Over the 18 days between May 15th
and June 1st, I was privileged to conduct my third extensive
acupuncture demonstration in Monaco. This
time I brought a special acupuncture bed from Tokyo, and arrived in Monaco
equipped and ready to demonstrate the wonders of acupuncture!
It was 8pm when I arrived after my long
flight from Tokyo to Nice via Paris. My
American-made Earthlite bed, specially modified for use in acupuncture, fit
perfectly in the trunk of an S-Class taxicab which picked me up at the airport. Now I was ready to relax in the roomy back
seat of the cab and enjoy the wonderful 40minute
drive from Nice to Monaco! Though the hour had reached 9pm, I was
surprised to find that it was still light out.
This would never happen in Japan!
As we descended into Monaco on the highway, the beautiful scenery
reminded me of the Hakone Turnpike at sunset, one of my favorite roads in Japan. Following the footsteps of my previous visits,
I stopped by the demonstration venue at the Beau-Rivage in order to drop off my
acupuncture bed before heading to the Monaco Ville, where I was to be hosted
during my stay. The hour had reached
10pm by now, but there was still plenty of light in the evening sky.
After a good night’s rest, I was ready to get
to work the following morning. The
busses are wonderful in Monaco, and during my stay I commuted every morning
from the Monaco Ville to the Beau-Rivage by bus. Because some of the patients from my previous
visits had advertised the event through invitations and word of mouth, my three
week demonstration was filled to capacity with reservations. There is nothing so uplifting as to be
greeted on the first day of a demonstration by the thunderous applause of a
full room!
There was a wide range of patients waiting
to be treated at the demonstration, all with different lifestyles, livelihoods
and of course, symptoms. Furthermore,
since the duration of my stay was longer this time, each patient was able to
undergo several sessions over the period of three weeks. For example, one of these patients, Mr. Fringant,
the Chamberlain of His Highness Prince Albert of Monaco, had suffered for some
years from a chronic illness. I was able
to treat him three separate times during my stay. Mr. Fringant was surprised at the instant
results he experienced, and proclaimed how happy he was to feel such great
relief for such a long standing and deeply troubling illness.
Mr. Jean Pierre of the prominent Pastor
family, with tremendous influence throughout the economic sector of Monaco, was
also suffering from a chronic symptom.
He returned for two separate treatments and experienced such dramatic
improvement in his condition that upon his second visit he brought members of
his family to be treated for their various illnesses as well.
In addition to such prominent citizens of
Monaco, professional performers such as violinists, pianists and ballerinas also
came to find relief from the conditions they experienced due to their
work. Treating these professionals
reminded me once again how hard they push their bodies in order to attain the
quality they seek in their art.
Musicians tended to have trouble in their hands and elbows, while
ballerinas had chronic pain in their backs, hips and knees. These problems were not of the variety that
could be treated with surgery, and most of the symptoms were barely being subdued
with regular massage treatment and painkiller medication. These patients were shocked and overjoyed at
the immediate relief they felt with acupuncture treatment. Needless to say, they went home deeply
satisfied!
On the last day of the demonstration, I was
honored by Mr. and Mrs. Fringant, who presented me with a photo and medal from His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, who is of
course a major sponsor of athletic, artistic and cultural affairs throughout
Monaco.
This event reminded me of how strongly the world is
seeking medical treatment that does not rely on surgery, and which is not tinged
by the dangerous side effects of pharmaceutical medication. Indeed, there is a palpable movement even
within the Western medical system to incorporate more and more Eastern methods
of treatment. Among those who attended
the three week acupuncture demonstration, there was a unanimous voice to the
effect that, “though it was their first experience with acupuncture, the degree
of relief attained without harmful drugs, even after a single acupuncture
session, was so tremendous and instant that they sincerely hope it will be
incorporated into the medical system and become the new standard in Western
Medicine.” Of course this has been my
longstanding wish as well. I feel that
creating a new global medical standard that incorporates the ancient wisdom of
acupuncture is nothing less than my mission in life. Indeed, it is the subject of my daily effort
and passion!
I am deeply satisfied with the high standard of exchange
that was attained at this third extended acupuncture demonstration in
Monaco. Many people from Monaco, as well
as other countries, were able to come and experience the wonderful benefits of
acupuncture.
I would like to give a special thanks to my
patients, whose efforts have made this wonderful event possible for three
consecutive years. In addition, this
event could not have happened without the support of Seirin Inc. and Takachiho
Medical Inc., to whom I want to express my deepest gratitude.
While I am filled with thanks towards everyone who
made this event possible, I am also filled anew with a burning motivation to see
the incorporation of acupuncture in a new global standard of medicine.
Sincerely,
Junji Ono
P.S.
I almost forgot to mention that the Monaco Grand Prix Formula One race was won by Fernando Alonso of the Renault team. The pleasure and excitement of seeing the
race unfold along the Monaco Harbor which lay right below my eyes still remains
in my heart and mind as if it were the lingering taste of sublime nectar!
I can not help but wonder… who will win it next year??
To see some photos from this event, please go to the
Top Page.
