First of all, before we go into any benefits and uses – doesn’t it look so damn cool? It makes you look like a real dragon! Rawr! Well…Not quite, but it does feel incredible!
Dragon Moxa is a type of moxibustion therapy that is used to boost Yang and Qi in the body.
What is Yang?
Yang is a term used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to describe many systems, hormones, substances, and functions within the body. Yang refers to moving energizing and fluidity; compared to Yin which is stillness, calming, and rigidity.
Yang is what keeps us moving and groovin’! Some of our body’s Yang processes include ATP synthesis or making energy, digestive processes, and your adrenals.
Our adrenals, a small gland at the top of your kidneys, have been taking a beating lately with the amount of stress that many of us have been experiencing with COVID. If our body is constantly in a state of “fight or flight”, it wears down the adrenals and can lead to fatigue, poor digestion, and many other systemic issues.
What does a Dragon Moxa session look like?
First we lay down a layer of fresh ginger along your spine. Ginger is very warming and helps enhance the properties of the moxa, while also providing a layer of protection for the skin.
We then take loose moxa or moxa punk and roll it into a continuous cone that goes down the length of the spine along the Du Meridian. This nifty meridian has very strong links to Yang processes in the body, along with psycho-emotional points.
Then the fun begins! We then light the moxa so it starts to smolder, smoke, and burn down. This creates a pleasant warming sensation on the back. Most of us compare the feeling to a nice toasty hug!
Once the moxa has burned down, we ask how you’re doing with the heat. If it’s too warm, we just remove it and then move on to the rest of your acupuncture treatment (needles, cupping, guasha, tuina etc)! Everyone’s heat tolerance is different, so the process can last anywhere from 10-20 minutes.
So what can Dragon Moxa treat?
Some of the many benefits of Dragon Moxa are:
- Boosting the immune system
- Boosting digestion
- Relieving cramping and painful periods
- Relieving arthritis pain
- Improving fertility
- Boosting energy levels
- Improving sport performance
- Maintaining overall vitality
- Releasing emotional blocks
- And more! (Depending on your constitution and what your body needs)
This is not a treatment that is typically done frequently unless you are very ill. To put it into perspective, this is a treatment typically used to keep a patient’s energy and immune systems healthy while they are going through chemotherapy.
Depending on your specific body’s needs and constitutional makeup, it’s typically recommended to do this type of treatment 2-4 times per year for health and vitality maintenance.
Ask your practitioner if Dragon Moxa would be a suitable treatment for you!
Have more questions about Dragon Moxa? Contact us!
