Acupressure--What the Heck Is It?

Over the last three years since I've become certified in equine acupressure, I've had to do a lot of explaining to people of what it is exactly.  The first thing that comes to people's minds is needles.  That, my friends, is acupuncture.  Acupressure is also an ancient Chinese healing modality, but it uses pressure from your fingertips instead.

Acupressure is seen by many as a form of massage.  It's basis is much deeper than that, though.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are twelve major meridians that flow throughout our bodies (animals, too).  They can be seen as 'energetic pathways'.  Within these pathways flows Chi, which is somewhat difficult to translate into Western terminology, but probably the best way to describe it is 'life energy'.  Chi flows continuously throughout these meridians on a twenty-four hour cycle (Western medicine refers to it as the Circadian rhythm), keeping the body functioning as a whole.

Problems arise when Chi becomes 'blocked' in a certain meridian.  According to TCM, this is the beginning of illness or pain.  The theory behind acupruessure (and acupuncture) is that one can release the blocked chi by applying pressure to certain points along the meridians, known as acu-points.  These acu-points often have very specific anatomical locations, so finding them can be a bit tricky for the layperson.

If all this sounds a little hokey to you, just remember that we often shun what we don't understand.  I was once completely skeptical about all of this, too.  Learning about TCM and acupressure was part of the larger paradigm shift that I went through a few years ago, though.  I've realized that there is much more out there than what's in our little American bubble of 'medical treatment'.  Not to say that we haven't made some amazing discoveries and advances in treating illnesses here.  We definitely have.  But our way isn't the only way.

What I love about TCM is that it addresses the person or animal as a whole.  When a horse is experiencing pain of some sort, the problem is looked at from a whole-body perspective, not just that one area where the pain is manifesting. 

Anywho, I'll get off my soapbox now.  I just wanted to explain acupressure for those of you who may be interested in learning more about it.  Don't knock it 'til you try it!  I've done acupressure sessions on myself and my husband with noticeable effects.  Horses can't tell you if it's helping them, but once you've been doing acupressure for a while, you can see how it affects them as well.  My horses all love it!  More information on animal acupressure can be found at www.animalacupressure.com, if you're interested.

Ta-ta!