Massage therapists use acupressure points as part of their healing process, but you can too!  So, if you don’t have time for a daily massage (and who really does?) try some of these self-accupressure routines to start your day relaxed and invigorated:

1. To start in the morning, begin by rubbing your palms together vigorously for about 30 seconds to stimulate your qi (energy) flow.  Then tap your fingertips over your scalp, like you’re drumming.
2. Next, run your fingertips down your face like a rake (but not if you have long nails), and end by pinching your eyebrows between thumb and forefinger, starting at the inner edge and moving out.  These actions stimulate digestive and lymphatic systems.
3. Then, to stimulate qi flow to the heart and lungs, place your palms on your cheeks and rub hands up and down as fast as possible.
4. To stimulate the heart, pericardium, and lung meridians, extend one arm, palm down, and make a fist with the other hand.  Gently pound down the inner surface of the arm and then repeat along the back of the arm, stimulating the small and large intestine meridians.
5. For neck stiffness throughout the day, you can press the tian zhu and ya men points at the back of the neck for several minutes.  See the location of these points here.

These techniques and photo are taken from The Chinese Medicine Bible, by: Penelope Ody.

• Tags
• acupressure
• massage
• TCM
• pcom
• pacific college of oriental medicine
• digestive
• lymphatic
• heart
• lungs