It was September of 2019 when Jeremy Pascal and his wife Gerone of Grenoble, France became our Student here in the Academy. As they spent days of training with us, it is through Jeremy that we have received and important gift that we still enjoy today or even on the days to come and it is the water Kefir Grains.
What is water kefir grains?
Water kefir grains are clusters of good bacteria and yeasts living in a symbiotic relationship. They are held together by a polysaccharide (dextran) that produce Lactobacillus Hilgardii. These clusters of bacteria, yeast and polysaccharide look like crystals or grains of jelly that makes the kefir water work as probiotic drink. Water Kefir Grains is also known as Tibicos, Japanese Water Crystals, and California Bees. There is a speculation that Water Kefir Grains originated in Mexico, however, there are stories that it originates in Tibet, the Caucasus Mountians, and the southern peninsula of Ukraine.
What are the Health benefits of drinking Water Kefir?
Water Kefir is a probiotic beverage linked to various health benefit including improved immunity and even protection against cancer.
Probiotic are a type of beneficial bacteria found in your gut or microorganism that lives in our intestine. It plays an integral role in almost every aspect of health, from cancer prevention to immune function and beyond.
In this time of Pandemic of the Coronavirus Disease, everyone of us must have a strong immune system because it is our body’s natural defense system. It’s an intricate network of cells, tissues, and organs that bands together to defend our body against invaders. Those invaders can include bacteria, viruses, parasites, even a fungus, all with the potentials that can make us sick.
Aside from drinking Probiotic Drinks as Immune Booster food supplement, there are other natural ways we could strengthen our Immunity and they are the following:
Get enough sleep.
Eating Green Leafy Vegetables
Eating more healthy fats
Eat more fermented foods or take a probiotic supplements.
Limit added sugars
Engage in moderate exercise
Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water
Manage our stress level
Take food supplement wisely
By taking this steps in maintaining your immune system strong may prevent you from having illness.
3D illustration of Coronavirus, virus which causes SARS and MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
With the rise of this pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019, many people around the world are asked by our government to stay at home and be safe. This is one of the model that we as human being can beat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease which is by not being exposed and contaminated with this pestilence that is spreading to fast.
Staying at home means that you only connect with people that you trust. You are not exposed to strangers that you do not personally know outside of your home and the person you might encounter outside be a carrier of the deadly virus. But it seems that staying at home is difficult to do. The more we are asked to stay at home and be safe, the more we struggle to go out and have the chance to be infected with the virus. This is the current problem of the world government right now aside from the virus, are the people or the citizens specially here in the Philippines. It seems that this simple ordinance of our government is the most difficult law to observe. People think of it as an abuse of authority and violation of the government to human rights. Well our government can explain themselves in implementing this law but to the commoners it will be difficult for them to understand.
As Manghihilot we already have recognize the danger of what can this virus bring on to us, but we must also understand why do people around the world are having difficulty to stay at home?
Baby comes out from her mother’s womb through C Section
Probably the first reason why is it difficult for people to stay at home because as human we are designed to come out like when we are born into this world, we are pushed out from our mothers womb. And when we are growing, we are being cultivated to go out of our home such as playing in the park or hanging out at the mall with friends, buying stuffs at store, market or groceries. We even go out of our home to study at school and even worship God in a church.
Almost all human activities requires of going out of our home and this because of the progress of commercialization of almost every thing. We are being influenced that all of our needs to have a better life can be found outside our home. Such as in having a good income opportunity you have to go out of your house to work in a company that pays good salary. The Filipino way of thinking that working in Manila or even abroad is much better that staying at home. But what we all forget is that life started inside and not outside.
When egg is broken by an outside force, for sure that egg is dead. But when it breaks out from inside, there is new life that we can expect in this world.
At this pandemic outbreak of the Coronavirus, our planet is transforming into a new world. Many of us may not understand what is happening, but one thing for sure is that we are being taught to go back to the basic. And the basic thing that we need to learn is to stay at home. Staying at home right now can be likened into a seed planted on the ground. We need to be inside the earth so that we could germinate life. It is the same thing that happen to a caterpillar, he weave his cocoon and stays there until he is transformed into a beautiful butterfly.
Transformation will not happen if we stay outside. Today is a day where we change our selves into something beautiful and wonderful. This is a wonderful time for us to heal and be re created into something worth of praise and glory. This is the time for us now to be part of Human Evolution, which is strong and healthy and at the same time united in love with our Family.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Through out our writings and teachings here at Hilot Academy, we have taught that the medicine for our illness can be found within our yard. The herbs that grows within our community is our best medicine for our illness. But the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease that originates in China and now have spread world wide that it is declared as Pandemic, where can we find its cure?
