Healers, bonesetters, blacksmiths and doctors
Whisper healers, bone-setters, blacksmiths and doctors - healing in old Podlasie
For centuries, Podlasie was a place where tradition, nature and faith shaped everyday life. Without hospitals or easy access to doctors, people looked for other forms of help.
This is where stories of whisper healers, bone-setters and people whose skills were passed from one generation to the next became part of the region’s living memory. Today, many visitors come to Kuraszewo for quiet and rest. In the past, people from nearby villages came here above all in search of health.
Whisper healers - healers of body and soul
Whisper healers were women who combined knowledge of herbs, experience and prayer with deep Orthodox faith.
They cared not only for the body, but also for fear, anxiety and lost hope. Their calm presence, conversation and rituals helped people regain a sense of safety and belief in recovery. Today we would also say that mindset and a feeling of security played an important role.
When a bone-setter was needed
Not every ailment could be treated with prayer or herbs. For broken bones, dislocations and injuries, people sought help from bone-setters - people who knew the human body well, could set bones and restore movement after an injury.
They did not learn their knowledge at universities. It was usually passed from father to son or from one generation to the next within the same family.
The blacksmith as a dentist
It may be hard to believe today, but for many years the blacksmith was the person people turned to when a tooth hurt. The treatment was simple - the tooth had to be removed with sturdy smithing tongs, and the only available anaesthetic was alcohol consumed before the procedure.
Thankfully, modern dentistry looks very different.
Old traditions and modern rest
Although generations have passed, Podlasie is still associated with a place where it is easier to find calm and take care of yourself.
When visiting Kuraszewo, you can learn about the region’s history, visit Orla, hear stories about whisper healers and discover places connected with old traditions using our guest guide.
After a day of discoveries, slow down. Sit beside the vines, enjoy something good in the Guest Barn, take a walk or - if you feel like it - use the possibilities offered by our Wellness Zone.
