CHAPTER 1.Shitmen

CHAPTER 1

THE PHENOMENON

Introduction

Many have been asking questions on what spiritual healing is. Are the

patients healed for real or is it just the saying “mind over matter?” What is

the importance of their existence in the society? Where did it start? Those

questions are up to now ask by many. All of us are still in the phase of

embracing their existence in our society. (John C. Snider, 2004)

There are a lot of spiritual healers in the Philippines and because

of that it attracts the scientists in the Western country and around the world

to come here and see for themselves if it is genuine or not. Multiple studies

are conducted by them, they usually stay here for years or some came back

for further research studies. (Licauco, 1982)

Several Filipino spiritual healers have occurred in our society

nowadays. They claim that “the gift” was given to them by God the Father or

Jesus or Mama Mary or the Holy Spirit who show themselves to them and give

them healing powers. They said that they are guided by the spirits whenever

they are healing. And so researches about them were born. The researchers

developed curiosity regarding the spiritual healers because we all agreed that

people should put their health on top of everything. The researchers ask the

same questions like everyone else and want further understanding of the

lifestyle of Filipino Spiritual Healers and how they heal. It is also the

researchers’ interest to know why faith healers continue to emerge through

times even if there are already doctors in the Philippines. (Advanced pranic

healing)

Chapter 1: The Phenomenon 2

Today, many illnesses have been occurring in our society. Especially

that economic crisis can be felt by more than half of the Filipinos and not all

of us can afford to go to hospitals for check-up. So as another option of

medication, many people have been depending on the capabilities of spiritual

healers. In addition, Filipino people patronize this kind of treatment because

they are afraid of the exposed malpractice of medicine by doctors and would

rather undergo spiritual healing which they think is safer for them. Some

people especially in rural areas consider the capabilities of spiritual healers

because they believe that some illnesses cannot be treated by doctors and

those illnesses are made by the entities around them and only spiritual

healers can help them. (Montepio, 1986/1987)

Spiritual healing is believed to have started among the ancient Greeks

and Romans, who believed that Asclepius, the god of medicine, might appear

in the dreams of sick people who slept in the temples devoted to his worship,

and that the god then cured them or prescribed a routine of treatment for

them to follow. In contrast, the Old Testament has few references to spiritual

healing. The most specific occurs in 2 Kings 5:1-14, where Elisha cures

Naaman of leprosy by a ritual washing in the Jordan River. In the New

Testament Gospels, however, are perhaps the most famous spiritual-healing

stories of all time. In the stories of Jesus’ miracles of healing, illness is

regarded as the sign of the presence of evil spirits, and Jesus’ power to heal

is proclaimed as evidence that God’s kingdom has come in his person.

Nowadays Spiritual Healing has been viewed as a malpractice and

illegal. The Philippine Medical Association has officially stand that spiritual

healing is mere trickery and should be stopped because some of them

perform surgeries without licenses and therefore people may suffer from

them. Some people treat this practice as an insanity and waste of time.

Sometimes it is also considered to be dangerous, that’s why this research

aims to give way to the spiritual healers to be known not as a cult but as

traditional doctors of the Filipino. (Licauco, 1982)


It is in our tradition that such spiritual healers emerged. According to

Western researches, spiritual healers cure their patients without payment, all

they ask is that their patients trust them and have faith in God because the

healing power came from Him and He will be the real one that will cure them.

A lot of modern cure are also derived from our traditional medicines and

healing practices. Medicines nowadays contain herbs which were originally

used by our spiritual healers to cure their patients. (Mckenzie and Chrisman,

1977)

The researchers would like to give attention and to give credit to

spiritual healers that are now beginning to extinct. We should not be negative

about spiritual healers especially that they provide a lot of help in our

country.

Japanese researcher and author Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama analyzed blood

samples taken by Filipino healers from patients and declared them to be

genuine. Moreover, people assisting healers during psychic surgery feel the

strong energy from the healer and patient. Sometimes, healers allow them to

insert their fingers in the opening of the patient’s skin to see for them its

genuineness. ( Licauco 1982 ).

This research will tackle the lifestyle of selected Filipino Spiritual

healers and their importance in our society, not only in the society but also in

preserving the culture of the Filipinos. Just like how other countries trust their

traditional alternative medicines. That instead of Filipinos going to abroad for

modern cures it is the foreigner that will go here for our traditional

medication. This will also help our economy through tourism. The researchers

would also like to discover methods of healing through observation of

selected Filipino spiritual healers.(Martin Caoli, Vice President of the Baguio

Healers Association)

The researchers would also study their process of healing and when

their power of healing is available. We would deeply enter their world to have

a better understanding of their way of healing.


