Moxibustion uses the gentle heat of burning mugwort to care for the body. A winter session at home can send warmth from your belly all the way down to your feet.
Moxibustion is one of the oldest external practices in Chinese medicine. Mugwort leaf is pungent in flavor and warm in nature, and the Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) describes it as “warming the center and dispelling cold.”
The spots beginners use most
Zu San Li (ST36), four finger-widths below the knee: for everyday wellness. Guan Yuan (CV4), four finger-widths below the navel: to warm the lower belly in winter. Yong Quan (KI1), on the sole of the foot: to warm your feet before bed. Spend 10 to 15 minutes on each spot, stopping when it feels warm and the skin is lightly pink.
Safety first
Hold the moxa stick about 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) from your skin, and pull it back if it feels hot. Never leave a lit stick unattended, and keep an ash dish next to you. Don't use moxa within an hour after a meal, on an empty stomach, when you have a fever, on broken skin, or on the abdomen during pregnancy. Afterward, drink a cup of warm water and wait half an hour before showering.
The warmth should feel like sunshine, not a burn.
Shop the ritual: Smokeless Moxa Starter Kit →
Keep reading
- Overthinking and the Spleen: Why a Busy Mind Can Mean No Appetite and No Sleep
- Zu San Li (ST36): The Point Known as the “Longevity Point”
- Frost's Descent (Shuangjiang): How to Move Through Autumn's Final Solar Term
We don't promise. We don't cure. We align. This article is for everyday wellness and cultural education only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or have a health concern, talk with your doctor first.
