Hilot as a Bridge towards Decolonization

Early this morning we have fetch Christine Quynh Vy at Naia Terminal 3 for her 8 days study of Hilot Binabaylan Training. I ask her who recommend her to study Hilot Binabaylan and I was so glad to hear that one of our Graduates from Hawaii which is Dayang Gulaon, a vessel and Hilot Binabaylan of Diwatang Gugurang and Diwatang Laon. Dayang Gulaon aka Julz Bolinayen of Lakapati’s Legacy we among the last student of who took the in person 8 days training of Hilot Binabaylan before the lock down of Pandemic of Covid 19. From January 2019 when she took the Class, Dayang Gulaon have taken pride to the Ancestral Wisdom of Filipino Healing Arts and Science that she offers it through Lakapati’s Legacy in Hawaii. She is a Hilot Binabaylan that specialize in Tattoo Ritual, Divination, Serenade, Energy Healing and Death Doula- Ship. And she is the beloved Medium of Kilubansa the Filipino Diwata of Healing which Hilot Academy enshrined as our Patron Guide.

Quynh Vy is a receives Kilubansa Reading from Dayang Gulaon that later on they became friends. And Quynh Vy learned about the Academy through her. We were glad to meet Quynh Vy in person, and we have learned that she is a Vietnamese- American. Though she came to us to learn Hilot so that she could acquire some tools in her quest to uncover Vietnamese Culture and Tradition.

In the past, I have received some advice to limit accepting students to only Filipino or those with Filipino Blood. But I reject that Idea as it will violate the Ethics of Hilot that states:

“…as Manghihilot we do not discriminate an Individual, we do not look at them of their nationality, their political and religious affiliation, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, Social Classification whether they are rich or poor, We do not look at their color whether they are white, black or brown; we do not see them if they are young or old; but rather we see them as Soul that is within their body that needs healing from us.”
Hilot Gamutan: A fundamental Guide on Hilot Treatment Methodology by Rev. Rolando Gomez Comon CP MH-SOLA

So as a Teacher of Hilot, we do not discriminate also on whom we are going to Teach Hilot as Hilot is not exclusive to a certain person only but it is always available for all who are in need of.

The Work of Hilot

As I see most Hilot Schools focuses their training on Massage Aspects of Hilot, thus when they finish their schooling the end result will be that they are going to be employed as Massage Therapist at Spa. But the problem that I see on Spa is that for the sake of Earning an Income, they have neglected to follow the Therapeutic Hours which a Manghihilot should follow. The Knowledge that an individual learned from the Academy or Training Center has been erased or set aside when the Graduate has been employed in the Spa. The reason would be that school setting is different from the Industry Setting which is an actual life event. That is why I saw some Spa operates almost from 1:00 PM to 3:00 AM which is a 14 hours or even almost operates for 24 hours of service which hazardous to the health of the practitioner.

In Hilot Academy, we do not encourage that kind of work, as Manghihilot we are a Health Care Provider and we know that in Health Care we have to set a Therapeutic Environment as well as following the Therapeutic Hours.

What is Therapeutic Hours?

Therapeutic Hours are time within the day where Healing Energies are available in Nature which a Manghihilot could access to affect healing to the patient. And These hours are from Sunrise to Sunset. For me those times are healing time as light are available. Let us say, we start our Healing work by 7:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, these hours are intended for Promotive Health Care or for attracting positive energies to come into the persons life, where as from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM which the Sun is setting is intended for banishing or removing negative energies.

As soon as the Sun goes down and darkness covered the sky, it is intended for rest. It has also its healing property which commands our brain to slow down. Many people get sick because people resist this natural order. They do the work that supposedly be done during the light of the day and still work at night.

So the work of Manghihilot should not exceed the prescribed hours of the Day, in doing so, the Manghihilot also doing harm to themselves and not teaching discipline to their client by allowing them to violate the Therapeutic Hours set by Mother Nature her self.

So aside from doing physical touch manipulations and other Hilot Healing Methods to affect healing, the Manhihilot is also responsible in Cultivating their own Healing Medicine from Nature.

like what we always say that Hilot does not only focus on the massage aspect of healing but it also utilize Halaman (Herbs) Init (Heat) Liwanag (light) Orasyon (time/prayer) Tubig (water) in healing.

