Moxibustion, or Moxa for short, is an ancient form of heat therapy used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Moxa uses the ground and dried leaves of the plant Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris that is pressed into sticks or cones that are lit and applied above acupuncture points. The sticks are held above the skin surface while cones are applied and removed to prevent burning the skin. Along with the heat which opens up the pores in the skin of the patient, the medical properties of the herb are in this way transferred to the patient to stimulate and strengthen the blood and the life energy, or qi, of the person.