Shifu Bluestein | Moxa Appreciation

This short video is intended to be on the funny side. Take it seriously at your own risk! ^_^ What am I doing there? Well, what I am sniffing is not a regular cigar! It is, in fact, a moxa cigar. It is not intended for smoking, but rather, for healing. Moxibustion is a healing modality invented in China, with a proven track record of over 5000 years. It is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Moxa are the dried and packed leaves of the plant Artemisia Vulgaris - the Common Mugwort. The result of the leaves being processed is a 'fluff', similar to raw cotton. The moxa fluff can be used as-is, or shaped into cones, cigars, tiny adhesive stickers, etc. The commonality to all of these, is that they are lit on fire, and then applied on or close to the skin. Usually, they are used in conjunction with acupuncture points and meridians, to induce a healing effect, based on differential diagnosis of patients. I use moxa quite frequently for healing. It is most excellent. This particular moxa cigar is of foremost quality, having been dried for over 10 years, and processed in a superb way. When the moxa is of superior quality, it yields less smoke, and has a much milder scent. The smoke is usually not intentionally inhaled during moxa treatments. It is the unique heat signature produced by the burning area, which facilitates the healing process.