And the one I have shared to you above is the teaching about Hilot Orasyon which is about time and therapeutic hours.

If you like the article you just read above, please consider donating so that we may finish the construction of Bahay SiAdTala in Brgy. South Signal Village, Taguig City. This will be our new training venue for Hilot Academy of Binabaylan and Fellowship Center of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc..

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Upgraded Hilot Curriculum

As feedback from our recent training last April and May 2023, though we made it successfully that we have able to transfer our knowledge and enhance their skills in practicing Hilot through our 8 days training but it is very compressed that we have not able to do more exercises and return demonstration, we have decided to make it longer that will focus on practice and return demonstration. We also added up some new topics to discuss specially on Setting Up Hilot Healing Center as compliance to PITAHC Standards and Regulation in the Practice of Hilot. The following will be the upgraded curriculum that we may implement for 2024.

Our New Training Program on Hilot Binabaylan aims to meet the following Goals for our Students.

To enable our students to embody in this present generation the concept and principles of the Philippine Traditional Indigenous Medicine by becoming an Authentic Manghihilot which is Hilot Binabaylan.
To initiate our Students on our Filipino Ancestral Valuing system of Life and to the practice of Traditional Indigenous Health Care.
To train our students in Developing Analytic Mind through our Tawas Diagnosis Method that we also call as Traditional Alternative Wellness Analytic System and integrate it to the modern method of health assessment and evaluation.
To provide an opportunity to our students to learn and practice different Hilot Treatment Modalities that is integrated to the modern healthcare delivery
To empower our students which are our potential Hilot Binabaylan in providing Home Care Supplementation of Herbal Remedies by introducing them to Plant Medicine.
To Integrate the Practice of Hilot Binabaylan in the National Health Care Delivery System.

Though our 8 days training will still be available, but there are some locals who are interested to learn from us but can not afford the fee that we provide. So, we plan to provide it on a weekly basis either Saturday or Sunday Afternoon from 1PM -6:00 PM. The reason why our program becomes expensive for 8 days is that it include the Hotel Accommodation, Food (breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner), rental for our training venue, so as for the learning materials consumables. Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is an Educational Ministry of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. which is a Private Institution that is not Supported by any Government Agency that we could offer Scholarship program. Though we want to offer our program in a lower fee but as an organization, we also are paying fees aside from the students food and accommodation, we are also renting our venue so as the utilities and other bills.

Under the Shady Tree

All I thought it was impossible to do it. In my mind I doubt of making it Happen to compress the following lessons in just 8 Hours from 9:00 am to 5:00 PM. And the lessons we took up are the following:

Definition, Origins and Hilot Treatment Methodologies; Basic Hilot Diagnostic that focus on Pulse Reading, Kapa and Salat; Discussion of Hilot Cleansing Rituals that focus on Suob; Dagdagay/Kulis Traditional Stick Foot Massage; Performing Tandok/Bentusa Fire Cupping; Pagsasala and Basic Hilot Touch Manipulation Techniques.
Selected Lessons on Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan Copyrighted 2016

Due to limited time of our Friend from London, She was able to spend 8 hours with us learning the some of the concepts of Hilot Binabaylan, and I wrote it down in her handout the work expectation of what a Hilot Binabaylan do.

As Hilot Binabaylan, one must be proficient in the following areas:

Diagnostic -performing Tawas Spiritual Diagnosis for the illness caused by the Spirits which affects the Mind and Emotion; Pulse Reading and Hilot Physical Assessment and Evaluation through Pagsasala/Panghihila, Pakapa and Pasalat.
Psycho/Emotional Counseling or Hilot Orasyon through Tawas Divination, Kilubansa Elemental Name Energetic Balance Analysis, and Siadtala Baybayin Mystic Oracle.
Physical Treatment through employment of different Hilot Treatment modalities such as Hilot Cleansing Rituals of Pagbababad, Pagpupunas, Paghihilod, Pagbabalot, Pagsusuob, Pagbabanlaw and Pagpapalina; Traditional Filipino Foot Stick Massage (Dagdagay/Kulis); Tandok/ Bentusa Fire Cupping; Pagpapahid (Wellness Massage).
Supplementation of Herbal Medicine such as in herbal tea, tablets, syrups, baths and so on.

