Hello everyone, I am Teacher Xiao Jiu from Jiu Xuan Ai.We have shared many core knowledge points about moxibustion on our public account. Although moxibustion seems simple, there are many details to consider during the operation; otherwise, the effectiveness will be greatly reduced.If you have been moxibusting for a while without any results, I suggest you pause and reflect on whether you have overlooked some details or even acted contrary to the requirements of moxibustion.Today, I will share several key knowledge points, some of which have already been elaborated in detail, so I recommend you refer to some of our previous articles.
1. Moxibustion for Dampness Elimination▲ Moxibustion can expel dampness from beneath the skin.There is an old saying: “It is easy to remove a thousand cold ailments, but difficult to eliminate dampness.” Especially the deep dampness that has penetrated into the meridians and organs is the hardest to expel; only moxibustion can remove it.
According to the “Bencao Congxin”: “Mugwort leaves are pure Yang, and the fire of moxa can penetrate all meridians and eliminate hundreds of diseases.” Mugwort leaves themselves have the effect of unblocking the twelve meridians and expelling cold and dampness. Coupled with the Yang heat of the moxibustion fire, it is like the scorching sun drying up dew, effective as beating a drum.Moxibustion may seem to be applied superficially, but the moxibustion fire penetrates deeply,and the cold dampness hidden beneath the skin is naturally dispersed to the outside through the pure Yang heat, then expelled through the body’s pores or the extremities.
Dermatitis is a typical manifestation of dampness trapped beneath the skin,which takes a long time to cure with medication.However, when combined with moxibustion at the Ge Shu (膈俞), Qu Chi (曲池), and Xue Hai (血海) points, it can treat both internally and externally, helping to eliminate the recurring troubles of dermatitis.▲ Moxibustion can draw out the lingering cold trapped in the joints.The joints are the places where dampness and cold easily accumulate but are hardest to expel. The heat of moxibustion can directly “pull” out the cold dampness hidden inside.On rainy days, many friends feel knee pain. This is because our knees are weak and lack the fat protection found in other areas.Cold and dampness sneak into the gaps in the joints, like hiding in the corners of a room, where there are neither sufficient meridians to metabolize and expel them nor rich flesh to transport the medicinal properties.
The “Ling Shu” states: “When it is stagnant, moxibustion can adjust it.” For stagnant cold dampness, moxibustion can effectively regulate it.Because the heat of moxibustion can reach deep layers, promoting the circulation of Qi and blood. Moreover, the nature of mugwort is hot, which also has the characteristic of unblocking the meridians and expelling cold dampness; the combination of both can more effectively disperse cold dampness.Moxibustion on the knee feels like opening a hole in the knee, gradually seeing moisture coming out, as the long-standing cold dampness in the joint is expelled.▲ Moxibustion can regulate the constitution of damp-heat and cold.For a constitution mixed with damp-heat and cold, moxibustion can be tailored to focus on different aspects for specific regulation.Before using dietary therapy to drain heat and expel cold, one must consider the coordination of the whole body; simply draining heat will exacerbate cold evil, while only expelling cold will lead to heat rising.The pure Yang heat of moxibustion can disperse cold, and moxibustion from top to bottom can guide the fire downwards to reduce heat, while the Yang energy supplemented during moxibustion can also warm and stabilize the organs, enhancing damp expulsion.
Da Zhui (大椎), Guan Yuan (关元), Qi Hai (气海), Zu San Li (足三里), and Yong Quan (涌泉穴). Even for complex constitutions of damp-heat and cold, these acupuncture points can be regulated through moxibustion.When starting moxibustion, one can begin with a small amount, gradually increasing according to one’s body condition. Follow the order from top to bottom, from the back to the front for moxibustion.2. Key Acupuncture Points for Daily Health CareEven if there is no cold, damp, or heat evil in the body, developing a good habit of moxibustion can effectively serve as daily body maintenance.
The “Bian Que Xin Fa” states: “When a person is free of disease, regularly moxibustion at Guan Yuan, Qi Hai, Ming Men (命门), and Zhong Wan (中脘) can ensure a lifespan of over a hundred years, even if one does not achieve immortality.”
If you want to use moxibustion for health maintenance, you only need to use regular 1.8 mm moxa sticks to moxibustion at Zhong Wan, Qi Hai, Guan Yuan, and Zu San Li to achieve health maintenance goals.
