was the categories of preventive, promotive, curative/therapeutic, and rehabilitative. I find this very helpful because when I am doing tawas and it shows the different imbalances in the past, present, and future, then also I can use the framework of the healthcare delivery system to understand what to prescribe. If I am talking about the tawas paper that represents the future, then I will be prescribing preventative and promotive. If I am talking about the tawas paper in the past, it may be curative or rehabilitative. The tawas paper of the present can be any of the four.

Conclusion

From all that I have learned so far under this sacred and human guidance, I would tell people that Hilot is all about understanding natural law — what is the purpose of life and humanity, and how is that purpose expressed with integrity and honour. This natural law means many different parts are in balance (such as the functions, elements, and aspects), and when they are not in balance, we become ill. Pain and illness is a message from the universe about what needs balancing around us, and we understand that through tawas, a form of communication with the natural law of the human and the world around that human. Once the imbalances are determined, there are numerous methods to bring balance back, that must be done with the active participation of the one that is ill. This does not just include massage, but herbs, talismans, charms, potions, prayers, exercises, and lifestyle changes. The manghihilot is not just a masseuse– they are actually an interpreter and channel of natural law, a vessel for the Creator’s power and plan. 

We would love to know what you think about our Training Program. If you have been already with us in the past and have experienced the wonderful healing arts of Hilot, kindly share your stories with us by sending us an email at hilot.binabaylan@gmail.com

You can also experience Hilot and learn with us by enrolling our Hilot Online Training Program. We still have a spot for our September 2020 class. To know more about our Non Contact Hilot Mind and Spirit Working Online Training Program, you may check out our page here.

Tools in Healing Ritual excerpt

People who come to us for healing are sensual. What I mean by sensual is that people who come for healing want their senses to be activated such as they want to see, hear, smell, taste and touch in order for healing to take effect on them. Most likely their physical illness makes them more sensitive (that is why they feel pain) and want that pain to be gone or diverted into something. Indeed that Pain is a manifestation of energy. As energy is not created nor can be destroyed but it can change form. So in our Healing Ritual, we are transforming the manifested energies that they possess into more positive and pleasing that is conducive for having optimum health and wellness.  

Apu adman, introduction to healing rituals

Our Body Speaks

It is not only through our mouth that people could speak, but as we learn how to read pulse we understand that even our Internal Organs are communicating to us. Indeed that monitoring our Pulse can help us determine the status of our Health. But understanding the characteristics of each pulse will help us know what is going on inside us as well as through its behaviour we can be able to project what is going to happen in the Future.

In this short video clip we have discuss about what the Pericardium or Heart Constrictor tells about our personality as each of our Internal Organs if we learn to communiate with them, they have a lot of stories to tell us. This is one of the skills that we share to our students when you enroll to our Non Contact Hilot Training Program.

Since we are all in Pandemic and most countries in the world limit people from Traveling, this course is ideal to take at the comfort of your home.

Get to know more about our Hilot Online Training program by clicking on the Picture link below .

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 Future of Hilot

The generation before us have left a bad image to the reputation of Hilot in our country as an abortionist. Though prior to them the practice of Hilot has given a highest regards of honor as it is a Holistic Healthcare system prior to the coming of modern doctors through the colonization. In our present Generation, the practice of Hilot is struggling with Massage Profession as people now-a-days see hilot as a form of Massage. But through Hilot Academy we are changing that image by promoting the original sense of Hilot as a complete Healthcare delivery system.

In our Hilot Online Training through the Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working Course, we have enumerated the skills of a Manghihilot in providing healthcare from cradle to grave. But in this present generations that we are right now, if we do not work to promote Hilot in our Society, what would you think that the people living in the future will know about Hilot?

Justice for Domingo Choc

I woke up this morning and as i picked up my phone i see this disturbing message i received from one of our fellow that live and practice Hilot in Italy.

I do not understand what the article have said as it was written in a foreign language but on the translation it says clearly that:

Abuelo Domingo Choc who is tortured for ten hours and burned alive in Guatemala in San Luis Peten on charges of witchcraft…

This is quite alarming as this kind of persecution exist. But i continue to learn more about who is this Abuelo Domingo Choc. As i run my fingers to the search engine on Facebook i saw Video posted on how this poor man being burned alive as witnessed by many people in an open field. As i continue my search, i found an article in thesun.co.uk which is a Tabloid Newspaper published in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland that is published on June 9, 2020 detailing the event of Mob Burning to Abuelo Domingo.

According to the Article, Abuelo Domingo Choc is a 56 years old Medicine Specialist and a Traditional Healer working as collaborator at University College London on a Pharmaceutical project that focus on traditional plant based medicine. According to the article, Domingo Choc Che was accused of Witchcraft by the angry mob when one of their member died after the medicine provided by choc failed to work.

Abuelo Domingo is a Treasure to the world as he keep to preserve and recover the Natural Ancestral Mayan Medicine.

As a fellow revivalist and Ancestral Medicine Worker and Traditional Healer, our only Goal is to preserve this Sacred Knowledge and Wisdom of our Ancestors in preserving the life of Humanity through the potency of our Plant Medicine. As a Healer we have sworn an oath to Harm None and we never intend to put any poor soul to death. We are only a channel or a bridge, we only find ways how to extend the life of a dying soul through the medicine that nature has provide. We do not claim success all the time on the treatment method that we do. It is the same thing that modern physicians do.

Like Tata Choc, we wish to integrate with the Modern Medical Practitioner in helping our people to find cure in this Global Spread of Pandemic that is happening to us right now. And the killing to one of our Kind such as Tata Domingo Choc is a great loss to all Humanity.

As a Fellow Traditional Medicine Practitioner, I Cry for Justice to be served to Domingo Choc Che. I Pray that those people who do this brutal murder of our fellow be enlightened as tata domingo work on the other world to cleanse their soul from malice and unbelief. May the God of our Ancestors who is the First Medicine Man of our World give grace to everyone of us.