Could a layperson practice moxibustion?

bbsadmin

Chen Yanzhi, who lived during the Southern and Northern dynasties (420-581 A.D.) writes: “[b:21da3ffef4][i:21da3ffef4]One must have a teacher before practicing the technique of acupuncture, but even the ordinary person can apply moxibustion [/b:21da3ffef4][/i:21da3ffef4]. One who has had a teacher explain the Classic can readily practice acupuncture and moxibustion. However, [b:21da3ffef4][i:21da3ffef4]one who has not had a teacher explain the texts can apply moxibustion according to diagrams and explanatory texts[/i:21da3ffef4][/b:21da3ffef4]”.

Do you agree with this statement? Could it be generalised to other non-penetrating acupoint treatment techniques (laser, acupressure)?

tutor

“One who has had a teacher explain the Classic can readily practice acupuncture and moxibustion. However, one who has not had a teacher explain the texts can apply moxibustion according to diagrams and explanatory texts”.

You may say so!
However, those without the good teaching could only apply very simple moxibustion!

Moxibustion is not so simple!

A layperson could apply moxibustion, but may not know well why moxibustion is good, or why it should be done on this or that point, or how to change the ways of the moxibustion.

Usually, in China, the laypersons who practice moxibustion are taught some simple methods of moxibustion by acupuncture physicians, on the purpose to help themselves or their family members.

For sure small number of laypersons would learn to do moxibustion by only reading books.

As laser is concerned, it all depends!
We have to make sure what type of laser is in use and what problems are going to be treated.

Acupressure is another story!
It indeed could be done by laypersons. But even many professional ones cannot do it very well.

It does need a good practice. In fact, in China it's only a very small part of traditional Chinese therapeutical massage. So the real professionals won't be interested in this minor therapy, and because it needs certain hard way of training for the fingers, it is seldom practiced alone by the professionals.
So possibly some family members would learn the acupoints and do the finger pressure or the pressure with certain tools on the points.
Usually they learnt the points by watching what the acupuncture physicians do in the clinic.

For quite sure, small number of laypersons would learn to do the acupressure by reading books. We have a tradition, i.e. some Chinese intellectuals would pay some attention on health preservation, by some means of self-taught.

By the way, in China, some laypersons have got very good knowledge of western medicine, they might know better in some aspects than many general practitioners. For sure they only learnt the knowledge by reading books.