It’s a form of external therapy said to originate in Asia. Its most know for its use within Chinese’s medicine where forms of the plant mugwort (Artemesia Vulgaris) are burnt to produce heat to warm either acupressure points or area of the body.
Moxibustion uses burning Moxa stick or cone to produce a warm sensation and was regarded as a principal treatment in ancient China. The studies of the earliest known form of Chinese writing, Oracle Bone Script (Jiagu Wen, 甲骨文), indicated that Moxibustion might have been applied in Yin dynasty (1600 BC–1046 BC).
Modern research of the mechanism of Moxibustion mainly relate to the thermal effects, its radiation spectrum being close to that of infrared.
Experimental results have shown that Moxibustion thermal stimulation affects both shallow and deep tissues of the skin, and the warm-heat effects of Moxibustion affect the warm receptors or/and the polymodal receptor.
The purpose is to add in energy or move energy. It is warming and comforting supportive for pain and to boost energy depletions. The warmth is said to help dispel unwanted pathogens in the body. The plant, known to help speed up healing, was used in Asia for thousands of years due to its medicinal purposes, with the use of it spreading not just across China but also in Japan, Vietnam and Korea and more recently to the west.
It is known to increase blood circulation, especially in the pelvic and uterus area, making it more beneficial for women.
There are several ways of using and applying Moxa its most commonly heard of when used in conjunction with acupuncture but it is used in several other therapies including Shiatsu and Reflexology.
In Reflexology we use distal Moxibustion where its not burned onto the skin so it is very safe. Its used for its therapeutic properties and fit well into a normal reflexology session. If you would like to know more about training in Moxibustion for reflexology then go to>