This morning I finished my yoga session, had lunch, and dozed off—moxibustion going on at the same time. When I woke up, I didn’t hop online as usual. Instead, I spent the afternoon straightening up the house, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.
As a homemaker, I’m used to regular tidying and cleaning. If the place is a mess, I feel miserable and can’t focus on anything else. Lately I’ve been so busy that my room looked like chaos, so today I set everything else aside to get it back in order.
While I was cleaning, I couldn’t help grumbling: “Ugh, this is such a chore—and there’s still so much to do! I just cleaned yesterday, so why is it this dirty again?” Then I remembered how many friends in my group ask, “How long until moxibustion makes me well, Yejie?” Isn’t self‑care with moxibustion just like housekeeping?
Think about a new home: in the first few years, a quick straighten makes it look fresh and welcoming. After five or six years, the paint fades, the fixtures date, and dust builds up in hard‑to‑reach spots—time for a deep clean or fresh coat of paint.
Our bodies work the same way. When we’re young, metabolism is strong and immunity keeps us feeling light and healthy—so much so we hardly notice our bodies. Then life happens: having children, juggling work, long hours, pressure and stress tighten the body until our health starts to creak. Only when we burn out do we pay attention—rushing to doctors, then discovering it doesn’t bring real relief. We try moxibustion and it feels wonderful… but we hope a few sessions will cure us, and when that doesn’t happen, we give up because it’s too much trouble.
Just like a car needs regular servicing after certain mileage, our bodies produce metabolic “waste” that must be cleared. After about age 35, a woman’s body begins to slow down—and that’s when long‑term upkeep is essential. Moxibustion replenishes yang energy, keeps the tissues supple, and prevents stagnation and bruising. If you’re young yet already wrestling with chronic issues, it means the body has aged or been injured early—and that makes consistent care non‑negotiable.
I’m now in my eighth year of daily moxibustion, and it’s simply part of my routine. I know my work and yoga practice deplete energy, so I use moxibustion to refill my “positive power.” My yoga teacher says: “A yogi is always on the path; the body stays alert, and yoga endlessly broadens our awareness and potential.” Just as the body takes in nutrients, our mind must also absorb nourishment—constantly learning, adjusting, and sweeping away emotional clutter.
Once you start moxibustion as a wellness practice, it becomes a lifelong commitment—just like eating and sleeping. You don’t stop until life itself ends.