Marma points are the the important elements of Ayurveda’s healing power. Developed in India centuries ago these points profoundly affect the body, mind, and spirit and facilitates the deepest levels of healing. Prana is the current of energy that infuses energy cell within the body. Stimulating marmani (energy points) directly taps into the reservoir of energy and promotes health.

Marma should be understood as junction or meeting place of the 5 organ principals , ligaments, vessels, muscles, bones, and joints with the four types of the vessels being the nerve, lymph arteries and veins. By making a gentle movements with either the forefinger or the middle finger on the marma, toxins can be released and eliminated by the body.

These categories are:

• Sadhya Pranhara Marma
• Kalantara Pranahara Marma
• Vishalyghna Marma
• Vaikalyakara Marma
• Rujakara Marma

Acupressure

Acupressure is an ancient healing art using the fingers to gradually press key healing points, which stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. Acupressure was developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago. Using the power and sensitivity of the hand, Acupressure Therapy is effective in the relief of stress-related ailments, and is ideal for self-treatment and preventive health care for boosting the immune system. Acupressure releases tension, increases circulation, reduces pain, and develops spirituality and vibrant health.

Acupuncture & Acupressure use the same pressure points and meridians, but Acupuncture employs needles, while Acupressure uses gentle to firm finger pressure. When these acupressure points are stimulated, they release muscular tension, promote circulation of blood, and enhance the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupressure therapy can be used to relieve pain, fortify the sexual reproductive system, detoxify the body for greater health and beauty, and tone facial and back muscles.

Ways to Use Acupressure

The Applications of Using Acupressure include relieving pain, balancing body energy, and maintaining good health. By learning self-care applications and pressure point formulas for specific conditions, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic muscular pain, mental stress, addiction recovery, learning disorders, trauma, emotional imbalances and more. Here are some areas for applying Acupressure effectively.

Acupressure Methods

All Acupressure Massage techniques, methods and styles use the same ancient acupressure trigger points. They vary in using different rhythms and pressures for stimulating the acupressure points, using not only the fingers, but also the hands, arms, legs and even feet. Some styles also incorporate other healing techniques. Shiatsu Therapy, the traditional Japanese form of acupressure, can be quite vigorous, with deep pressure applied to each point for three to five seconds. In Jin Shin Acupressure, at least two points are gently held for a minute or more. This style also uses the Extra Meridians or Extraordinary Vessels, which balance the meridians. Tuina Chinese Massage and Thai Massage stimulate the Qi ("key") healing energy using acupressure hand movements, full body stretches, and Chinese massage techniques.

Acupressure Points have a high electrical conductivity at the surface of the skin, and thus conduct and channel healing energy most effectively. This is why the most potent healing energy work uses acupressure points. The Chinese call healing energy Qi or Chi. In Japan, the life force is termed Ki, and channeling healing energy is called Reiki. Yoga practices refer to the body's life force as prana or pranic energy. These terms all relate to the same universal healing energy, which exists in our environment, and links us to all forms of life.

The 12 Meridians of Traditional Chinese Medicine are the body's healing energy pathways. Meridian massage therapy moves this life energy through the meridians to improve flow and balance. Acupressure charts and Acupuncture charts show where the meridian lines are on the body. The points are where vital energy gets blocked on the meridians, and where you can most effectively release the resulting tension, numbness, or pain. As healing energy flows through the meridians, it governs blood circulation and harmonizes all functions of the body. Studying the meridian pathways and Acupressure points for transmitting Qi healing energy is key to transformational energy work, including therapeutic touch and massage therapy.

Energy blockages whether from stress, trauma, or an injury, can be traced to the root of all health problems. Your energy flow affects how you feel, how you think, and how you breathe. Just as negative thoughts can block your energy flow, positive thoughts can increase your healing energy. When the body's life-force energy becomes blocked, various emotional imbalances and physical symptoms also result. These energy blockages occur at the acupressure points. Through a variety of acupressure methods ranging from light touch, tapping, to simply holding the points, the body's life energy is able to flow and rebalance.

Energy Flow Governs Well-Being in people and animals alike. Within all living animals are meridian pathways. These life-force channels govern the functions of all body systems, such as the nervous, digestive, endocrine, vascular, lymphatic, and reproductive systems. The way energy flows through the meridians presides over wellness or dis-ease. Meridian blockages can cause all kinds of human suffering. However, when the life force flows tough the meridians in a balanced way, health, harmony, and happiness results.

A skilled Acupressurist can integrate many complementary health care methods and therapies into a complete treatment. Examples include therapeutic touch, somatic work, healing imagery, acupressure meridian therapy, five element assessments, pulse reading, Asian bodywork therapy, energy psychology (which involves tapping acupressure points), and acupressure massage therapy techniques. Therefore by this study marma therapy can be developed as as treatment for various ailments.