Moxibustion, often abbreviated as “moxa”, is the use of burning dried Mugwort in a variety of ways to increase qi and blood flow to specific areas, acupuncture points, and meridians. There are two forms of using moxa: Direct and indirect.

In the indirect form, moxa can be utilized as the form of an incense stick, in which it is held over a specific acupuncture point or at the beginning or end of a specific energetic meridian, to elicit a therapeutic response. The heat from the burning of the moxa opens the pores of the body, thus giving the herb an access point into the body, to offer its benefits of stimulating qi and blood. The most common techniques for this kind of application are called “circling” and “pecking” , in which the incense stick is manipulated in a circular fashion for large areas, or moved back and forth over one specific point in a “pecking” fashion.

In addition, in traditional Japanese style, loose Moxa can also be applied directly on the skin in the form “Rice grain moxa”, as it is rolled into tiny grain size pieces, or “cone moxa”, in which a large amount is stuffed into a cone shape between one’s fingers. Both techniques  involve burning moxa on specific acupuncture points in an effort to push heat directly to the meridian in the cases of cold invasion or yang deficiency, for example. Since heat implies movement, and is a characteristic of yang energy, it can be very helpful for instances of fatigue, depression, and pain caused by lack of proper qi flow.

Finally, needle head moxa is utilized when a pre-packaged compact, slow-burning moxa piece is placed at the exposed end of an inserted acupuncture needle. This frees the practitioner from focusing on one point/area as is required with the incense stick and direct skin applications, so moxa can be burned on multiple locations at the same time, in a controlled manner. In this technique moxa guards, such as cardboard or small pieces of wood, are placed around the needles as a protective measure.

As mentioned, Moxa is utilized in conditions of cold or qi and blood stagnation. Moreover, research showed that moxibustion on an acupuncture point along the bladder meridian has been found to successfully turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth in up to 75% of women. (Journal of American Medical Association, 1998).