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History of Marmapuncture

Marmapuncture is traditionally known as Bhedan karma which means “the action of piercing through”. It is an ancient, time tested therapeutic intervention.

Modern archaeological evidence points to the fact that Suchi Bhedan Karma was practised in Sri Lanka pre-500BC.  Microlithic tools crafted from flint, fish bones and a type of rock known as Chert were found in caves in the Balangoda region of Sri Lanka. These caves were inhabited for over 37,000 years. These microlithic tools were used to penetrate the skin, to affect a therapeutic response in the body.

In ancient India, marmapuncture therapeutic interventions were recorded about 3000 years ago in a document called Suchi Veda, meaning “the art of piecing with a needle”. At Taxila university, in India, circa 100 BC,  marmapuncture was taught to students as part of their curriculum. 

Subsequent, Buddhist missionary work and trade spread this knowledge throughout China and South East Asia. It is stated that the Buddha’s physician was an Ayurvedic vaida (doctor) known as Jivaka. And Jivaka composed many texts on Indian medicine, which were closely guarded by monks in Tibet. 

Dr Yeshi Donden, former physician of the Dalai Lama wrote in his book.

“The Tibetan system, mainly derived from Indian Buddhist medicine focuses on restoring and maintaining the balance between the three humours called Wind (vata) Bile (pitta) and Phlegm (kapha). Experienced Tibetan physicians have used the system for more than a thousand years” And “Last (in the Fourth Shastra) is a section dealing with accessory therapy, these include Moxibustion, acupuncture, surgery and so forth.”

What is Marmapuncture?

Marmapuncture is the external application of sterile single-use disposable needles on specific marma points which correspond to specific nadi channels of the body. A marma point as been described by Sushruta, the father of surgery in Ayurveda as an anatomical site where muscle, veins, fascia, ligaments, bones and joints meet together. The nadi channels connect with chakras of the body.

Marmapuncture is similar to acupuncture treatments in that the needles are inserted on specific points and left for approximately 20 minutes or more and then removed.

Marmapuncture aims at restoring internal energetic balance of the body which have been disrupted through daily stresses and strains of modern living (diet, lifestyle, pollution, travel). Marmapuncture encourages the smooth flow between interacting chakra centres of the body which govern overall health and wellbeing.

The Difference Between Acupuncture and Marmapuncture

The difference between traditional acupuncture and marmapuncture is that the former is based on the principles of Chinese Medicine and the concept of qi, yin and yang and the latter is based on the principles of Ayurveda, chakras and dosha. The points are very similar to one another although marmapuncture can involve several extra points which correlate to specific chakras of the body.

What to expect form a Marmapuncture session?

Marmapuncture is usually given weekly or fortnightly depending on the severity of the condition and your individual constitution. The marmapuncturist conducts a full Ayurvedic consultation to discern your dosha imbalance. This will determine the treatment prognosis - frequency, duration and course. Alongside marmapuncture, dietary and lifestyle advice, herbs and food supplements may also be prescribed to enhance your body’s healing.

What Nitasha has to say about Marmapuncture?

While I deeply respect and have been trained in Chinese, Japanese and Western Medical Acupuncture when I discovered and immersed myself in marmapuncture it felt like I had come home. I find myself using marmapuncture as a therapeutic modality more often as I feel I get a stronger therapeutic result. To most clients, marmapuncture feels like acupuncture. Its only clients who have been using acupuncture for a long time and feel the subtle changes in energy who can tell the difference between the two modalities. I am excited to be sharing the benefits of marmapuncture.