Page 112 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

is centred on the back, shoulders, neck and head with a little work on the feet—and a resounding toe-
cracking finish. The practice makes its own special cream from fresh ginger, which is applied to the
calves and the small of the back. It feels hot and allows the masseur to go in deeper without inflicting
additional pain.
Pak Herri explains that the body is equipped with a complete range of chemical substances. As
long as the body functions normally, each substance performs its job as nature intended. However, if
the circulation stops working properly and toxins are not eliminated from the system, a whole chain
of adverse chemical reactions occur.
“Anything can happen,” says Pak Herri cheerfully, “cholesterol or uric acid levels can rise,
cancer or diabetes may develop—you just can’t tell. Our technique is designed to look after
circulation and is especially effective for treating the heart, lungs and feet. We’ve had excellent
results with Hepatitis B if it’s caught in the early stages and my own speciality is heart bypass
patients. Very often I can open up the arteries with massage, which allows the heart to work normally
again, removing any need for surgery.”
Pak Herri is a firm believer in following nature’s way and has various rules for good health.
Rule 1 is to follow a regular exercise programme; rule 2 is to consume copious amounts of room-
temperature water and rule 3 is to avoid cold drinks, ice and air-conditioning. Why is avoiding the
cold so important? Because cold stops the body perspiring and toxins can’t escape.
“I often see patients who are suffering from cramp because they’ve been swimming in cold
water. Westerners are the worst offenders. They come to the tropics and use every means they can to
stay cool, when in fact it’s the last thing they should be doing. Interfering with nature in this way
never does any good.”

There are many massage techniques and theories. For example, M’Bok Na
is self taught and comes from Central Java. She massages the left side of the
body very thoroughly, especially the back, believing that the whole back benefits
from intense work on one side. By the time she moves over to the other side, the
job is more or less done, with only a light massage left to wrap it up. In sharing

M’bok’s theory with Professor Dr Sardjono, he said: “She’s right. If one side of
the body is put in order there is a knock-on effect and treating the other one is
much easier.” Strength is adjusted to suit the patient; they must feel the pressure
but it should not be unbearable. Thumb pressure is used for light massage while
the three-fingered action, palms and pinching fall into the medium bracket.
Anything else is considered hard.

FIXING A DAMAGED KNEE

John Herbert slipped while dashing down a ramp in the pouring rain, and felt something snap. At the
doctor’s surgery, he was given an impressive array of pills, but they did not work. When he consulted
an orthopaedic specialist in Singapore, he was advised to swim and work out on an exercise bike.
Three weeks later, however, John found he could hardly walk. It was at this point someone he knew
recommended visiting Pak Haji Naim, a renowned bone expert who owns a clinic in South Jakarta.
First the patah tulang examined the knee and carefully assessed the damage. He then applied
a heavy, oily cream, made on the premises, to the affected area and began to massage it. Within five