HIV workers turn to ancient healing arts

Myanmar care workers have undergone a course on simple ancient healing skills in order to help soothe the body and minds of HIV/Aids patients.

Some 20 nuns, lay people and a Muslim who care for HIV/Aids patients attended the ‘Capacitor training’ course at the Catholic Religious Conference of Myanmar compound, Yangon February 12-13. Myanmar care workers have undergone a course on simple ancient healing skills in order to help soothe the body and minds of HIV/Aids patients.

Some 20 nuns, lay people and a Muslim who care for HIV/Aids patients attended the ‘Capacitor training’ course at the Catholic Religious Conference of Myanmar compound, Yangon February 12-13.

The Myanmar Catholic HIV/Aids network (MCHAN) organized the two-day program.

Sister Eileen Brady, a Maryknoll nun and capacitor trainer from Timor Leste said physical and psychological health is continuously affected by trauma, violence, weather, diet and environment.

We taught the participants simple healing techniques such as controlled breathing, as well as head, neck, and hand massage and meditation, she said.

“Patients with HIV suffer a lot physically, but they also suffer more psychologically due to discrimination and stigma, said Maryknoll Sister Mary Grenough, the coordinator of MCHAN.

“So I decided to do something for them and organized this course which I believe will help us interact with HIV/aids sufferers and provide patients with renewed energy and better health,” she added.

Aung Naing Win, a Muslim care worker and the founder of the Interfaith Youth Coalition on HIV/Aids said his organization has been working for more than a decade and has over 50,000 members but had never used any of these healing.

“I quickly realized that these techniques would be very useful for our work especially when patients are experiencing trauma and depression,” she told ucanews.com

Sein Kyi, a Karuna worker in Loikaw diocese said she just used to make house calls and give medicine to patients.

“These capacitor techniques will provide relief for our patients in both body and mind when we make future house calls,” she said.

MCHAN was established in July 2010 and its goal is to tackle a growing HIV/Aids threat through the creation and strengthening of a network of Church groups, organizations and individuals.

source:http://www.ucanews.com