This research assumes that the Filipino Spiritual Healers have their

own way of living and history about their practice. We all want to have a

better understanding with their lifestyle and why they heal so we can accept

them in our society.

The researchers would like to show that this study will also help these

healers to be known and help the society to have an alternative medication.

This research would like to know the effectiveness of Filipino Spiritual healers

and what they can contribute in our society.

According to the Folk Medicine in a Philippine Municipality, the

important thing is that the healer has to have faith in his prayers or they will

not work in his favor. The patient, in turn, has to have faith in both prayers

and the healers; otherwise, healing becomes a difficult process. It is in this

reciprocal faith between healers and patients that folk medicine finds

appropriateness, strength, and continuity in the lives of the peasants in Bay.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The researchers develop curiosity in the lifestyle of Filipino Spiritual

Healers. Thus, the researchers came up with the question: What are the

lifestyle of Filipino Spiritual Healers and the importance of their existence in

Philippine Society?

OBJECTIVES:

1. To determine the socio-demographic profile of the Filipino Spiritual

Healers in terms of:

a. Name


b. Age

c. Occupation

d. Gender

e. Birth date/Birthplace

f. Educational Attainment

g. Marital Status

h. Name of Parents

i. Organization

j. City/Provincial address

k. Religion

2. To determine the lifestyle of the Filipino Spiritual Healers

3. To determine the psychological state of the Filipino Spiritual Healers.

4. To determine the similarities and differences of the Filipino Spiritual

Healers

5. To determine the communication styles of the Filipino Spiritual

Healers

6. To determine the contributions of the Filipino Spiritual Healers in

Philippine Society

7. To determine the role of media in uplifting the image of the Filipino

Spiritual Healers in Philippine Society


ASSUMPTIONS:

1. Filipino Spiritual Healers still exist even in urban areas.

2. Filipino Spiritual Healers have their unique lifestyle.

3. Filipino Spiritual Healers are psychologically balanced.

4. Filipino Spiritual Healers have similarities and differences.

5. Filipino Spiritual Healers have their own way of communicating with

the source of their ability.

6. Filipino Spiritual Healers are the alternative medicine givers that cure

different kinds of illness.

7. Media has a significant role in mainstreaming the Filipino Spiritual

Healers.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Philippine Spiritual Healers are one part of the society of the

Philippines. There are a lot of meaning and interpretation that are always

attached with their names. Many also have been trying to go inside and

understand their behavior and beliefs. In this study the research will also go


beyond what people can only see about the Filipino Spiritual Healers in order

for the study to find the answer to its problem.

Our society has been very dependent to all the new technology and

medicinal treatment that already exist nowadays. High prices of medicine

and hospital fees are also one of the most debatable issues in our economy

that needs to be taken care of. For years our government has been trying to

find solution on how to comply with this issue and it has also been years that

most Filipinos are just bearing the pain just to resist from seeing a doctor.

Behind those issues there is a little voice that can help resolve this big issue

in our society.

The researchers decided to use the uncertainty reduction theory that

was originated by C.R. Berger and Calabrese in 1975; they were drawn on the

work of Heider (1952). The researchers understand that this theory will

support the views we have and assumptions. This theory will further explain

the research points in coming up with the spiritual healers.

Uncertainty reduction theory (URT) was initially presented as a series

of axioms (universal truths which do not require proof and theorems

(propositions assumed to be true) which describe the relationships between

uncertainty and several communication factors. URT was developed to

describe the interrelationships between seven important factors in any dyadic

exchange: verbal communication, nonverbal expressiveness, information-

seeking behavior, intimacy, reciprocity, similarity, and liking.

Uncertainty is unpleasant and therefore motivational; people

communicate to reduce it. Uncertainty reduction follows a pattern of

developmental stages (entry, personal, exits).

During the entry stage information about another’s sex, age, economic

or social status, and other demographic information is obtained. Much of the

interaction in this entry phase is controlled by communication rules and

norms. When communicators begin to share attitudes, beliefs, values, and


more personal data, the personal stage begins. During this phase, the

communicators feel less constrained by rules and norms and tend to

communicate more freely with each other. The third stage is the exit phase.

