Moxabustion makes healing scents

By Michael Seamark  Head Instructor, Sadhana Dojo

In 2002 at the annual North and South American Hakko Denshin Ryu Gasshuku held in Akron Ohio I was very fortunate and received personal raw moxabustion treatment from Menkyo Kaiden ? Shihan San Dai Kichu Yashuhiro Irie. During the weeklong training I had expressed an interest in the art of moxa to Irie Sensei and I had described to Irie Sensei the methods I had been using. Showing his love for the subject Irie Sensei provided me with some invaluable guidance and inspiration. During our discussion Irie Sensei had noticed that I wear glasses and asked me why. I explained that I had always suffered from acute eye aches due to the fact I was born with one lazy eye. This causes the eye and the surrounding muscles to over work creating fatigue. Irie Sensei stated that moxabustion would certainly help and decided to give me a treatment.

Raw Moxa ?  a little background...........

Moxa treatment is based on the same Chinese yin and yang principles that activate the healing properties in acupuncture and shiatsu. When using raw moxa punt apply a good burn ointment, such as Ching Wan or aloe vera. This will help prevent unnecessary damage to the skin. (It is also used to anchor the moxa cone to the skin.)  You then take a pinch of moxa punk between your thumb and index finger and roll it into a tight tiny cone. Place the cone directly on the selected acupuncture point or tsubo and light it with a stick of incense. Allow the moxa to burn down to the receiver?s skin and then wipe it away with a cotton square dampened with alcohol. Depending on the depth of tsubo usually three to six applications are used on a point. When finished, wipe the affected tsubo area with alcohol to help close the pores and protect against infection. Treatments are often to be applied every day, perhaps lasting up to 6 weeks, and again this is dependent on the desired affect and the tsubo being stimulated. 

Irie Sensei stimulated points or tsubo(s) along three regular lines. The Lines and points included Jin Kei (Liver line inside the big toe #2), Dai Cho Kei (Large Intestine line outside 1^st and 2^nd knuckles between LI points #1 and #2) and Tokumyaku Kei  (pulse-beat line point #21). I have continued on with the treatment administering it myself and it has giving me much relief in the way of my eye aches.

What else is Moxa good for?

Irie Sensei explained that moxa is very safe and is excellent way to promote balance within the entire Keiraku. For example several points are widely used to increase energy, stimulate ki flow, and improve health and vitality. One of the most common is Stomach 36. This point is approximately located along the stomach line called I-Kei, below and one finger width to the outside of the kneecap. A trouble-free way to find this point is run your finger up the shinbone until you reach the expression (bump) just under the knee.  Then run your hand up the outside of the leg until you reach the expression just on bottom side of the knee joint. Draw a line with your finger between the two points. Stomach 36 is located on this line just off the shinbone towards the outside of the knee. If you press down with your finger and you experience a deep routed feeling relief then you have hit stomach 36.  You don't need to be exact though, because the moxa will affect an area approximately one 3 cm in diameter.

What makes moxa so affective?

Since direct moxa can cause a second-degree burn and mild pain, it changes the skins properties and stimulates the body to believe that it is under attack thinking that it has been burned or cut. The immune system instantly goes into action sending antibodies and white blood cells to the affected area. Shihan Irie stated that the burn is the reason the procedure boosts the immune system. During my treatment Irie Sensei went on to explain that the body thinks it has received a burn and it doesn?t realize how small, so it releases more antibodies to heal the burn. This strengthens the immune system and helps to fight any infection or weakening condition."