All You Need to Know for the Safe Use of Smokeless Moxa at Home
WHY MOXA: Moxa has been suggested to you because of the type of condition you are presenting with. It is extremely effective for “cold conditions”, or “stagnation” type pain. If moxa is a good thing for you, when you experience it you will feel a bit of an “aaahh” sensation. If you have a heat condition and use moxa it will feel more like “yuk”!
- Remember that MOXA burns VERY hot. You must use extreme care when lighting or using this product! Before you begin either purchase a MOXA EXTINQUISHER or have a glass or ceramic bowl and fill it with dry sand. Do not use a plastic bowl for putting these out!! Or, take several inches of heavy tin foil and fold it over several times so that it fits snugly around the lit end of the stick to smother it when you are done. If you use this option, place the tin foiled stick upright in a container so that the hot end doesn’t touch anything. NEVER set the lit Moxa stick down without being placed safely in a container.
- When lighting use either a bic type lighter or a candle. It can take a few minutes to get it going so be patient. The moxa will have a tendency to burn down into its center, so over the course of using it you may relight around the edges so that it burns evenly.
- Have a coffee cup or some other non plastic container that you can knock ash off into as you work. Some sticks will have tiny cracks in them, so knock the ash off frequently. If the tip falls off, better into the cup than on your tender skin!
- Now you’re ready! The moxa is lit and you have your “ash cup”. Hold the stick gently in your hand, like a pencil and hold it over the area you are warming. You can move the stick over the point you are working on in small circles or do a pecking motion that gently moves the moxa closer and further away from the point. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR SKIN WITH THE LIT MOXA!
- Work any area until it is comfortably warm. You will likely experience a deep warming around the area. If, at any time you are uncomfortable simply stop. More is not necessarily better. You may work on a specific area anywhere from a minute or two up to 10 minutes. The skin around the area may get pinkish, depending on your own skin tone.
- Never use moxa on an open wound or on skin that is red, inflamed or tender to the touchor on skin that is red, inflamed or tender to the touch.
Where to Use Moxa
Here are a couple of sites that are commonly used. It is possible that other points or areas have been recommended to you. If you have questions please call 
(360) 417-8870 or contact us at
ST36, ST25, REN 3,4,5,6
Stomach 36 – Locate by running your hand up the front of your leg, the tibia. Just below the knee cap you will feel a small “dip” on the outside of your leg, that’s Stomach 36. You may warm an area about the size of a half dollar. It may feel nice on your knee as well. This is a great point to help build or strengthen your Qi (energy). It will also help to settle and regulate your digestion.
Stomach 25 – Is located about the width of two fingers directly next to your navel. This is an excellent point to assist in regulating the bowel. It is referred to as the Master or Control point for the Large Intestine.
REN 3,4,5 and 6 – All these points are in a direct line starting just about 1 inch above the pubic bone and going up to about 1 inch below your navel. These are excellent points to build your Qi if you are tired or are trying to recover from an illness that has left you overly fatigued. These points may also help support sexual function as well as urinary issues and menstrual cramps.
DO NOT use these points if you have ANY type of infection, such as a Urinary tract infection. This is an example of a HOT condition and the use of Moxa is not indicated.
If you have any questions, call or write us BEFORE using these techniques at home.
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