Indigenous treatments bring back the old healing arts

Traditional therapies from different regions offer a lot more than your ordinary massage-they bring centuries of tradition as well

SPAHOLICS POP quiz: Where did the following treatments originate?

Lomi Lomi

Shiatsu

Champissage

Tuina

Indigenous treatments are a spa trend that highlight home-grown ingredients and therapeutic traditions of a specific country or region. More often than not, one tends to look for these unique spa services rather than having the familiar ones during spa holidays abroad. It would be terribly disappointing to get all excited about a new place, only to find that it does not offer its own signature treatments.

Our country has an array of treatments and healing arts that has long been passed on from one generation to another. Here are a few examples:

Hilot-the Philippines brand of bodywork is finding its way into the international scene, having won a fair amount of accolades from distinguished award-giving bodies. Hilot massage is a combination of long, deep strokes along the energy pathways to regain equilibrium.

Dagdagay-a therapeutic foot massage that makes use bamboo sticks to stimulate the soles of the feet. This method intends to balances and boosts the body’s immune system.

Oslob or suob-a ritual of rural post-partum care that uses steam inhalation of dried aromatic herbs, usually those with cleansing and healing properties like sambong (Philippine camphor)and tanglad (lemon grass), from a basin of hot water, for about 10 minutes.

Banyos ritual-banyos means to bathe. This is a ceremonial custom of bathing in a lukewarm solution of boiled guava leaves, rich with antiseptic properties, before a treatment begins.

Orasyon or bulong-a collection of prayers. This folkloric ritual is usually done at the beginning of each session. It is a means of warding off bad spirits and elements in the surroundings.

Coconut oil-considered to be the “the tree of life,” every part of the coconut tree is useful, either as food, medicine, or for other practical purposes. The coconut oil, when used as a massage oil base, can help improve the appearance of skin with its anti-aging properties.

Gugo-a very large tree found throughout the Philippines. It is used extensively as a hair treatment and hair tonic. A bark of gugo is rich in saponins, an effective natural cleansing agent.

There is a renewed interest in bringing back centuries-old healing arts. Spas use a lot of creativity to incorporate these indigenous ingredients, and come up with laudable treatments. Sometimes they’re a little gimmicky, but are still pleasurable nonetheless.

At their best, indigenous treatments are deeply authentic, giving you astounding experiences you couldn’t have anywhere else, like a Lomi Lomi massage by a skilled Hawaiian practitioner, a revitalizing Shiatsu from Japan, a relaxing Champissage (head massage) from India, or an invigorating Tuina from China. These are, incidentally, the answers to the questions above. If you got it all right, then you are one true spaholic!


source: inquirer