And in between classes, we have a lot of chat that it seems we are redeeming each moment that we have together that we also forgot to have a toilet break. But at least we didn’t forget to have lunch. I am confident enough that she could pass all the knowledge I share as she establish Hilot Hands Academy in London. But this one day course is just an Introductory lessons as she will come back again to sharpen up her skills and not just theory as we have talked for 8 hours. Here are some of the activities that we had yesterday.

By the way, you could also ask for this one day training which is an Introductory Course on becoming a Hilot Binabaylan which we provide a Comprehensive overview of what is expected from you if you take the intensive course on Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan for 8 days or the Masidhi Hilot Training for 3 days.

We will be holding 2 sessions of the 8 days training the first one will happen on April 6 to 13 then next batch will be on April 16-23, 2023. We are going to conduct this on our new Training Center at Taguig City.

New Affordable Stay Out/ Walk in Training Program to offer by May 2023

Most of the Training Program that we have created are designed for our Kababayan who lives in Diaspora that provides Room Accommodation and Food for 8 days aside from the Learning Activities we have set for them. Due to limited time of the students stay in the Philippines, the trainings were conducted on a consecutive straight days in order to fulfill the training requirements that been enrolled.

Now by May 2023, we are going to start offering Stay Out Classes that can be taken on a weekly basis. Depending upon availability of schedules of the student. These courses are ideal for people that are employed during monday’s through Friday’s and could only attend classes every Saturday or Sundays. Most of our newly designed Training Program are Short Classes either you can take it on 2 sessions and Maximum of 4 sessions. This means you can either take the course during Saturday and Sundays or once a week either on every saturdays or sundays, depending on the class you enroll.

Of course we highly recommend our Hilot Master Class such as the Hilot ng Aghamang Binabaylan which is an 8 consecutive days of intensive training but for those who have a tight Budget may take our Special Hilot Class. Just make plan of where you will stay if you are going to take the Training Program.

Our New Course offerings can be found by clicking the button below:

COURSE OFFERINGS

What I like with our New Offering is the Family Care Hilot on which we encourage that every Filipino Home may have One Manghihilot in the Family. As we have the conception that It is the mothers role to be in charge of Health Care for the Family. But if mother is sick, it is good if the Father knows also how to take care of the Families Health so as the Eldest Child in the Family.

Indeed having power over our Health is the responsibility of everyone of us. So it is good if everyone has the knowledge, Skills and Abilities to do Hilot.

THERE IS PAIN IN EVERY TOUCH

In the book of William Henry Scott titled: BARANGAY SIXTEENTH-CENTURY PHILIPPINE CUTURE AND SOCIETY

Massage was applied for injured or dislocated muscles, or pressure put on nerve centers
page 118

and the person who perform this was known as Hilot which is an expert on Physical Medicine. But as time goes by, this identity of Hilot has been diminished into just a Mamarokpok on which William Henry Scott have described as a Massuer who simply pummeled the back and spine and was usually a Datu’s husky slave.

And a Spanish Friar that was called Father Sanchez have described the work of Hilot in massaging women’s abdomen to cause miscarriage or abortion; as at that time, abortion were a common form of Family Planning.

Comparing the work of a Manghihilot and Mamarokpok, we can see that Hilot is medically inclined as it works deeper than what the Mamarokpok is doing. such as in comparing the Touch Manipulation of Massage and Hilot that both may manipulate either deep or superficial layer of the persons body. But the difference of Hilot to a Massage is that people may get pampering from a Massage, but those who have Injuries see a Manghihilot for a Serious Treatment. As the Goal of Hilot is to correct, restore the things that have been wronged with that person.

And naturally every touch of a Manghihilot towards the body of a patient, it will be painful. In massage therapy, the masseur has been taught to adjust their pressure by using body weight. This can be also applied in performing Hilot Massage, but Pressure weight does not matter if the Manghihilot can locate the point of origin of the pain, whether you only exerting light pressure the patient’s body, it will still be painful as the nature of pain is radiating.

For me as Manghihilot, my students may see me having pleasure to see them suffering pain when I demonstrate Hilot Massage to them, but what I am teaching you is that when you feel pain at the first time you received Hilot Massage, it means your body is responding to the treatment saying: “Yes! Do it because there is something wrong within me. Fix Me!”

