Tusok-tusok…
I have a very low threshold for pain. Incisions, deep wounds and a huge amount of bloodflow can make my knees go wobbly (the monthly thing is a different case).
So when my friend called me up last week for an on-the-side writing task, the first thing he asked me was: "Takot ka ba sa karayom?"
Of course, my answer was yes.
He told me that if I wanted to, I was gonna do a PR for an acupuncture clinic. A free acupuncture session comes with it. I’d just have to confirm my attendance before the weekend.
I’ve never experienced acupuncture all my life. So it was kinda freaky for me to imagine myself with needles all over my body.
But that was extra cash, too. So I mustered as much courage as I can and confirmed our meeting.
Fast forward to Roxas Blvd., right across Ospital ng Maynila. My friend and I went into the acupuncture clinic and he introduced me to the doctor, the acupuncturist. At that time, she was giving a lecture on the history and principles of acupuncture. So I sat and listen so I could pick up stuff to write about.
Then came the moment.
During the break, she asked me if I wanted to try. I thought that if I could have a first-hand experience, I’d know more about acupuncture than only its theory. So I obliged. I told her about my pain threshold, and she assured me it won’t be as painful as I thought.
The doctor first checked my pulse on both wrists. She told me I was a "yin" person, described as being soft-spoken and all those "soft" characteristics, as opposed to the "yang" personality which is loud and outgoing (my friend was "yang"). Kinda hard to explain it in detail, so I’ll skip this part.
Then she checked my tongue. I forgot to ask her what she sees when she checks the tongue, but from her lecture, I learned that acupuncturists do that before they put the needles on you. Maybe they see vital signs there.
Since I wasn’t feeling sickly and all, she gave me an acupuncture treatment that could relieve stress. I lay down on the bed. "Breathe deeply," she told me, and she began putting the first needle on the top part of my head. Ooh. It wasn’t that painful, but I felt it. Then she put another somewhere in between my eyes, then on the right part of my head about two inches from my ear ("Eto, stress ito," she said. I smiled. She was right). When she put the needle on the left part of my head, that was when I felt some sort of electricity that flowed. "Whoa!" was the word that went out of my mouth. That was cool!
Then she put a needle each on both arms and both feet. I felt some sort of pain, like an ant bite on the last one. Then she told me to just relax, and that after a few minutes, they’d remove the needles.
All alone on the bed, with needles on my head and limbs, I relaxed and tried to sleep, but I couldn’t ‘coz I can hear her giving the next part of the day’s lecture on the other end of the room.
20 minutes after, the assistant removed the needles. My friend asked me how it was. Well, he was right. It was a good experience. I felt more relaxed afterwards. As we sat at the office, I saw a few more people coming in to have their sessions, all for different reasons.
Moreover, I found out that this was where Korina Sanchez and the Gokongwei’s have their acupuncture sessions. The doctor must be good. No, she IS good. And really nice, too.
It made me think of getting another acupuncture session, since I am always under stress because of work and a whole lot of other shit. Thing is, I’d have to have at least P900 to get a treatment. Hmm, additional stress. Buti na lang libre ‘to.
