Moxa rolls and moxa sticks are made from ground mugwort leaves. This is what’s used in moxibustion, travelling along the body’s meridians or zeroing in on acupuncture points for a designed effect.
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What Are Moxa Rolls?
Moxa rolls and moxa sticks are made from mugwort. This comes from a flowering plant in the daisy family. It’s consumed as a food in societies from Germany to Japan but in Western culture, mugwort’s predominant use is in moxibustion.
The mugwort leaves are taken, dried, and ground into small sticks or moxa rolls, or sometimes cones. Burning moxa rolls always produces smoke, that can be problematic for people with respiratory conditions. In fact, there is another type of moxa rolls which is smokeless moxa roll. Like Zen smokeless moxa rolls, they are are made from mugwort that is compressed in a special charcoal. Therefore, it is suitable for people who are sensitive to smoke, or for a smoke-free environment.
Philosophy of Moxa Rolls
Moxa rolls used in moxibustion are meant to travel across the 12 meridians that carry energy through the body. When these meridians are clear and maintained, qi and blood can move freely, cold and warmth can be dispelled through the body, and traditional Chinese medicine philosophy suggests that diseases and health conditions can be improved.
Moxa rolls are used based on the balance of yin and yang, arguing that imbalances is what causes illness.
What Do Moxa Rolls Treat?
There is limited evidence on what moxibustion and moxa rolls treat. In TCM, it’s argued that moxibustion can treat joint pain, indigestion, organ prolapse, gastrointestinal issues, menstrual cramps, and infertility.
An interesting finding with moxa rolls is that, during a breech pregnancy, it’s been shown to help get a baby to turn around on its own inside the mother’s tummy to avoid the baby coming out feet-first or bottom-first.
How To Use Moxa Rolls
While there is direct moxibustion which is where a moxa cone is lit and placed directly on the skin, moxa rolls are most commonly used with indirect moxibustion. This is when the burning moxa doesn’t touch the skin.
How to use moxa rolls is to light it and start the heat. A practitioner then holds the moxa rolls roughly an inch away from the skin. This does not hurt and is not uncomfortable. You may feel heat but that’s it. Moxa rolls are held close to the skin for a few minutes and then taken away. This can be done across several points and pathways in the body.
If you want to know more, you can visit our Moxa & Moxibustion FAQ for more information.
How Often To Do Moxibustion
There is no risk of moxibustion when using moxa rolls correctly. Depending on the condition, you may be recommended to do as many as two or more sessions daily for 7-10 minutes each, morning and night.
Using Moxibustion And Acupuncture
Although moxibustion has its own benefits, it is often used as a complement to acupuncture. Allergies, headaches, chronic pain, depression, and infertility are some of the most common reasons people opt to receive moxibustion.
Shop high-quality moxibustion supplies, moxa rolls and sticks, cones, and more at Lierre.ca.