Though acupuncture and moxibustion did not die out and remained alive, it was not until the visit of the (then) president of the United States Nixon to China that people became aware that putting a person under anesthesia can be done through acupuncture and began to appreciate it. From that time acupuncture was all the rage in medical circles all over the world, and at the time being the WHO is examining the properties of acupuncture thoroughly.

At a time when even acupuncture was held in disregard, moxibustion was even more neglected. But acupuncture and moxibustion are like the two sides of a coin, and that is why they are always mentioned in the same breath.

Even people who claim to know about moxibustion think that because the main ingredient is moxa, it is the efficacy of moxa that enters the body and cures it. Therefore, they imagine that in order to get better results they should make the moxa cautery bigger and apply it often. When we think of moxibustion, it is usually accompanied with the preconception that it is hot. So we tend to think that moxibustion is hot and hard to bear. But actually fact moxibustion's sense of heat only lasts an instant and when kept on, those who have experienced it all know there is a certain pleasure to be found.

The word moxibustion's roots can be found in a phrase with the same pronounciation(a phrase that basically means 'to give enough time')'. Moxa cautery is a branch of Korean medicine that adjusts the functions of the body and treats, cures and prevents diseases using the warmth that is let off when the moxa used as ingredient is burnt. Moxa cautery does not mean actually burning the skin, but instead means using the heat to convey the medical effect deep into the body. In Chinese characters, moxa cautery is shown as 灸. This letter is a combination of the letters 久(long period) and 火(fire), literally meaning '(to treat) for a long time with fire'.

The story of moxa cautery

There once lived a man of Taewon(the archaic geographical name of Shanxi, China) called Wangcho in ancient China. He was a soldier and had a chance to learn moxa cautery from emigrants. After learning of the healing properties of moxibustion Wangcho frequently applied moxa to himself.

Wangcho later became the leader of a band of bandits and reached the age of ninety. But even at ninety his great lust for women did not lessen. Like a dry tree trying to quench its thirst he often tyrannized the nearby settlers by kidnapping their women. On one such occasion he was arrested by the government troops. Just before Wangcho was brought to justice, the bailiff asked him, "You are said to possess great energy. Do you have a secret method of some kind?" He replied, "Every year, at the onset of autumn and the change of season, I treated myself with moxa cautery and thus fought off the heat and cold. It also led to my insatiable appetite for women, and that was the reason I committed these crimes."

He was executed, but the interesting thing that the executor noted was that although after the execution the rest of the body had cooled, the warmth in his abdomen remained. He was puzzled by this fact and cutting open his belly, found something hard that resembled a rock or a precious stone.

The various benefits of moxibustion

Moxibustion can warm the body and activate the organs; In the same way that water freezes into ice, when our body is cold the functions of the five Jang Organs and the six Bu Organs freeze and do not function properly. If we treat this with moxibustion they wake up and the organs come to life.

Being alive means displaying vigorous activity, and when we apply moxa we can feel that we are alive through the intensified circulation of Ki and Blood. Verified recently through the studies of many countries, moxibustion dramatically increases the number of white and red blood cells and improves circulation. This fact has been recognized by the World Health Organization(WHO). Also, in the way steel hardens through repeated tempering, our mind and body become stronger through prevailing over the process of moxibustion. If moxibustion is applied often, our body becomes healthier and we become stronger.

1. Moxibustion (as a method of treatment) shown in the physical aspect

By applying heat to the skin, it disentangles extravasated blood and relieves stiff and rigid muscles. Due to the warmth the activity of lymph cells increases, and the capillary vessels and peripheral blood points become active.

A different kind of protein is formed around the part that has been burned, and this type of protein branches into immunity resistant cells and helps the body maintain immunity and resistance to disease. When various ingredients used in moxibustion -including moxa- are heated to a certain degree they release far infra red rays.

2. Moxibustion (as a method of treatment) shown in the biochemical aspect

The various ingredients used in moxibustion have many crude medicinal qualities, and these ingredients are absorbed by the body through the instruments or in other ways such as skin respiration or skin absorption. Among the ingredients used in moxibustion, some are incinerated, and the chemical reaction they produce as they burn is the unique effect of moxibustion.

3. Moxibustion (as a method of treatment) shown in the psychological aspect

Moxibustion free from burn marks induces the body into a relatively tranquil state by setting it at ease through its warmth. Patients who complained about the pain are often found to be snoring gently soon after :) Moxibustion also affects the endocrine function and the nervous system by heightening the autonomous control of the sympathetic nerve and the parasympathetic nerve. This is the reason why they say moxibustion has a prominent effect on the alleviation of pain and the reflexes.

The types of moxibustion

There are many different types but moxibustion can generally be divided into two groups, those that leave marks and those that don't. Those that leave burn marks place moxa directly on the skin and those that leave no mark are a modified way of moxibustion.

The ingredients of moxibustion

Moxibustion usually uses moxa as it promotes digestion and circulation of the blood. It also warms our body. Moxa usually grows in the early spring which helps Yin Ki to flourish. And it protects skin and flesh, which are relatively Yin Organs, against damage and hurt. Also because the coastal area(Sea) is thought to have more Yin elements than Earth, moxa which comes from island areas is prized as the best.

The way of selecting moxa

Moxa that are over three-years-old is usually used. Well-dried moxa which is easy to set on fire but does not become too hot when administered on skin, with soft, citrine(light yellow)-like colors is thought to be the best.

How to administer moxibustion

1. Roll the moxa

2. Moisten with saliva to fix the moxa in place

3. Set on fire but take care not to burn the skin

4. When finished, clear the moxa and repeat

Precautions

1. Apply in the evening

Apply 3 cones when you are weak and 5 cones successively when you are healthy and strong

2. Effects take at least 2 weeks to show

3. Do not administer before or after pregnancy or menstruation

4. When administering moxibustion on several spots, start at the top and move downwards

5. When tired after a long period of moxibustion treatment you should rest a few days for recuperation.