Moxibustion, moxa for short, is an amazing tool. It’s a therapy which adds something to the body. Specifically, heat. Which means movement. Bloodflow, cellular activity, action. Needles are excellent, but they regulate; they don’t add. If you’re low on energy and resources, moxa could be right for you.
What is moxa?
Moxa is made from the mugwort plant. It’s dried, and tobaccoed so it’s easy to burn. Then it’s either squashed into a cigar-like roll, or left as a plain floss or wool. I prefer the latter, because it smells nicer. Speaking of, moxa therapy always leaves a smoky smell behind; it comes with the territory. But it’s worth it; there’s nothing quite like the feeling after a session of moxa; like walking out wearing a warm blanket on the inside.
However, if you have lung issues like asthma – be careful. The smoke may be too much for you, and alternative methods could be necessary.
Where does moxa come from?
Funnily enough, moxa is the other half of acupuncture. In Chinese what we call ‘acupuncture’ is written as zhen-jiu. Zhen means needle, and jiu means moxa. So a more literal translation of acupuncture is needle-moxa. In the traditional Chinese style, moxa was as foundational to acupuncture as needles are!
What does this look like?
Moxa is applied directly over the skin, fashioned into a small little mountain, and burned to about 2/3 of the way down. The warmth will transfer directly beneath the cone of moxa, which will warm up. The cone is then swapped out for a new one, and this repeats typically between 3-6 times until the area is sufficiently warmed up.
What is it used for?
Moxa is commonly used where there is pain and inflammation. Also it will be typically incorporated into treatments to support energy, digestion, and menstrual health – particularly where there is under-functioning systems that need a little boost.
Moxibustion is also famous as a treatment for turning a breech-position baby. You’ll want to see your acupuncturist for specifics, but this treatment is so popular that the British NHS has adopted it as part of standard treatment for this presentation.