During this phase, the communicators decide on future interaction plans.

They may discuss or negotiate ways to allow the relationship to grow and

continue. However, any particular conversation may be terminated and the

end of the entry phase. This pattern is especially likely to occur during initial

interaction, when people first meet or when new topics are introduced later in

a relationship.

Besides the stages in uncertainty reduction patterns makes Berger a

distinction between three basic ways people seek information about another

person: (1) Passive strategies - a person is being observed, either in

situations where the other person is likely to be self-monitoring, like watching

a healer performing a healing session for the first time. (2) Active strategies -

we ask others about the person we're interested in or try to set up a situation

where we can observe that person (e.g., trying to look further in the process

of spiritual healing and started to get interested in it). Once the situation is

set up we sometime observe (a passive strategy) or talk with the person (an

interactive strategy). (3) Interactive strategies - we communicate directly

with the person.

In this theory the more you look deeper to one’s personality the more

you trust and understand this person. Spiritual Healers had long been

misinterpreted by the people. They have always been associated with cult,

false prophecy and demonic. This paper will use the uncertainty reduction

theory to make the people fully understand the reality behind the Spiritual

healers. Using the URT the people will be able to look deeper on the belief

and profiles of the supposed to be first doctors of the Philippines.

This theory will be supported by the Spiritual Paradigm concept of Dr.

Ma. Lourdes D.P. Garcia. In the concept of Dr. Garcia it showed the

communication ways of man with spirits and with God. This will give the

EXIT PHASE

INFORMATION

(LESS TO NONE)

Communication

(Planning future interaction plans,

avoiding communication)

EXIT PHASE

INFORMATION

(LESS TO NONE)

Communication

(Planning future interaction plans,

avoiding communication)


research a better understanding in the process of communicating and

methods of healing

With the use of the Spiritual Paradigm, The Uncertainty reduction

theory process will be a lot faster and easier to achieve.

Fig

ure

1U

nce

rtain

ty R

ed

uct

ion

Mod

el

Sou

rce:

Heath

& B

ryant

(19

99

)

ENTRY PHASE

DEMOGRAPHIC

Communication Guided by Rules and Norms

ENTRY PHASE

DEMOGRAPHIC

Communication Guided by Rules and Norms

PERSONAL PHASE

INFORMATION

(ATTITUDES VALUES AND BELIEFS)

Communication More Freely and Less Rules

PERSONAL PHASE

INFORMATION

(ATTITUDES VALUES AND BELIEFS)

Communication More Freely and Less Rules


Who is this healer? Is he person that accepts the work of spirit souls or

spirit doctors. The healer allows himself or herself to become an instrument

for the wonderful work of spirit to be carried out through. What are the

reason behind their healing. This are just basic question of people about

spiritual healers. (Spiritual Healing;The Hidden Truth and

Misconception;Joseph Ghabi B.Msc)

In our world of today, healing, just like anything else has been abused.

Some healers are taking advantage of this gift by misrepresenting the

benefits of it. It seems to have become a way of overly charging their patient

financially and in some cases providing them with false hopes. When healing

Communication Styles

Contribution in Philippine Society.

Role of media in uplifting the image of the Spiritual

Healers

Communication Styles

Contribution in Philippine Society.

Role of media in uplifting the image of the Spiritual

Healers


becomes a business, how do we know that healing is genuine after all? If the

healing gift is used only as a means of survival for the healer where do we

draw the line between what is a true healing and what is a mere attempt of

making money based upon the needs of the person who has come to receive

healing? This is why uncertainty also grew to the society about this people

and in this theory the research will be able to lessen that uncertainty

(Spiritual Healing - The Hidden Truth and Misconception)

A 1996 poll of 1,000 adults found that 79% believed that spiritual faith

can help people recover from disease. 18. (McNichol T. The new faith in

medicine. USA Today, April 7, 1996, p 4.) This idea is also popular among

physicians. Although many studies have found associations between various

measures of religiosity and health, no well-designed study has demonstrated

that religious beliefs or prayer actually benefit health. (Sloan RP, Bagiella E,

Powell T. Religion, spirituality and medicine. Lancet 353:664-667, 1999) In

fact, one well-designed study found just the opposite. The study involved

patients whose progress was followed for nine months after discharge from a

British hospital. (King M, Speck P, Thomas A. The effect of spiritual beliefs on

outcome from illness. Social Science & Medicine 48:1291-1299, 1999.Through

this theory we will be able to know the difference in both studies

Exit

Phas

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theo

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how

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the

proc

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the

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Demographic profile 1. Name2. Age3. Occupation4. Gender5. Birth date/Birthplace6. Educational Attainment7. Marital Status8. Name of Parents9. Occupation of Parents10. Organization11. City/Provincial address12. Religion