We might not be able to help out our brothers and sisters in the Medical and Scientific Field, but the Wisdom of our Ancestors can be handy in preventing the spread of this disease.
As Manghihilot according to the principles of herbalism that we practice, we do not deal with the disease but rather we deal with the strengthening the body of man in order to heal our selves. The First Principle of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare is that we believe that man has own ability to heal our selves. That is why when we are sick complete bed rest and taking a lot of fluids are advised until the symptoms are gone.
The next thing we ensure is that the place where we live is thoroughly clean and sanitize so that re infection will not happen. Cleanliness and personal hygiene is necessary. We also have taught that in order to benefit from Healing, it is not only the body of the person we need to treat but also the environment. Remember our Gold Fish analogy?
When one of the Gold Fish is sick, we remove them from their aquarium and clean the aquarium, and the sick gold fish is separated to the healthy one so that it will not contaminate and infect the healthy one.
Sponge bathing is one treatment we do to maintain body temperature when the person is having a high fever. We place cold wet towel on the forehead to cool down and protect the brain from being cooked due to the rise of temperature.
Hypocrates also have mentioned that creating artificial fever would help in healing any kinds of illness. Thus the practice of Suob/Luop/Palina aka Steam Bath are advised to artificially raise up the temperature within the body to fight pathogens and free radicals that comes in to our system that cause illness.
Keeping our body warm and hydration is the best practice we provide in treating illnesses. In the practice of suob, we also prepare glass of drinking water so that from time to time we let the patient drink water as s/he will perspire a lot during the treatment. Giving a drink will hydrate the patient and replenish the loss of water in his system.
In keeping our body warm when we are sick, our parents cover us with blanket at wear us socks in our feet. There is a traditional practice also in making out feet warm is by clipping a clove of garlic or slice of ginger to the in between of our toes. And to some they also place a round slice of onion to the soles of their feet while wearing socks at bed time.
Hilot Masahe is also provided in giving warmth to the body as well as in aligning nerves or bone structure into position. Sometimes disalignment is also cause of pain and imflamation.
Last September 24, 2019 i accept the case of Tatay Ricardo who suffered from CVA or stroke. It’s been already a year when the Family met me and try my service. Before me tatay rick had undergone Physical Therapy sessions and have acquired services from massage therapist who do home service. He even got burn when one of the therapist they hire give him a hot stone massage to awaken his nerves and blood vessels. Instead of getting well he got injury. I assessed his condition by asking some question. He could speak up well and the words he utters are understandable. He describe and demonstrated that he could not move his left part of the body from the upper arms and lower leg but his right side of the body are working well. After knowing every details i need to know, i started calling back the lost soul of tatay ricardo to be one with his body again. I apply the Binabaylan Healing oil and do the 5 elemental hilot manipulation to awaken his nerves and blood vessels. I also touch the healthy part of his body in order to assist the flow of life force in his body to create balance. At first there is so much radiating pain as a response to every healing touch i made. This signifies that his body is alive and responding to every touch i made. After a few stroke i ask tatay rick to describe the severity of the pain and thankfully in every movement the pain lessen until there was none.
In healing with Hilot, there must be 3 elements always present in every session:
Faith in God
Faith in the Healing of Hilot
Faith in your Self.
We acknowledge God in every healing session we make in Hilot as we believe that God is the ultimate source of Healing as he is also the source of Life. Secondly we believe that as Manghihilot, we are the channel of the Divine Blessings of God to heal all illnesses known to mankind and to maintain the Life Force Flowing through all creation; and lastly, the individual must also believe and trust their own ability to be healed and they must also be willing to participate in God’s power to Re Create life within us. The Patient and the Manghihilot acts as God’s Co Creator in Re Creating Life within the patient. The healing of hilot does not always take effect instantaneously. It also requires the element of time in order to create the artwork of life beautifully in our life.
As Manghihilot we call our recipient as Patient because it really require patience on both side in order for the healing effect take place. And here we can see that as Manghihilot, we just don’t give massage for relaxation because we do not pamper our patients but instead we teach them to be responsible in their own health. Now let us take a look at Tatay Ricardo as he progress with our Hilot Session for 3 months.
When i learn the amazing benefits of this plant years ago i walked around our subdivision to see if there are wild Gotu Kola that grew along the sidewalk and i did found. I ask the spirit of the place to get some and be replanted in our house. When i have able to multiply it, i taught to my mother its wonderful benefit to her health. And she was amazed by its powers and how it help her that she recommend it also to our neighbors and friends. As she continue to recommend it to our neighbors our Gotu Kola get exhausted. I tried to save some but it did not become successful.
