The Power of Mugwort and its Role in Traditional Medicine
Moxibustion, or Moxa for short, is a Traditional Chinese Medicinal Therapy using dried Mugwort. The tips of the mugwort plant are pulverized into a fluffy substance which is then burned over specific points on the body to promote healing.
Mugwort or Artemisa Vulgaris in Latin, has a long history in Traditional Medicine and has been used throughout China, Tibet, Korea and Japan. Additionally, mugwort is regarded as a sacred plant of divination and spiritual healing by traditional people of North and South America.
All of the parts of the plant can be utilized; leaves are consumed as tea or added to food and according to medieval practices, placed under pillows for dream enhancement. Mugwort was also referred to as a traveler’s herb and was traditionally used to strengthen and protect travelers. Additionally, Chinese Folklore recommends draping a bunch over the door to promote health for the entire year.
In Notes on Bian Que’s Moxibustion, it says, “When a healthy man often has moxibustion to the points guanyuan, qihai,mingmen, and zhongwan, he would live a very long life, at least one hundred years.”
Why:
Moxibustion is a panacea. Moxibustion has the power to travel to all of the channels of the body, which means that moxa can systemically warm the body and stimulate circulation.
Moxibustion Uses:
- Moxibustion treats “cold conditions”, which may manifest as pain, reduced circulation and arthritis.
- Moxibustion has an ability to support the immune system and decrease inflammation, this makes moxa useful for the treatment of chronic illnesses, fatigue, allergies and lowered immunity.
- Additionally, moxa has the special ability to guide to the uterus. Often called a “woman’s herb” moxa is effective for the treatment of delayed, painful and irregular menses.
- Turn breech babies. This is an empirical usage for moxibustion and have been proven an effective treatment for cephalic positioning in numerous clinical trials.
Moxibustion for Fertility:
Moxa is considered an emmengogue, which means an herb that stimulates blood flow to the uterus.
Moxa is particularly useful for treating “cold” reproductive health conditions that manifest as:
- Irregular menses
- Painful, clotty periods
- Stagnation
Cold, stagnant conditions could be considered endometriosis, fibroids and cysts in the allopathic paradigm.
Using pole moxa or direct moxa over the uterus brings warmth and Qi into the organ. Blood flow quickly increases and pain diminishes.
A moxa box can also be utilized. Moxa box is literally a box stuffed with fresh moxa and burned over the abdomen. This can help concentrate the warming powers of moxa into the uterus.
Types of Moxibustion
Indirect Moxibustion:
Indirect moxa can be applied by using Pole Moxa. Moxa is pressed and rolled into sticks that are waved over the acupuncture points or regions of the body. Pole moxa comes in smokey and smokeless forms. Smokeless Pole moxa is useful for pregnant women.
Sticky Moxa:
Stick-on moxa is a great modern day product created in Japan, Korea and China. The base is a self-adhesive to the treatment point.
“Warming Needle”:
- Fresh moxa is rolled into a ball and placed in the end of an acupuncture needle and lit. This drives the heat into the acupuncture needle, which is transmitted deeply into the acupuncture point.
- “Shish-kebob moxa” are pre-rolled cones of moxa that can be applied to the tip of the needle.
Direct Moxibustion:
A practitioner will roll small balls otherwise known as ‘Rice Grain Moxa” and place them directly on the skin, typically over a salve to prevent accidental burning. The moxa is often lit with a stick of incense and removed when hot.
Additionally moxa can be pressed into cones that are also applied to the skin and lit.
How:
Pole Moxa:
- Light the pole
- Hold the pole approximately 1.5″ from the skin. Make small circles with the pole or a pecking motion with the pole.
- Do not touch the skin.
- Heat each point for 3-10 Minutes.
- Extinguish in a mason jar.
- Do not attempt direct moxa at home.
Moxibustion for Immune Support
For Turning a Breech Baby:
Use smokeless moxa at UB 67, the lateral tip of the pinky toe for 10 minutes on each side daily. Start between 34 weeks and 38 weeks for best results.
Castor Oil: The good, the not so pretty and the downright deadly uses of the castor plant.
Castor Oil is an incredible substance that is obtained by pressing the seeds of the castor plant, Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae). It is a clear oil that has been used for medicinal use in Ancient Egypt, China, Persia, Africa, Greece, Rome, and in 17th Century Europe and the Americas. Centuries ago, the plant was referred to as “Palma Christe” because the leaves were said to resemble the hand of Christ. This association likely arose out of people’s reverence for the plant’s healing abilities.
Castor oil is now widely used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, machinery and industry. Even Castrol motor oil for machinery is derived from castor oil….must be good for the joints?
The Good: Always start with the positives!
One of the more compelling health benefits is castor oil’s ability to support the immune system. This healing property does not require you ingest the oil, rather apply it externally. Castor oil “packs” can be an economical and efficient method of infusing the ricinoleic acid and other healing components of castor oil directly into your tissues.
Popularized by psychic and intuitive healer, Edgar Cayce in the 1930s and 1940s, Castor Oil packs became widely utilized. Some say Edgar Cayce was the father of the New Age Movement. His work with castor oil was later researched and proven by primary care physician William McGarey amongst others.
Even Ancient Yogis and modern day yogis of the Ashtanga tradition follow a Saturday ritual of a castor oil bath. This helps reduce any inflammation in the joints while providing a ritual during the day off from training. In this tradition castor oil is applied liberally while the practitioner lays in corpse pose (shivasina) for 10-15 minutes. Afterwards wash the castor oil off in the shower.
