Skip to main content

Kamay ng Demonyo

LAGING sa mas malaman, mas malaking bisig ng ilang katoto nasusubukan kung tumpak ba ang inilalapat na pagsasanay sa sariling kamay… nasasaktan na sila kapag nakapingki ang katamtaman lang na bisig, inihahasa bilang “Kamay ng Demonyo.”

Araw-araw ang pagsasanay… hindi lalapat ang kalawang o alikabok sa laman na laging nakasalang sa palihan… matindi na ang bisa ng ganitong gawi sa kabuuan ng utak, lalo na sa prefrontal cortex, pati sa hippocampus na binubulwakan ng dopamine neuro-hormone para manatiling masigla at may itatagal hanggang sa, the punctuation mark in this sentence, dear children, drew inspiration from The Smiths’ new wave hit, “Girlfriend in a Coma.”

At kawawa ang ulirat ng mga kumag na kuntento nang sumalampak na parang kamote’t kumatsang buong maghapon at magdamag… nagiging gunggong… unti-unti kasing natutuklap, natitibag ang laman ng utak—lalo na sa prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and the reptilian areas of the brain…

And I guess that’s what the Messiah meant in a counsel to the flock to be as gentle as doves yet wise as serpents… a quirk of herpetology, but the reptilian portion of the brain unleashes wit and whirlwind reflexes.

All it takes is 20 minutes a week of physical activity to get the brain regions worked up, as recent findings indicate. So much better if such activity is sportive… body-crippling maladies that include hypertension, diabetes, carcinoma, and heart ailments are shooed away, thrown off in getting physical.


Nakahiligan na lang na ihasa ang mga bisig upang umigkas bilang “Kamay ng Demonyo,” isang anyo ng wuyiquan na sinaunang pamamaraan ng pagsasanib ng diwa, kaluluwa, espiritu, katawan at lahat-lahat na sangkap sa kapaligiran sa pakikipagtunggalian… as the initiate gleans insights from incessant praxis, wisdom grows and the body-mind becomes interconnected to the forces of nature.

Hindi naman talaga katawan o mga kilos at kislot ang sinasanay sa araw-araw na gawain, the regimen nurtures the spirit to imbue reserves of strength to both psyche and sinew…

Kailangan kasing paghandaan ang kalikutan ng mga lumalaking apo, halimbawa’y ang damuhong Musa Rafaela… aakyat sa mesa’t ibabalibag ang katawan sa nananahimik o nagsusulat na Diablolo… paulit-ulit na ginagawa ‘yon, at kailangang masuyo, banayad na saluhin ang bagsak ng bigat ng apo…

Bukod sa pagbalibag ng katawan, kasunod na pauulanan pa nga ang kawawang Diablolo ng sunod-sunod na suntok… na kapag nasaktan, kailangan ko pang hilutin, hipan, halikan o dilaan ang sumasakit daw na bahagi ng katawan…

And it looks like she won’t tire of inflicting such mischief on gramps through the years… paano kung walang ikakaya ang tumatandang katawan sa kalikutan at kakulitan ng apo? I’d likely be bashed to a pulp out of such impish fun.

So, there’s the Demon Hand.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ALAMAT NG TAHONG

SAKBIBI ng agam-agam sa kalagayan ng butihing kabiyak-- at kabiyakan, opo-- na nakaratay sa karamdaman, ang pumalaot na mangingisda ay napagawi sa paanan ng dambuhalang Waczim-- isang bathala na nagkakaloob sa sinuman anumang ibulwak ng bibig mula sa bukal ng dibdib. Pangangailangan sa salapi na pambili ng gamot ng kapilas-pusong maysakit ang nakasaklot sa puso ng matandang mangingisda. 'Di kaginsa-ginsa'y bumundol ang kanyang bangka sa paanan ng Waczim. Kagy at umigkas ang katagang kimkim noon sa kanyang dibdib: "Salapi!" Bumuhos ng salapi-- mga butil at gilit ng ginto-- mula papawirin. At halos umapaw sa ginto ang bangka ng nagulantang na mangingisda, walang pagsidlan ang galak, at walang humpay ang pasasalamat sa mga bathala. Nanumbalik ang kalusugan ng kabiyak ng mangingisda. At lumago ang kabuhayan, naging mariwasa ang magkapilas-puso na dating maralita. Nilasing ng kanyang mga dating kalapit-bahay ang mangingisda-- na hindi ikina...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cal y canto con camote

FENG shui (literally, wind water flow) lore has it root crops embody a hidden store of treasures. Say, a local food conglomerate needs yearly 35,000 metric tons of cassava for livestock feed-- the available local supply falls short of 13,000 tons. Cassava granules sell for around P9 a kilo. Demand for the same root crop to be used in liquor manufacturing is hitting above the roof. Why, raising cassava is a no-brainer task— this is one tough crop that can grow in the most hostile patches of earth, providing sustenance for ages to dwellers in sub-Saharan parts of Africa. While the hardy cassava is nearly pure starch, the lowly sweet potato or kamote is considered by nutritionists as a super food, the most nutritious of all vegetables— kamote levels of Vitamin A are “off the charts, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.” A fist-sized kamote can supply a day’s dose of glucose to fuel the brain, muscles, and organs, so they claim. Count the country lucky...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wealth garden

‘TWAS CRUEL as smashing a budding green thumb: some years back, an abuela warned me about letting any clump of katigbi (Job’s tears or Coix lachrymal jobi for you botanists) from growing in our homeyard. That grass with rapier-like leaves that smelled of freshly pounded pinipig supposedly invited bad luck and sorrows—why, that biblical character Job wailed and howled a lot, didn’t he? (But was later rewarded with oodles of goodies, wasn’t he?) Then, I came across some arcane text that practically goaded folks to grow katigbi in their gardens—why, there’s a starchy kernel wrapped shut in the seed’s shiny coat. A handful or more of kernels could be cooked as porridge. Too, one could whisper a wish upon seven seed pods, throw ‘em pods in running water—a river or stream—and the wish would be granted! I was warned, too, about planting kapok or talisay trees right in the homeyard—these trees form a cross-like branching pattern. Pasang-krus daw ang bahay na kalapit sa puno ng kapok, tal...
Post a Comment
Read more