For millennia, practitioners of Chinese medicine have shared their experiences in aiding people’s healing and maintaining their health. While some wisdom has been passed down through family lineages, the foundational tenets of Chinese medicine have been openly shared, subject to critical refinement over time, laying the groundwork for modern practitioners.
One crucial element of our healing approach is moxibustion therapy, particularly its seasonal applications designed to enhance immunity and promote overall wellness. “Nourishing Life” (Yang Shen) is a period focused on potentiating the body’s natural immune system, and given the current circumstances, it holds particular significance. In this discussion, we explore the benefits of Nourishing Life moxibustion treatments for natural immunity.
Health Begins with Prevention
A fundamental principle of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is disease prevention. We often share an ancient Chinese saying with our patients: “A good doctor has no sick patients.” This encapsulates the essence of TCM, where prevention is considered the highest form of medicine. While prevention gains recognition in health and wellness circles, it often receives little attention because we may not appreciate what we’ve never experienced. Chinese medicine, however, takes a proactive approach, considering not only the immediate ailment but also assessing the underlying factors affecting an individual’s internal terrain, including immunity, blood, and energy. This precision medicine approach seeks to identify and rectify imbalances, whether physical or energetic.
Whether addressing preventive or reactive medicine, our preference is for modalities that strengthen and tonify the system. Moxibustion, with its warming therapy, provides gentle fortification like no other.
Nourishing Life and Moxibustion
Nourishing Life (Yang Sheng 养生) refers to the practice of promoting good health and longevity. TCM practitioners, over millennia, have identified specific times of the month and year conducive to deep healing and graceful aging. These periods align with the Chinese lunar calendar, occurring in spring and autumn.
Moxibustion, or “moxa,” a form of heat therapy utilising the medicinal plant Ai Ye (mugwort), is the method employed for nourishing life. Traditionally, moxa involves burning rolled mugwort in cone shapes over or on the skin, creating a gentle warmth. For Nourishing Life, a substantial therapeutic dose of moxibustion is applied over a specific area of the lower abdomen. Our preferred method involves a bamboo “moxa box,” offering a customisable moxa amount tailored to the individual’s health and age. This technique ensures therapeutic heat dosage at a safe distance above the skin, allowing for a focused, relaxing treatment.
Optimal Seasons for Nourishing Life
Nourishing Life moxibustion aligns with the Chinese lunar calendar, typically around February 3rd or 4th for spring and August 7th or 8th for autumn. The effective date range extends approximately five days before the official calendar date, covering about 10 days. Practitioners often self-treat during this period, employing consistent moxa cones.
Commonly used points for moxibustion include Ren 6 (Qi Hai) for the spring transition and Ren 4 (Guan Yuan) for the autumn transition. Depending on the patient’s needs, some practitioners may opt for Du 4 (Ming Men) instead of Ren 6 or Ren 4. The selection aligns with a line from Chapter 2 of the Su Wen, a classic TCM text, emphasizing nourishing yang in spring and yin in winter.
While Ren 6 (Qi Hai) strengthens qi and yang, and Ren 4 (Guan Yuan) traditionally tonifies yin, moxibustion leans towards a more yang nature. Focused moxibustion on these specific points builds one’s Yuan Qi or “Original Qi,” contributing to vitality, longevity, and the slowing of the aging process.
The concept that certain times of the year offer a more profound impact on health and healing may seem esoteric, but it aligns with the cycles inherent in life and the world. Our bodies respond to these changes, as evident in the four seasons and daily circadian rhythms. Being in harmony with these natural cycles, as advocated by ancient and modern practitioners, has tangible healing benefits.
In a time where the fragility of health is increasingly apparent, it is crucial to fortify and not merely maintain it. Moxibustion, when consistently and appropriately performed, emerges as a remarkably effective and accessible method to support immunity and enhance the quality and length of life. It is, as the ancients argued, a way to nourish life.