Demographic profile 1. Name2. Age3. Occupation4. Gender5. Birth date/Birthplace6. Educational Attainment7. Marital Status8. Name of Parents9. Occupation of Parents10. Organization11. City/Provincial address12. Religion

LIFESTYLE

LIFESTORY

Rituals

Practices

PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE

SIMILARITIES AND

DIFFERENCES

LIFESTYLE

LIFESTORY

Rituals

Practices

PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE

SIMILARITIES AND

DIFFERENCES


The research used Spiritual Paradigm of Dr. Garcia wherein it shows

that the spirits are the ones guiding the healers in their practice. The Spirits

on the other hand was created by GOD to help man in order to create God’s

Ideal Society.

In the study of Dr. Garcia, it showed that spirits (including angels,

entities etc.) was from God. Even before the Spaniards came to the

Philippines most of the native Filipinos already believe in Spirits including the

ones whom they believed was the guardian of “karagatan, kapatagan,

kabundukan, kalawakan, kalangitan and all the entities that we just thought

are our imagination.

Entr

y Ph

ase

Appl

icati

on to

the

Stud

y:

Pers

onal

Pha

se


The concept of Spiritual Paradigm will help the research in

understanding ho w Spiritual Healer communicate with entities or spirits

whom they said enter their body and help them and help them in their

healing practice.

In the model, it showed that God attempts to communicate and talk to

man. The line that connects man to God, and God to man are the Spirits that

God created to help man and the Society in creating an ideal Society. (Garcia;

Spiritual Paradigm)

The research used the Spiritual Paradigm model shows the line that

connects God to man and that same line helped man in healing that will be

used in their practice.

According to Dr. Garcia, all the spirits that exist in our environment are

all created by God even the malevolent or evil one. Spirits that will help man

to make a better society, a God’s Ideal society

This study will also help this research in understanding the personal

and process on how man communicates with God through Spirits. This will

help the First theory of this research which is the uncertainty reduction

theory in lessening the doubt and confusion a person to Spiritual Healing

Practices.

In the application of the model to the study maintain God in the top of

the model for it is said that he is the real source of their ability. (Montepio

1986/1987) then the line that connects man to god remained as the Spirits

and the levels depending on their spirits whom they said helped them in

healing. This including saints, angels and all other type of entities that they

said exist in our society.


Those Spirits guide the Spiritual healers in their practice or their said

devotion. With Guidance of the said Spirits the healers will be able to cure

illnesses and help people in their struggle in life.

Before Spiritual Healers be able to do that, they will still first need to

trust the healers because the methods of their healing is unexplainable that

is why this concept stands as a support to the uncertainty reduction theory. It

is for the people to understand the process on how their ability came to

them. With the use of this concept people and the society will be able to see

that Healers and other people has the same belief that there is God

regardless of their religion that will help them in time of need so they need

to unite in making an ideal society because man is useless if left alone but

healers and society united as one can produce an ideal and divine society

(Garcia, Spiritual Paradigm for Man’s Existance).

That is one reason why this research chose this theory in order to show

the importance of Spiritual Healers. How they perform their practices and

their contribution to the society nowadays. Just like in Uncertainty Reduction

Theory there is still process for the society to fully understand what the real

mission of the spiritual healers is. Using the URT their beliefs and life will be

a lot easier to understand.

The word "spiritual" refers to the divine nature of the energy, which

healers agree comes from one external, invisible intelligent source. The

healing energy from this source is available to all. Healers see the body mind

and spirit as one interdependent unit and believe all three must work in

harmony to maintain positive health. Any problem - be it a broken leg or

depression needs the power of healing to restore the balance of the whole

person. It is felt that sickness often starts in the mind, or at the deeper level

of the spirit, and it is often here that healing begins. This is one of the things

that might help the society in achieving the ideal society of GOD. (Spiritual

Healing http://1stholistic.com/prayer/hol_spiritual_healing.htm#What)


Uncertainty Reduction Theory has been applied to new relationships in

recent years. Although it continues to be widely respected as a tool to explain

and predict initial interaction events, it is now also employed to study

intercultural interaction (Gudykunst et al., 1985), organizational socialization

(Lester, 1986), and as a function of media (Katz & Blumer, 1974). Gudykunst

argues that is important to test theory in new paradigms, thus adding to its

fortitude (Gudykunst, 204).

