Moxibustion

By: Billy Shonez Singh, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. C.H. (NCCAOM) 2010 Dedicated to my family, my patients, my teachers, and my colleagues. Hasta La Victoria Siempre (Always Towards Victory)! Moxibustion is another procedure used in East Asian medicine and it involves the burning of an herb called mugwort (i y in Mandarin) on different points and areas of the body. Moxibustion is one of the many sub modalities in the acupuncturists arsenal. Modern TCM theory says the needles are used to move q while moxa is used for supplementing it. That is modern TCM view on acupuncture and moxibustion. Thus the modern view of moxibustion being a supplementing entity is correct in that respect. Classical literature has shown that moxa is used for either supplementation or for dispersion just as much as acupuncture can used for either moving q or supplementing q. Before I discuss the proper functionalities of moxa (i y), let us look at the Chinese characters of moxa, ji hu. The character ji when translated from Mandarin to English is something that endures; long-standing. The character hu means fire. Putting those characters together, ji hu translates to long burning fire. This implies that the effects of moxibustion heats up the body and its effects are long lasting. Moxibustion works on these levels: 1. Increasing metabolic vacuities within the body (or supplementing the q or Blood) 2. Providing analgesic effects (or moving q and Blood to stop pain) 3. Building up the immune system (or supplementing the wi q)

4. Lowering blood pressure (or sedating Liver yang when applied to Kid-1{Yng Qun} or Du-20{ Bi Hu}) The way moxa works on body based on scientific thinking starts in the second century. In the second century, Buddhism arrives in China from India along with Ayurveda and breathing techniques (pranayama). According to the philosophy of yoga, chanting Om during meditation is based on the concept that everything vibrates. This is the sound that the earths core makes. That form of thinking goes into Chinese medicine. Moxa has a vibratory effect because there is movement while its being burnt. The human cell vibrates at a rate of 600 to 900 amgstroms per second. When moxa burns, vibrates at a rate of 900 amgstroms per second. Therefore, its vibrations affect the human body. The application of moxa depends on the following factors: 1. The point(s) used 2. The treatment principle: supplementation or dispersion 3. Transfer mediums: a. aconite (F Zi) b. Ginger (Shng Jing) c. Garlic (Da Sun) d. Salt e. Deer Antler (L Rng) f. Tangerine Peel (Chn P) g. Poria (F Lng) h. Potato i. Rice 4. direct application on the skin (cones) a. has it been burned 2/3s of the way down b. has it been burned all the way down 5. being burned on top of the needle (needle-head)

The cone-style moxa affects the wi, q, and yng levels of the body, thus making it effective in treating vacuities in the body (q level) or supporting the immune system (the wi and yng levels). Needle-head moxa, where the moxa wool is placed on top of the needles, affects the xu (blood) level. When moxa in cone form is burnt an odd number of times, its function (depending on which point is being used) becomes supplementing. When moxa cones are being burnt an even number of times (again, depending on the point used) becomes regulatory. Now its not just the number of cones being used but also the amount of heat being transferred through the points. When the moxa cones are burnt 2/3s of way and the patient feels warm the effects are supplementing and the heat is spread put in a smaller quantity. This will affect the wi, q, and yng levels of the body. Similarly, if the cones are burnt 2/3s of the way almost to the surface of the skin, the effects are more dispersive. It will feel hot and the circulatory system is increased and the heat is spread out throughout the body. This technique will affect the yin and blood levels of the body. The heat emitted from the burning moxa on top of the needles (in the needle-head technique) conducts itself through the needle to affect the xu level. Thus, it is effective in treating muscle, tendon, and joint related conditions thereby invigorating the flow of blood to those specified areas. Another point I want to mention is that moxa overall helps with regulating the zhng q (the correct q). The definition of zhng q is the qi that defends the body from exogenous pathogens and gives rise to other forms of q such as wi q, yng q, zng f q , and jng lu q. With that in mind, the zhng q is needed for the proper energy dynamics within the body to maintain health. When, the zhng q is compromised in serious illnesses such diabetes or autoimmune disease, then the other aforementioned types of q becomes compromised. As stated before, moxa helps regulate the zhng q. In essence, moxa leads to a natural reorganization of the body into its normal components.