In my experience in providing Hilot, Pain has been my friend and assistant. It helped me to know which area of the persons body I should work with fixing. It is also a good indicator to me that whenever I touched a person’s body and they responded to my touch as painful; this means that I have restored their senses that they feel pain and blood will flow again. As I continue to do the appropriate touch manipulation in helping the blood to circulate within the body, the more that I know that the patient that I am handling will get well.

So in my personal life, I am grateful to experience pain even it hurts because it reminds me that I am still human and alive that I could still feel pain rather than being numb and paralyzed to the worst which is i could not feel anymore because life force have left already in my Physical Body.

A new Manghihilot was created for Australia

3 days is already over and we started it out with a Great Meal and on our table we only not share food but also the stories of our life. I am very happy that these people enjoys great food such as I am as we love to make our lessons like a festival as how many food has been placed on our Table so as the lessons they will learn from us here at Hilot Academy. Though we are just renting for our Training Venue but I pray that soon enough, we will be able to own a Place where you can stay and learn from us. Our first official lesson started with nature walk to introduce them to the Spirit of the place and also to greet this Big Tree that stands firm inside the compound of International Institute of Rural Reconstruction which is at Brgy. Biga 2, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.

Then I asked them to pick any herbs that seems they are attracted to and have called them.

Through this I showed them how our ancestors determine which plants to use in healing as the plants can talk to us. Indeed, it is amazing that our ancestors have these special abilities to communicate to almost everything aside from human beings that has the ability of speech. But if we attune ourselves that all the creations in this world are all equal and we learn how to respect them, the boundaries that separate us from them will be lifted and we will be able to know what they are saying unto us.

During this class, I have emphasized that Hilot is about Communication and us as Manghihilot are opening up ourselves to receive and understand the messages that is being communicated unto us either by nature or by our inner selves.

Tawas is a Hilot Technique that enable us to become a mediator of the person between their present life to their past life. It is an important tool in a form of Ritual so that we can ease up the situation of our patient in unloading all the burden they might be carrying all along. We have seen it through our Masidhing Manghihilot, all they thought that they are being afflicted by Mangkukulam, but when we release them from Tawas, they learned that it was just an emotional baggage that they are carrying for a long time.

I am very proud that after 3 days, we have able to create a New Manghihilot that will serve the people in Australia. One in Queensland and the other in Tazmania. Congratulations and Welcome to the Path of our Race!

Helping Recover from Stroke

I was swiping our front yard when I saw this man walking on his short legged cane and he stopped as if catching his breathe just in front of me. So I dropped my broom for a while and asked him: ” What happened to you? Why do you walk like that?? The man replied that he had stroke 5 years ago and his cane was broken that he just endure using it because he have no money to replace it. So I was moved and went inside the Shrine and get the walking cane that I made for my mother and supposedly use it when I got stroke but thankfully, I never had used it, so I give it to the man whose name is Goyong. I asked him if he wanted to be healed and told him that I am also a Stroke Recovery Patient and had it just a year ago. And he agree that I asked him to comeback on his Free Time.

I already saw Goyong always walking in the morning and notice how he walk and have prayed that one day, I could reach and help him out. It is not that I am bragging that I am better now, but what I realized that I am so blessed that I easily got recovered from my Stroke. Actually this becomes my declaration and mission, to help Stroke People to recover, as It was my mission to my Mother in helping her to be relieved from her condition. And last year, I myself have experienced it that I personally understand what it is to be in that condition. I still acknowledge that I am not expert on treating this condition, but I will do the same thing to the things that I do to my self that helps me to recover.

Kuya Goyong came back and I learned that he is 56 years old and when he had stroke his Wife left her alone. I ask him who is taking care of him while he have stroke? He said no one. He is just renting a small room where he could lie down and in the morning he walks 500 meters to ask for food from his friend and some relatives. As he is telling his story to us he cried a lot and was able to voice out the pain that he is carrying inside him and was relieved when he tell his story before he had stroke. He have a nice extravagant life, he have 3 sons of which only the eldest give time to support him on his financial needs such as bills for his rent, electricity and water. He was able to invest 2 cars on which after his wife left him brought it with her so as his 3 tricycle he sold it so that he could have money for his medication.