This theory has been used in the interpretative research that allows

fully understanding and explaining the reason behind a phenomenon. This

theory is used to reduce uncertainty that will help lessen the conflict and

misconception about a certain people or situation. Trust is one of important

word and main goal of URT that needs to be reached.

This research theory can also be used in qualitative which is the

method of this study. Interpreting and knowing the importance of their

existence is the purpose of the study and this is also the main reason why

this theory is the most suitable theory for this research.

Limitation of the Study

This study focuses particularly on the selected Filipino Spiritual Healers

that still exists in our society performing healing session with the use of

unexplained methods of healing and non-technological medicines. The

research was taken only in Luzon and was conducted on the following

Spiritual Healers:

a. Elizabeth Oropeza

b. Tony Vera Cruz

c. Ester Pacheco Banigid

d. Enriquito T. Colon


The Explication of Terms

Case Study – this is an empirical study that investigates a

contemporary phenomenon within it real-life context,

when the boundaries between the phenomenon and its

context are not clearly evident.

Filipino Spiritual Healers – these are people who heal using the power

that they believe was given to them by an unseen

Supreme Being.

Contribution - these are the things that the Filipino Spiritual Healers can

give to the society in terms of their healing ability. These

things may affect the beliefs of the society and their

appearance towards the healers.

Philippine Society – this refers to the population that could benefit from

this study.

Spiritual Healing - this refers to the way the participants heal. They

use their ability which is not common in medical healing.

Such as prayer, mental practices, spiritual insights, or

other techniques to prevent illness, cure disease, or

improve health.

Magtatawas – Tawas is a popular diagnostic ritual performed by most

spiritual healers that serve in providing clues as to the

nature and cause of the illness. Pagtatawas originally

derived its name from to its chemical nature - alum, an

astringent, crystalline double sulfate of aluminum and

potassium - and early on, was used exclusively in the

diagnostic ritual. Today, tawas refers to a diagnostic ritual


or procedure, utilizing a variety of materials: candles,

eggs, mirrors, plain paper, cigarette rolling-paper, and

alum.

God-the-father - spiritual healers say that He is the one who guides them

with whatever they have to do with their patients. They

claim that their healing power came from Him and he

shows Himself to them for better understanding of the job

given to them.

Supernatural being – a term used by the researchers to describe other

beings that reside in our world. They are not human and

they usually possess powers that enable them to protect

themselves and sometimes used against people who

offended them to teach them a lesson.

Holy Spirit – the pure spirit as the healers call it, who may enter their

body if it wishes to so it can guide them with the healing

process they will perform to their patients. The claim that

with the Holy Spirit’s presence, they can heal better.

Beliefs - this is something that the healers believe in while they’re

healing.

Communication Style – this refers to the way the healers communicate

with their source of ability and their patients.

Psychological State – it is the part of the study wherein the researchers will

assess whether the participants are in their normal state of

mind.

Inherit - this refers to the passing of the ability from the ancestors

to their descendants.


Gift - this pertains to their ability that was given to them by the

Father Almighty.

Ancestor - these are the people from the family background of the

healers that has the same ability that they have.

Religion - this is an organization where the healers belong and

believes in one god. In this organization, they follow some

doctrines and morals according to their teachings.

Tradition - these are the practices that the healers pursue which they

inherited from their ancestors.

Rituals - these are the things the healers do before, during and/or

after healing their patients.

Practices - these are the things that the healers habitually do when

they heal.

Uncertainty Reduction Theory – this is the theory that this research use to

represent the study in Spiritual Healers to be able to

convey the doubts and misinterpretation on them.

Spiritual Paradigm – concept created by Dr. Ma. Lourdes D.P. Garcia that

illustrate the relationship of Filipino Indigenous Religious

Movement

Qualitative Research – this is used in this study to gain more information

and go deeper in the profile of the selected participants.

Instruments – these are methods used to gather information from the

participants of this study.

CHAPTER 1.Shitmen

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