Cupping is an ancient Chinese folk remedy or alternative healing method in which a cup is applied to the body skin. This therapy is described as Fire Cup (or Jar) Energy (Qi) in The Great Herbal by Li Shih-Zhen.
For the specific Fire Cup method, it works on heating the cups to obtain suction. The hot air in the cups has a low density and, as the cups cool with the opening sealed by the skin, the pressure within the cups declines, sucking the skin into it.
With the partial vacuum created in the cups, the skin will be all aglow as a result of the rise in skin temperature and muscles and the congestion of the blood flow.
Accordingly, blood stasis is formed and localized healing takes place. Chinese also call this technique the "Blood Stasis Healing".
Cupping therapy has been further developed as a means to open the 'Meridians' of the body. Meridians are the conduits in the body through which energy flows to every part of the body and through every organ and tissue.
The Cupping technique is very useful and safe and can be easily learned with obvious healing result. Today, Westerners are increasingly more interested in this ancient method that has been popular for thousands of years in Asia . |