Castor oil packs applied topically can:
- Stimulate and support the immune system
- Drain the lymphatic system
- Increase lymphocyte production
- Increase circulation
- Have an antiinflamitory effect
- Have an antiviral effect
- Have an antifungal effect
- Improve painful conditions and swelling
Some conditions treated are GI complaints, ovarian cysts, menstrual issues, irregular menses, painful menses, fibroids, acne, arthritis, lymph edema and chronic infections.
Topical Application: You can rub castor oil into the skin but if you truly want the most therapeutic effect try a “Castor Oil Pack”. Packs are the most common and effective way to apply topical castor oil.
In order to make a Castor Oil Pack You will need the following supplies:
- High quality cold-pressed castor oil
- Hot water bottle or heating pad
- Plastic wrap
- Two or three one-foot square pieces of wool or cotton flannel
- One large old bath towel
Fold flannel three layers thick so it is still large enough to fit over your entire upper abdomen and liver. You can also treat over a local area, like swollen lymph nodes on the neck, ankles, knees…anywhere that needs additional love. Soak flannel with the oil so that it is completely saturated. The oil should be at room temperature. Place the flannel pack directly onto your abdomen; cover oiled flannel with the sheet of plastic, and place the hot water bottle on top of the plastic.
I recommend wearing old pajamas as the oil stains and is difficult to remove. Leave pack on for 45 to 60 minutes. This is a great time to do meditational breathing, reading or just relax. You can reuse the pack several times, each time adding more oil as needed to keep the pack saturated.
The “not so pretty” but effective Internal Uses of Castor Oil:
Castor oil has been an internal remedy for thousands of years. Remember Spanky from The Little Rascals being spoon fed castor oil? Castor oil can even be seen on Tom and Jerry as a way to harass Tom. Centuries of ingesting Castor oil by myriads of cultures have shown us that castor oil is a formidable laxative.
Castor oil has been proven to stimulate the intestines and the uterus and is often recommended to stimulate labor. I however do not recommend castor oil for labor induction unless in very specific conditions as castor oil as it can cause violent vomiting and diarrhea which can really be tough on a laboring woman.
The”Downright Deadly” but infrequently seen use of the Castor nut:
Unless you go into the business of manufacturing castor oil you will not come into contact with Ricin. Ricin is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein and even a dose the size of a few grains of table salt can kill an adult human. Heating during the oil extraction process denatures and inactivates the protein rendering castor oil harmless.
In a few occurrences since the late 1970’s ricin has been utilized as a biological toxic weapon. As a matter of fact even this year, an envelope addressed to President Obama tested positive for ricin. All that being said, castor oil has been deemed safe and effective by the FDA so do not worry.
Castor Oil is an ancient and effective way to improve your health. Give it a try for yourself.
Fire Cupping
Cupping has been around for thousands of years and have been used by numerous traditions to support healing. Cupping reduces inflammation, reduce toxins and improves circulation. It also promotes a feeling a calmness and reduced anxiety. Many feel this is because it helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and reduce the “flight or fight” sensation that many people experience on a daily basis.
The earliest records of cupping date back to the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC), one of the oldest living medical documents preserved today. Even Hippocrates mentions cupping in medical literature from 400 BC. Cupping has roots in the Middle East, Asia, Northern & Eastern Europe and North American traditional peoples. Cups can be made from glass, bamboo, animal horns and shells.
Cups are applied to the skin using a flame to create a vacuum, this is referred to as Fire Cupping. Cups can also be applied with a pump like suction that draws the air out of the cup. The skin literally draws up into the cup creating tightness.
REUTERS/David Gray
Reduce Toxins:
Cupping is known to draw out toxins and purify the body. Some theorize that cupping promotes health by facilitating the removal of toxins. The cupping action draws toxins to the surface of the skin where the immune system is better able to eliminate them.
Others theorize that cupping helps reset the fascia that lies under the muscle and helps keep the shape of the muscle. Tension and stagnation can alter the tone of the muscle and fascia and create “knots” and trigger points. Cupping helps disperse this stagnation.
Regulate Qi flow:
Others believe that cupping works with the Traditional Chinese Medicine notion of Qi flow. Typically cups are applied along the Yang Channels of the back such as the Gallbladder, Urinary Bladder and Small Intestine channels. These channels are often tense and hold a lot of stagnation. Cups along the channel can help improve the Qi flow and reduce pain.
There are many Cupping Techniques that can be utilized.
Tonifying Cupping: Cups are applied for approximately 10 minutes and then removed.
Draining Cupping: Cups are applied for up to 20 minutes and then removed.
Flash Cupping: Cups are applied and then removed immediately.
Sliding Cups: Cups are applied over oil and slid across the muscle or acupuncture channel.
Bleeding Cupping or Wet Cupping (Hajimah or Haracat): The skin is pierced and then cups are applied. This is no longer legal in the USA but is widely used in Turkey and Islamic countries. 3 slices are placed on the skin, to represent Allah, and bled for 3-8 minutes.
Finnish Traditions also utilizes wet cupping in a warm environment, typically after a sauna.
I stick to sliding cups or flash cupping. Typically, I place an oil on the back and then apply the cups using fire to create the vacuum. I usually work with four cups and slide them along the channels to create a deep massage. People often feel very relaxed afterwards. In keeping with the ancients I avoid cupping if a woman is menstruating or if someone is weak or recovering from an illness. I also avoid cupping if someone has plans to drink excessively that evening as it could make people more susceptible to catching a cold.
Cupping is an extraordinary, sacred tradition that has withstood the test of time. Check it out for yourself!