Though I understand the feeling of a Stroke Patient, I saw his determination of bringing his life back to normal when he walk in the morning. When I checked him, I see 90% of making him back normal. It was just delayed because of lack of money. But if we are going to make a Hilot program for his recovery, I’m sure that in 6 months there will be improvement to his mobility.

Kuya Goyong still has his sensation, memory and mobility. But I see he have limitation on making facial expression just like me at the start. His left fingers, arms, and shoulders were stocked as the nerves and blood vessels were frozen. So the Mission that I have for him is to bring back the Fire in his Life and that is the warmth so as the Light.

At least, after yesterday initial session his face brighten up and went home with new hope. I just asked him that we should recover first his health then afterwards we work on his Wealth. All that has been lost to him will be replaced with new and even greater one as long as we manage to bring back his optimum Health and Wellness.

Though what I need from him is to see his medical abstract that indicates the result of his CT Scan, so as the laboratory result of his blood chemistry. But knowing that he is financially uncapable, this might not be possible. I also want him to have medical care aside from what we can provide. I told him not to think on how much to pay for my services but rather think of recovering first and when he does and made him self financially stable, then he could pay us through service.

How I Wish that I have that enough Money that I could also help people who come to us to have Medical Care. But for now, It is only Prayer and the Hilot Medicine that I have what I could Share to these people.

Soul Healing Hilot

Another family came to receive authentic Hilot treatment though they only complain simple back pain but it ended up in opening of consciousness through the topics we have discussed during the treatment session.

Though having a small place to receive people, we still manage to welcome them and treat them individually.

Hilot usually does not require aesthetic space but utilize the area where the Spirits have provide us to do our sacred work of healing.

But I wish to have a formal aesthetic venue where the person who receives Hilot will not just be relieved from physical pain but also may be relieved from emotional and mental stress that they are receiving everyday in society where they live.

I also feel sorry for this family that they needed to travel far in order to receive authentic Hilot that will not only touch their Physical body but as well as in healing their souls . If only our Government could integrate Hilot into the Philippine Health Care Delivery System, people does not need anymore to go to far flung places in order to receive Authentic Hilot Treatment nor spend a lot of Money in Spa which commercialized Hilot but instead people will just drop by to their Local Health Centers which they can receive Hilot for Free that is part of our Healthcare delivery system.

Self Discovery Journey to the Realms of the Plant Medicine Spirits

Since many of you are requesting and interested to learn about becoming an Albularyo, so Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is going to offer you a 12 months Mentoring program on Self Discovery Journey to the realms of the Plant Medicine Spirits. This is not a traditional classroom setting which I will stand as your teacher that will spoon feed all the information you need to know about plants. If you are looking for that, this course is not for you. But if you want to develop an intimate relationship with the Plant Medicine Spirits then this course will help you.

Self Discovery Journey to the realms of the Plant Medicine Spirits will initiate you on becoming an Authentic Albularyo or rather as Mananambal on its precolonial Sense. Albularyo is the term used by our colonizers pertaining to the Mananambal who is our local healer that employs Plant Medicine Spirits to treat illness of the people. Albularyo means Herbalist or a person who studies the Bio chemical components of a plant to be used in affecting cure to any illness. And the knowledge on this field can be learned in modern schools that uses science.

There were no schools way back during the precolonial times. The education of our ancestors rely only to the wisdom of their elders and community elders. And most of their knowledge are gained through experience and through that they pass it to their children and grand children and up to us now in the present Generation.

This 12 months Mentoring Course will consist of Self Learning Activities and requires you to have a personal journal or note book in writing your own experience. Once a Month during the time of Full Moon at Saturday nearest to its peak, you will have an online video conference with your mentor together with other postulant on becoming a Mananambal/Albularyo. There your Mentor will give you Assignments that you are going to work out within a Month.

Being an Albularyo/Mananambal is not about having an exact plant that is prescribed such as what it does in modern herbalism. It is not about having knowledge on the BioChemical Properties and having Scientific Knowledge of the Plant but it is about your relationship with the land and all the inhabitants hereof.

You can take this course by sessions and the energy exchange for each session is USD 50.00 only. If you are interested to take this class, just let me know by emailing me at apuadman@hilotacademy.com