Hilot Wellness Massage

Quarter 1: Module 3

Lesson Health and Healing Concept of

3 Wellness Massage

You have learned from the previous lesson that Romans and Greeks practiced the cultivation of
healthy mind and body through rituals of bathing, massage, exercise, and dancing. They encouraged the
pursuit of physical fitness and organized regular sporting, gymnastic and athletic competition. This practice
is like the Holistic Approach which is being practiced by many people today.
How is Holistic Approach being defined and practiced nowadays?
Holistic Approach is being related to wellness which means the overall well-being. It is not limited to
physical well-being but rather, it is being well and healthy in many aspects. Study the table below.

Table 1. Eight (8) Dimensions of Wellness

https://www.northwestern.edu/wellness/8-dimensions/

What is Hilot as a health and healing modality?

Hilot is an ancient Filipino art of healing. It identifies the areas of imbalance in your body through
touch diagnosis. It is a holistic healing modality that takes the whole person’s spirit, mind, emotions, and
body into consideration and sees health as the natural consequence of the harmony among these three
faculties.
Health is the linkage between the Universal and Natural Laws. Universal laws state that there is one
force that governs the entire universe. This force is present in everything from a single atom to the creation of
man and the entire universe. This force is present in everything from a single atom to the creation of man and
the entire universe. This force gives out vibrations called electro-magnetic field modulating harmoniously in
each creation, putting everything in its proper place and precise order.
What causes the disruption? Universal law constitutes that changes starts from the inside; referring to
our attitudes and value systems which bring about different reactions in the human body. These reactions
result in the secretion of enzymes that bring about imbalances.
The concept of a hot-cold syndrome is found in the Philippines, as well as other Southeast Asian
countries. For example, a humid condition opens up the pores and causes the body to sweat.
Wind blows on the body cools the sweat, its coldness transfer into the body. If not attended to, a
disruption of the natural internal balance occurs; the vigor is weakened, thus causing the body to become
susceptible to sickness. This is why parents make sure their children are kept dry and covered, especially if
there is a breeze since the pores are still considered open.
The hot and cold syndrome plays an important role in the aspects as well such as in diet, emotions,
relationships, etc. There also exist an ancient science and theoretical counterpart to the metaphysical level of
sickness. The belief in spiritual energetic channels, called urat and pannet sets that foundation of how
massage practice in the Philippines evolved.

The Filipino Traditional Healers

The practice of Hilot was passed from generation via oral tradition or by those born with the gift.
Practitioners are trained by an elder by observing the techniques and learning chants and rituals associated
with the practice. A good Hilot practitioners would know the type of ailment his client is suffering from just by
looking at him and sensing his energy.
Ancient practitioner attributed their skills to the higher power, in search of an adequate presentation
of skills and powers that are beyond their own comprehension, manghihilot’s of old have ritualized their
healing activity, using native spiritual beliefs and vocabulary of their era, while discovering more cause-effect
relationships along the way. And so, what may appear to some as superstition is really the manghihilot’s
inarticulate attempt to modestly attribute the power of God (or a higher being). Amulets and anting-anting are
statements of attribution. The proof of this modesty is that authentic manghihilots do not charge fees.
A few healers claim their initiation into healing from dreams, visions, and apparitions and even from a
near death experience. Yet a small number trace their healing powers from birth as in those born breech and
those born with the gift of clairvoyance. They are classified into seven categories:
 Herbolario (traditional herb healers or herbologist)
 Hilot sa pilay (traditional massage therapist)
 Hilot sa panganganak (traditional birth attendance)
 Mantatawas and Espiritista (spiritual leaders)
 Manggagamot (bio-magnetic healers and psychic healers)
 Babaylans (community ceremonial and ritualistic healers)
 Medicos (traditional herb healers who have integrated some forms of European and North American
medicine like the use of synthetic medicine)

Health Concept
A. The Three Faculties of Man
Hilot therapist tends to treat not only the physical maladies but the whole aspect of a person, that’s why
Hilot is now recognized as a Holistic approach to wellness. Belief states that in order for us to live free from
disease, the three faculties of a man must always be in harmony.

https://

wellnesseducationblog.wordpress.com/history-and-development-of-massage/

 Mind- peace of mind and of the Spirit brought about by these non-medical components can only bring
good health to the body and so wellness to the whole person. This mind and the Spirit prescription is
meant to defuse physical, mental and spiritual stresses that might have accumulated in a person.
 Body- or the visible parts and its function. Damage or disruptions to its normal functions will result to
disease.
 Emotion- or the unseen condition affecting the mind, imbalance or negative emotions can lead to
more serious conditions like relationship problems, suicide, unpleasant behavior and insanity.
This faculty cannot be determined by anyone except, it creates positive outcome to those who exercise it.
It strengthens our emotional health and often positively heals negative physical conditions. Some of the
positive results are:
 Having a clear vision of your purpose in life.
 Determination and reasonable satisfaction in pursuing that purpose
 Inculcation of habits aligned to one’s immediate and long-term goals
 Active pursuit of maintenance of harmonious and loving relationships
 Progressively taking charge over one’s emotions.
 Deliberate and wholesome forms rest and recreation
 Prayer and peace with God

B. Balance of Five Elements

 Thousands of years ago, people lived in a very close and interactive way with Nature. They were
affected by seasonal changes and weather much more than we are today. Day in and day out the patterns
of the seasons were observed and interactions between the elements were understood. If there was a
drought, there would be fire. Too much rain would bring flooding and dampness. Springtime brought
activity and planting; winter was a time to rest and reflect. In China, this observation of the season and
elements was also applied to our bodies and used to heal illness and understand health. This tradition
views the world as being made up of five elements. These five elements (also known as the Five Phases)
are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element has many associated qualities. Each element also
has a season, color, taste, and Yin/Yang Organ Meridian pair that reflect some of those qualities. Study
the illustration below.

https://wellnesseducationblog.wordpress.com/history-and-development-of-massage/

The Chinese Philosophy of the five elements explains that everything in this world came from these 5
elements. There are two forces that act on it which are “The Generating Cycle” and “The Controlling Cycle”.
“The Generating Cycle” is how an element is produced while “The Controlling Cycle” is how an element is
controlled or destroyed.

https://

wellnesseducationblog.wordpress.com/history-and-development-of-massage/

This philosophy is heavily used in many aspects of traditional Chinese culture. For example, if you
have a health condition that is the FIRE element, a Chinese medical doctor may prescribe a treatment
method that equates with water because water controls fire.
Hilot’s concepts of health and disease is based on the balance of hot (init) and cold (lamig) /
wind (hangin). When balanced, the body is well. The body is viewed as a network of pathways of energy.
An imbalance results a blockage in the flow of energy (chi) within the body leading to disease. As a result,
the patient cannot obtain peace (kapayapaan), calmness (katahimikan) and serenity (kaginhawaan).
Name: ______________________________________ Score: _________

Activity 1: Block Buster!

Direction: Read the items below. Determine the word it is referring to. The number of
boxes represents the number of letters of the word. Write the letter on the box to spell out
the correct word.

1. This is the state of being free from illness or injury.

2. This states that there is one force that governs the entire universe.

N W

3. This is the unseen condition affecting the mind.

T N

4. Damage or disruptions to its normal functions will result to disease.

5. It refers to the body’s electrical impulses.