Grandma's Healing Touch

Our Lola Nacing was "manghihilot", a Filipino term for someone who uses a type of massage to help heal illnesses, joint and muscle aches, sprains, or those caused by supernatural beings, if you believe in such.  I remember when me and my brothers were still young, whenever we got ill of fever or overdue cough, we were always brought to her for a "hilot" session. 

The session begins with a deep tissue massage using "lana" or coconut oil.  I remember how uneasy it was, but she will always remind us to endure the pain for it was needed to loosen and put back the nerves in your muscles in their  proper position.  She will also find a lot of muscle bonds in your body termed as "lisa or pilay".  And how painful it was when she concentrated kneading on that part, that sometimes I couldn't even help myself not to cry.

A tuba-tuba plant

She would then heat "tuba-tuba" leaves using a lighted candle or fire from the stove.  She would usually put it in our forehead, back, or to cover the injured portion of the body.  The purpose of it was to protect the main body parts from the cold air, preventing it from entering the covered portions of the body, as she believed it to have a negative effect to the body, thus making your illness longer or worst.


And to end up the ritual, she would rub and blow a peeled ginger in our head, back, chest, palms and soles of our feet.  She would then divide it to halves, one for protection which will be attached in our clothes using a safety pin, and the other to be thrown away with her chant, "sakit uban aniang luy-a" meaning- may the illness goes with the ginger's other half.

One more thing, we were not allowed to take a bath for 24 hours after the session.  She would always remind us, that taking a bath would definitely give us "panuhot" (flatulence), which believed to worsen sickness or injury.

I guess, above these ancient massage and herbs we considered as alternative treatments and medicines that may  help in the healing process, was feeling the loving touch from our grandma's hands.  That as if she's telling you, "you'll get well, apo (grandchild), I'm just here to take care of you".  And that gave us the feeling of warmth and security that it won't be long before we get well...

We missed our lola, but knowing she's now resting in peace and her soul in the hands of our Heavenly Father, we just can't help but smile remembering those pleasant memories when she was still with us.  Yahweh bless.