Getting Moxie from Moxa OR What Barrett Does on His Lunch Break

I wouldn’t do it if the payoff weren’t so big. Having someone hold a cigar shaped incense-like stick, the tip glowing orange with heat, mere inches from my belly is not high on my Fun Times list.

But it’s so worth it.

Moxa might sound a little bit like torture, but it’s actually a super fab form of Chinese medicine that is nothing short of a miracle. The moxa stick is lit and heated until it glows, then it’s applied to acupuncture points. The practitioner (in this case Barrett as he has a better view and steadier hands than I do), amidst billowing smoke and ashes that get tapped off into a fire safe container, holds the stick a few inches above the acupuncture point and makes tiny little circles.

It discourages dampness and invigorates my vital qi. In other words, I feel GREAT after and the liquid retention in my belly seems to shrink up a bit each time we do it–which is pretty much every day.

I only get that sensation of being singed every once in a while when the moxa stick gets just a little too close.

Love to you all,

Bridget

6 replies on “Getting Moxie from Moxa OR What Barrett Does on His Lunch Break”

  1. It’s so weird that you would talk about this. I just saw it done in Cuba when I was there. At first I thought the clinic was encouraging cigar smoking. Cuba’s use a whole lot of Chinese medicine – being communist and everything. On the down side, they don’t have a lot of anesthesia so sometimes they just use acupuncture.

  2. That sounds interesting. Is that an old practice? Glad to hear it is helping you.

    Love and kisses,
    Katie McGinn

  3. I just heard about Bridget passing away yesterday…

    My prayers go to her scalawag feline and human family in this time of grief at losing such a vivid, courageous lady. I am glad she got a chance to see the amazing spring blooming before passing on. Rest in peace, and make sure your editors get your book absolutely how you want it to be for us. Thanks for blessing our lives so much.

    Love always <3
    Laura B, a secret sibling in Portland's non-secret sibling city Seattle

  4. I didn’t have the chance to know you, Bridget, but I’m a fan of all authors who write for young people. The world misses you already.

    Prayers and thoughts to your family and friends.

    EJ

  5. I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Bridget, but after hearing of her passing, I came on her site and began reading some of her posts. Not only is there grief in what she endured with the cancer–her young life being cut tragically short, but there is a greater grief that I didn’t get the chance to know her on a personal or virtual level because she seemed AMAZING! How she could be so upbeat with so much going on….I can’t imagine. Her sweetness and kind nature basically leapt off the pages of her blog. I look forward to buying Poison when it comes out.

    My thoughts and prayers are with her family–especially Barrett after being part of her life for sixteen years.

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