Years passed by i try to look again along the street if there are wild gotu kola growing. But it seems people learned the importance of this plant that they kept it inside their yard. So i ended up looking for it on a Garden Shop. But this plant where i now grow is i bought beside Quiapo Church in Manila. It cost me Php 100.00 for this plant. And gladly i am growing it that we can make medicine out of it.
Gotu Kola or Takip Kuhol leaves can be eaten as a Salad. So every morning as we woke up, we pick 7 to 9 leaves of Gotu Kola and wash it over tap water and eat it. According to researcher, Gotu Kola has amazing healing properties such as:
Antioxidant
Anti-inflammatory
Neuroprotective
Cognitive enhancer/Nootropic
Supports cardiovascular & respiratory health
Improves circulation
Promotes wound healing
Adaptogenic
Boosts immunity
Anti-rheumatic
Antimicrobial
Anti-psoriatic
Anxiolytic
Anticonvulsant
Gastroprotective
Improves digestion
Antihypertensive
Antihyperlgycemic
Good for the skin and hair
Increases libido
Reduces cancer risk
In Ayurveda, Gotu Kola is known to be as Blood Purifier and also as Memory Enhancer. Taking tea from the leaves of Gotu Kola could relieve Anxiety, Depression and Stress.
In Hilot Academy we don’t just share our knowledge with our students but we also learn as we interact personally with each one of our potential Manghihilot. Indeed that Hilot is the Philippine Traditional Medicine, but our Medicine is not solely exclusive for the Filipino. It also welcome other people of different color, language, ethnicity and race. Hilot is an inclusive modality where anyone can experience from it. And through experience people learn the ancient science and art of Hilot. Before starting to learn the techniques of Hilot, it is important that the individual experience it first so that they may understand well the awesome wonders of this modality and how it will help people improve their lives.
Since Hilot deals with the Life Force with every individual, throughout the ages people thought that Hilot involved Spirituality. Indeed that Hilot is the gift of the Divine to Humanity, so it is appropriate for the practitioner to give credit to the Diwata or Divinity that gave Hilot to the world. There are some people who will neglect this part on giving Hilot but when they do it will not become Hilot anymore. It will just be like any ordinary massage where you can have in Spa or Massage Center.
The Teachings of Hilot requires Discipline as it teach each individual practitioner to provide Hope and Happiness, Inspiration, Love, Optimism and Trust. With these virtues that Hilot shares to the world, one must also build up relationship to the Ancient Filipino God who teach Hilot to our Ancestors. It is through the Divine Providence of the Diwata that the Sacred Science and Art of Hilot has been preserved through the colonization.
During the Sharing Time with our French Students weeks ago, i have realized that we as Filipino are blessed enough that even we undergo through colonization we have managed to preserved our identity and have brought Hilot to the modern world. As i meditate on this realization, i found out that our Love for our Ancestors made Hilot to survive the force of colonization and change in our country. It is also through our resistance, our Ancestors have fought for our Freedom and liberation. Hilot have survived as it has been passed by our ancestors to their children. It has not been taught academically but through practical application or actual giving of hilot to treat illness that it have come into our present time.
Now-a-days the Medicine of Hilot is struggling again with the rise of Modern Medicine and Commercialism. The new world adopts Hilot and have brought wrong information to the world that Hilot is the Filipino Massage whereas Massage is just one of the many modality that Hilot does. Commercialism breaks down Hilot and disregard the Spirituality of Hilot. Educational Institution standardize the practice of Hilot and it was categorized under Massage because it can be a great source of income opportunity. Whereas in fact Massage Industry in the whole world is already suffering with the infection of prostitution in its practice as some practitioners have entered the personal zone of limitation and also have disregard the barriers of professionalism and personal ambitions.
In Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, we will strive to make and maintain Hilot as a Sacred Modality of Healing. We are making Hilot to become an opportunity for the individual to get to know themselves and connect them through Hilot to their creator. Through hilot the each individual mind, body and spirit will be harmonized as one that will help them to achieve their ultimate purpose in life.
As Manhihilot, you will take the role of a Priest to the old Filipino God which is the Diwata. Through the manghihilot, you will become a medium between the individual to his/ her higher selves and their ancestors. You will also mediate for the persons to the nature spirits and obtain their blessings of Wellness through their healings herbs and fruits. As manghihilot, you do not just heal the body but also you heal the environment where the individual lives.
Years passed by i try to look again along the street if there are wild gotu kola growing. But it seems people learned the importance of this plant that they kept it inside their yard. So i ended up looking for it on a Garden Shop. But this plant where i now grow is i bought beside Quiapo Church in Manila. It cost me Php 100.00 for this plant. And gladly i am growing it that we can make medicine out of it.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 
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