Because I work at a holistic health center, people ask me regularly what the different treatment modalities feel like. So, like last week’s post about acupuncture, I’m going to give you an idea of what moxibustion feels like.

If you’ve ever walked into an acupuncture office or holistic wellness center and smelled smoke and wondered what it is, chances are pretty good that it was burning moxa, which is called moxibustion.

Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy in which dried Moxa (mugwort) is burned on or very near the surface of the skin. The intention is to warm and invigorate the flow of Qi in the body and dispel certain pathogenic influences. When burned, it smells a little bit like marijuana, though it’s not related. It comes in several different forms, from a sort of compressed charcoal looking stick, to little capsules that rest on the skin. You can even put it into what looks like a little birdhouse to warm larger areas (see pictures below).

So what does it feel like? Warm. Deliciously so. The warmth starts locally but kind of spreads out around the area. It doesn’t hurt, and I actually like the smell. I have a little bit of a phobia about fire, but the way the moxa is used isn’t scary. When used on my forehead in particular, it’s soothing and could easily put me to sleep. Honestly, even if it weren’t effective in helping treat various conditions, I’d still like it done just because it feels good.

So my opinion on moxibustion? Um, yes please!

Wishing you wellness,

Emily