Amanda Takes Off...

I went to taekwondo tonight. On the way into the building I passed Kwanjangnim. He asked how I was. I nodded, went to shake his hand, and answered in Korean, "My stomach hurts."

"Oh, your stomach hurts?" he asked.

Suddenly I felt intense pain in the webbing of my hand. He was pinching a pressure point.

"Oh, that hurts? Turn around, put your hands together like this," he said, clasping his hands below his chin. I did so and he stood behind me, hugged me from behind and said, "Breathe in deeply... Now relax." He picked me up and shook me.

I felt my spine loosen.

He put me down and continued, "Now put your hands on the wall." I turned around, faced the wall, and did what he said. He started slapping my upper back. Hard. "This will help. Korean-style. It's good for you."

Sort of 한방의학, I suppose.

I'm not sure that helped.