Healing Through Hilot: Re-membering our Sacred Medicine and Our Capacity to Heal

This gathering will be rooted in the power of kwentohans (storytelling) and tapping into memories of hilot healing in our own families. We will cover introductory teachings on what hilot is, its “source” and learn basic massahe (massage) techniques to promote healthy breathing, especially in a time where our breath is incredibly sacred. All bodies and all levels are welcome.  There will be some pre-preparations for our gathering and it is encouraged to bring a partner to practice with, as this is a visually oriented and interactive workshop.    

“Hinumdumi ang imong gininhawa. Hinumdumi ang imong tambal.” (Remember your breath. Remember YOUR medicine) 

About Verma Soria Zapanta

Verma Soria Zapanta is the daughter of Teresa Soria Abillano and Veronico Cabiling Zapanta, granddaughter of Luisa Conui Cacal and Celso Soria, and the great-great granddaughter of Jesus Soria and Josefa Silaw.  She is an educator, photographer and healer of Visayan descent by way of Leyte and Bohol, born and raised on occupied Ramaytush Ohlone territory (Yelamu); San Francisco, CA.   She is the Assistant Program Coordinator for the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco (FMHI-SF), an organization working towards de-stigmatizing mental health in the Filipinx and Filipinx American community. Verma worked in education as a high school history teacher and in youth leadership development for ten years prior to transitioning into holistic medicine and wellness work. She is currently working towards a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine to become a Chinese herbalist and licensed acupuncturist, while facilitating healing circles/retreats, hosting mental health and wellness workshops for high school and college students throughout SF and curates an annual Filipinx Healer Workshop Series every October in celebration of Filipinx American History Month.    

Verma is the founder of Ginhawa Marketplace, a communal gathering and celebration of Filipinx artists, healing practitioners, medicine makers, and cultural bearers creating art and wellness products rooted in the journey to decolonization and re-indigenizing ways of healing in the Filipinx diaspora. She is also a co-facilitator/co-creator of Survival Arts-Bay Area’s Sacred Survival Circles, a gathering for Womxn of Color/ Queer&Trans Identifying Womxn/ Indigenous and Diasporic Womxn of Color to create community in the learnings for Survival connected to Ancestral and Indigenous based teachings, founded by Jamie Yancovitz and Jana Lynne Umipig.  

"Hilot with Verma" was created to address the growing response to share teachings about hilot, an ancient modality of healing indigenous to the Philippines, which incorporates body work, energy healing, oration, and divination practices.  Her studies informal lessons from elders throughout the Philippines to obtaining various hilot certifications from the "Hilot Academy of Binabaylan" in Makati and Quezon City. She believes hilot is sacred medicine and a ceremonial practice, which lends itself to healing her and her ancestral lineage.  

Instagram: @hilotwithverma | @ginhawamarketplace 

Facebook: Verma Zapanta | Ginhawa Marketplace