Global Health: A Week of Traditional Medicine Internships
The week began on scorched Monday morning and Jonathan was kind enough to accompany Katie and Miguel to the outside town Viguerra on the northern end of the city. Upon first inspection of the traditional medicine center, the small plot of land owned by local traditional medicine healer, Alejandria, was absent of anything that resembled a traditional medicine center. Katie and Miguel's first task of the internship was acquiring local shop supplies to craft herbal soap remedies as well as rich oil to be used for tomorrow's lesson.
The next day Katie and Miguel arrived to Alejandria’s house and were introduced to Alejandria’s compassionate pupil, Mariana. With no time to waste the group began preparing to make the soap. The soap itself was very simple and natural to make as it only required oats, Vaseline, and glycerin. In a process that one simply boils Vaseline and the glycerin in a pot. After coming to a boil, one pours the two liquids into any shaped mold that is desired. After, one then takes the oats, or the Spanish word for oats, Avena, and sprinkles them into the mold. Finally the soap is left to cool overnight.
In the next couple of days, Alejandria introduced Miguel and Katie to the indigenous ritual that aligns the mind, body, and soul to improve one’s emotional health. These are called limpias. The process consists of one being whacked by certain plants such as ruda, rosemary, and other local herbs. This represents a spiritual cleansing. Then the individual is rubbed with an egg all over their body. After this, mezcal is sprayed forcefully onto the person’s lower back, neck, and stomach. The mezcal represents the awakening of the spirits. After this is completed, the person takes 7 deep breaths, and releases those spirits. In some cases, a black chicken would be motioned over the person as well. The egg that was rubbed all over their body is then cracked into a glass of water. Alejandria would observe the egg and read the mental state of the individual. Miguel and Katie witnessed many limpias and even got to perform limpias themselves. After seeing many women return after their limpias feeling refreshed, the two received a different perspective on spiritual and mental health that they had not seen before.
Although during the first week Miguel and Katie were no more than strangers to Alejandria and Mariana, the group would become connected spiritually, mentally, and physically after practicing massages on one another. Alejendria informed the two to use a lot of oil that they made together the previous week and perform certain massage techniques on the body to release bodily tensions. These massages were different than what the two had seen in the United States. Katie and Miguel learned how to release tension in the muscles using forceful rubbing techniques on the legs, arms, stomach, chest, neck, and head.
The last technique that the duo had learned were card readings. The process begins with using a certain deck of cards. These cards all have images that have specific meanings. Someone who is looking to know more about themselves or their future would put their hand over the card, state their name, and ask a question about their life. For example, Miguel asked what his future would hold. Summoning the powers within herself, Alejandria took the cards from Miguel and dealt the cards to reveal an order that made wide eyes out of the group. Miguel's future would hold for him a rich wife, great children, but a sad death. Though he was sad to see such a cold future, he was accustomed to sacrificing for others and this was not new to him. To comfort Miguel, Alejandria explained that the cards act more as a guide and advisory for the future, not so much a concrete fortune. With this being said, the salty tears were cleared away by a bright gleaming smile, Miguel’s future still has hope.
Katie and Miguel are immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and experience the rituals and processes of traditional healing. They were both exposed to a new and different cultural perspective of health and what it means to be healthy. Alejandria advised the two to not just store this new knowledge in the back of their mind but she requested that they bring it back to the United States with them and continue to practice the things they have learned with their friends and family.
The week began on scorched Monday morning and Jonathan was kind enough to accompany Katie and Miguel to the outside town Viguerra on the northern end of the city. Upon first inspection of the traditional medicine center, the small plot of land owned by local traditional medicine healer, Alejandria, was absent of anything that resembled a traditional medicine center. Katie and Miguel's first task of the internship was acquiring local shop supplies to craft herbal soap remedies as well as rich oil to be used for tomorrow's lesson.
The next day Katie and Miguel arrived to Alejandria’s house and were introduced to Alejandria’s compassionate pupil, Mariana. With no time to waste the group began preparing to make the soap. The soap itself was very simple and natural to make as it only required oats, Vaseline, and glycerin. In a process that one simply boils Vaseline and the glycerin in a pot. After coming to a boil, one pours the two liquids into any shaped mold that is desired. After, one then takes the oats, or the Spanish word for oats, Avena, and sprinkles them into the mold. Finally the soap is left to cool overnight.
In the next couple of days, Alejandria introduced Miguel and Katie to the indigenous ritual that aligns the mind, body, and soul to improve one’s emotional health. These are called limpias. The process consists of one being whacked by certain plants such as ruda, rosemary, and other local herbs. This represents a spiritual cleansing. Then the individual is rubbed with an egg all over their body. After this, mezcal is sprayed forcefully onto the person’s lower back, neck, and stomach. The mezcal represents the awakening of the spirits. After this is completed, the person takes 7 deep breaths, and releases those spirits. In some cases, a black chicken would be motioned over the person as well. The egg that was rubbed all over their body is then cracked into a glass of water. Alejandria would observe the egg and read the mental state of the individual. Miguel and Katie witnessed many limpias and even got to perform limpias themselves. After seeing many women return after their limpias feeling refreshed, the two received a different perspective on spiritual and mental health that they had not seen before. 
The last technique that the duo had learned were card readings. The process begins with using a certain deck of cards. These cards all have images that have specific meanings. Someone who is looking to know more about themselves or their future would put their hand over the card, state their name, and ask a question about their life. For example, Miguel asked what his future would hold. Summoning the powers within herself, Alejandria took the cards from Miguel and dealt the cards to reveal an order that made wide eyes out of the group. Miguel's future would hold for him a rich wife, great children, but a sad death. Though he was sad to see such a cold future, he was accustomed to sacrificing for others and this was not new to him. To comfort Miguel, Alejandria explained that the cards act more as a guide and advisory for the future, not so much a concrete fortune. With this being said, the salty tears were cleared away by a bright gleaming smile, Miguel’s future still has hope.
Katie and Miguel are immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and experience the rituals and processes of traditional healing. They were both exposed to a new and different cultural perspective of health and what it means to be healthy. Alejandria advised the two to not just store this new knowledge in the back of their mind but she requested that they bring it back to the United States with them and continue to practice the things they have learned with their friends and family.
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