I Was Cupped!

Have you ever been cupped? No, not while you were at a concert, on LRT or in the elevator – not in a perverted way! What I am going to talk about is something else – "Cupping" or commonly known as "Bekam*" in Malay. How the heck have I got myself to this stage? Well, I was doing a lot of research lately on the Internet – how to detox myself, getting rid of the toxins. The research has taken me from the intake of lots of water (like 2L a day), grape seeds extract, French pine bark for internal rejuvenation to drinking lots of juice from Berry family.

+ Any horn will do, but what about this one?

That is more of intake of good stuffs for the body. What intrigues me more was the traditional art of cupping – mind you, anything to get the toxics out! While I was reading on the Internet, my bro in law, Abg Jef called “Zul, nak berbekam tak?” – do you want get cupping done? There was a part of me that said – may be it is a calling, since he called me at the height of my research. So I said, "Yes" with lack of enthusiasm, as I still am afraid of the process of getting myself cupped. I emphasised to him that I want it to be modern – plastic see-through cups, lancets, clean environment etc. The whole sha-bang on hygiene factor! Well, I was never a fan since I hate blood and the whole process of getting bekam done can be traumatising. But what the heck!

The moment my father knew about this, as usual he would want to get very involved (before I knew it, he would be calling several friends of his back in kampong and making appointments. He would then try to get my best time to be around to do it). He said he has found a place to get the bekam done. It is in a place called Senaling, not too far from my own kampong. It sent shivers down my spine really. From what I could gather from him, it would all be traditional (scary!) – the pakcik to do the sucking the horn and the razor-blade to cut the skin and the horn to suck the blood out. Ouch! It is all too scary for me really. But I was determined to do it.

So, last Thursday, my dad, Abg Jef and I drove there. Pak Iya, my dad’s friend tagged along to show us the way. Apparently, no one knows this Pak Aziz who does bekam. He does not want to advertise it, since the whole process is a painful process, I mean for him. This pakcik is about close to 60 years old, I guess. He owns a small coffee shop (kedai kopi) by the roadside in the kampong. I was surprised when he asked me to lift my shirt in front of the shop – in front of the patrons who were sipping their teh tarik. Well, it was an experience on its own really.

He began by placing two horns on my back, just below my shoulder blades. He placed them close to the surface of the skin, and started sucking air out of the horn. Apparently, it is a process to attract blood to gather at the place where it would be cupped. There is pulsating ‘sensation’ around the area and there’s a degree of tightness. It was uncomfortable at first, but bearable. What bothered me more – five other pairs of eyes were looking on and I was very conscious. I think, that was just my feeling as these were kampong folks, and it was not their first time seeing the Pak Aziz doing the bekam to patients. So I was being paranoid really, not to mention fear.

After 10-15 minutes, he took those two horns off and ready to use the fresh razor to cut my skin and the blood will flow through the small openings/cuts. He was good to intimidate me, "Since you really want it, here goes. I have got some really new blades ready. You just have to bear with this. There is no turning back". It was indeed more frustrating and intimidating when his cocky mantra echoed with small cheers by the patrons. I know Pak Aziz was just trying to test me and Abg Jef. It was more distinct when they knew we were both bekam-virgins. I could not do much. I was already one foot in. With some recitals of Quranic verses, he made some cuts on both bekam areas and put the horns back – I felt it, but I comforted my mind with the thought of getting rid of bad blood out of my system.

After 15-20 minutes, it was time to take the horns off and to reveal what had been sucked out of my body. At first I did not dare to see it. Pak Aziz made a comment "Hmm, banyak ni, bagus ni!" – It is rather a lot. It is good. Apparently, the bekam was sort of "successful" and a lot of “bad blood” was sucked out. This was apparently the "bad/dirty blood with toxins". Finally, I dared myself to look at what’s extracted. I think I will not want to be graphic over here. I will just leave it to your imagination really. Don’t bother really.

Right after that, we drove back. I could not feel anything – there was no immediate reaction, except some mild discomfort around the base of the bekam where the horns were glued to my skin. Alas, I did not expect to feel anything. The next day, only then I felt what Pak Iya told me, "Badan kau akan rasa ringan lepas bekam!" – you will feel lighter after you get bekam done. Well, to say the least, I did feel exactly that the next day (till today). I hope at least some of the toxins if not all, have been extracted out of my body.

* Bekam or cupping is the treatment done by the expert in order to suck the bad blood with toxins out of one’s body. The bekam expert will make some cuts on an area (example: back) and suck the blood out using plastic cup (modern) or buffalo horns (traditional). The vacuumed horn will continue to suck blood out for 15 minutes before the process ends. Normally, the act of bekam is accompanied with recitals of Quranic verses. It is very rare to find this treatment done traditionally now, as it is fast replaced by the modern way whilst trying to achieve the same result.

PS: Looking back at the whole experience, there was another set of experience that I got in the process of getting bekam’ed – the interaction with the kampong folks. It was so refreshing to be a part of the kedai kopi experience, talking the stuff they talk about and more importantly how they demand simplicity in life and how carefree they are. One thing that’s stuck in my head on the way to the bekam place, upon asked by my father why the year has gone by so quickly, Pak Iya said "We are happy. We wake up in the morning, everything is there. We have enough food, we meet our friends before we know it is already night, and time to go to sleep".