3. Moxibustion Requires FocusThe results of a task done with heart and without heart are certainly different.When you concentrate, what you create will have a certain spirit and charm. Just like no matter how advanced the printing technology is, the same calligraphy written by a person and printed by a machine can be easily distinguished.Moxibustion is the same; whether we use handheld moxa sticks or tools for moxibustion, it is essential to focus and invest your spirit into the entire moxibustion process, feeling the subtle changes in your body, the pulse of your heart, and the rhythm of your breath.Taoists believe that “where the intention goes, Qi follows”; where the spirit is, Qi will automatically gather.The entire process of moxibustion is one of absorption, where heat moves Qi, Qi moves blood, Qi and blood flow through the meridians, nourishing the organs. In this process, the focus is on “gathering,” “calmness,” and “nurturing”; achieving these will enhance the effectiveness of moxibustion.
If, during moxibustion, you are in an excited, scattered, or exuberant state, with external distractions causing internal dispersion, the Qi cannot gather, and the heat of moxibustion will not be effective; blood circulation will be weak, thus hindering the nourishment of the organs, and the effectiveness of moxibustion will naturally decrease.Therefore, regardless of the quality of the moxibustion method, when we perform moxibustion, we can gather our spirit, focus our intention, and maintain a unified state, which will naturally double the effectiveness.I hope that when you moxibust, you do not watch TV, play on your phone, chat, read unrelated materials, etc. When you immerse your spirit in moxibustion, you will naturally have a different moxibustion experience, and the sensations you have longed for may suddenly appear.4. Issues of Heat from MoxibustionIf you experiencedry mouth, nosebleeds, or a red tongueafter moxibustion, it indicates that you have developed heat from moxibustion.By mastering the method of “one unblocking and two reducing,” you can say goodbye to the troubles of heat from moxibustion.▲ “One unblocking” means unblocking the meridians.When cold and dampness are particularly severe, our meridians can easily become blocked, just like a small river freezing in winter.In such cases, if you moxibust indiscriminately, it is like blowing hot air into a frozen pipe; not only will it not melt the ice, but it will also cause the hot air to flow backward, leading to heat.
In such situations, during moxibustion, it is essential to start from the top and guide the heat downwards, focusing on moxibustion at the lower limb acupuncture points, and finally moxibustion at Yong Quan, which can allow cold dampness to be smoothly expelled from the soles of the feet.▲ “Two reducing” means reducing the time and frequency.During moxibustion, the mugwort and the Yang energy from nature are continuously drawn into the body.If moxibustion is done frequently and for long durations, it will naturally dry out the body’s fluids, leading to heat.If you have been moxibusting for a while and clearly feel dry mouth, constipation, insomnia, and other heat reactions, you must appropriately reduce the frequency and duration of moxibustion.It is recommended for those with weak bodies and prone to heat to moxibust:▲ No more than 3 times a week, with 1-2 acupuncture points each time, and each point for 15 minutes.▲ Drink a cup of warm water before and after moxibustion to replenish the body’s lost fluids.
5. Reactions to Expelling Evil After MoxibustionIf you feel worse after moxibustion, what should you do? Don’t worry; thismay be a reaction to expelling evil as the body’s righteous Qi battles the evil Qi.The evil Qi has resided in the body for a long time, so it will not leave easily. During moxibustion, it helps to mobilize our righteous Qi, and as the Yang Qi rises, it gains the ability to fight against the evil Qi, which may lead to some uncomfortable reactions.
If you have little reaction after moxibustion, it may indicate that your righteous Qi is insufficient to combat the evil Qi, resulting in minimal response.In this case, continue with moxibustion to replenish Yang Qi, allowing the righteous Qi in the body to accumulate more, so that the evil Qi can gradually be expelled.We have also summarized methods to identify whether the body is expelling evil:First: Have the symptoms become more complex?For example, if you have a damp-cold constitution, and during moxibustion, the treated area feels cold and produces moisture, but there are no other discomforts elsewhere, this indicates a reaction to expelling evil.Second: How is the overall condition?For instance, if you have more nasal discharge after moxibustion but feel a sense of “refreshment,” and your body condition is improving, this also proves that you are expelling evil.Generally, those with a good foundation will gradually see discomfort alleviate or disappear after two or three days of consistent moxibustion.The longer the damp-heat and cold stay in the body, the more stubborn the evil Qi will be, and the longer the battle between righteous and evil Qi will last.
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