Moxa - mugwort to the rescue
If you want to take advantage of some of the ideas of Chinese health philosophy, which postulates that the health of a person is dependent on the energy known as qi, and that disturbances in this flow can be rectified by traditional Chinese medicine, and yet you don’t like the idea of needles, perhaps you could try a technique known as moxa, which can also be used to stimulate healing responses and restore the natural balance of the body.
So what is this thing known as moxa? Moxa is practised by acupuncturists as a supplement to, or an alternative to the needle treatment. With moxa, a smouldering herb is used to warm the acupuncture points and to encourage the body’s energy to flow smoothly. Moxa is also sometimes called moxibustion.
Moxa generally uses the mugwort herb, which is from where it takes its name, the word moxa coming from the Japanese pronunciation of the word for the herb, mogusa. The mugwort is aged, and ground up into a fluff; which can be further processed into a stick which is then burnt on the patient’s skin – entirely painlessly, and leaving no marks.
It seems that moxa can improve the overall relaxation of the body, helping the individual to have a better sense of wellbeing, and to give up smoking.
Other methods of stimulating the acupuncture points also include the use of lasers or electro-acupuncture. There are also techniques of massage or tapping with a rounded probe.
So, burning a little mugwort on your skin may help to stop you burning tobacco.
Filed under: Ways to Quit, Treatment Options
