{ Cupping Therapy }
What is Cupping?
Cupping therapy, also referred to as "sucking" involves the use of suction on the body in order to draw old & stagnant blood, energy, toxins, & metabolic waste out of the soft tissues & up to just below the skin so that the body can clear it out. It is a treatment of the blood, cold or heat in the tissues, wind in the body, & muscle tension. We create suction through either the use of plastic cups or with fire & glass cups. The flame itself does not touch the body at any point in time. It is only inserted into the glass cup briefly & then removed before the glass cup is attached to the body.
This form of bodywork / therapy may leave marks on the body which give the appearance that one has been hugging an octopus :) These are not bruises and are nothing to be alarmed by! It's a sign of an effective treatment & that your body is ridding itself of what it no longer needs.
A very limited list of benefits include:
Where does it come from?
Across various cultures & continents, we find evidence of cupping being practiced in the home by a family member and/or a trusted community healer as part of a holistic approach to home health care - including across Old Europe. For me this was an important part of my learning about the practice - to know that this cultural practice has ties to an area where my ancestors are from. In the text Remedies and Rituals: Folk Medicine in Norway and the New Land, Kathleen Stokker references "kopping" being practiced by traditional healers in Old County (Norway) as well as among Norwegian immigrants in areas currently known as Wisconsin + Minnesota.
The symbol of the sucking cup was actually a sign indicating someone was a physician in ancient Egypt & Greece. The Egyptian hieroglyph for "doctor" is a cup inverted with an arrow beneath it. While the practice is widespread, there are variations to the approach between communities. In Latin America the practice has been referred to as Ventosas. Within SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa)* & Islamic tradition, Hijama. In Greek tradition, Sikia. In Japan, cupping is called Kyukaku. In Turkey, Kupa Cekme. Chinese technique's are referred to as Jiaofa or Baguanfa.
*SWANA: This term is a less Euro-centric description of the region more commonly referred to as the Middle East and North Africa or MENA, which I learned about from Layla Kristy Feghali of River Rose Apothecary.
Cupping therapy, also referred to as "sucking" involves the use of suction on the body in order to draw old & stagnant blood, energy, toxins, & metabolic waste out of the soft tissues & up to just below the skin so that the body can clear it out. It is a treatment of the blood, cold or heat in the tissues, wind in the body, & muscle tension. We create suction through either the use of plastic cups or with fire & glass cups. The flame itself does not touch the body at any point in time. It is only inserted into the glass cup briefly & then removed before the glass cup is attached to the body.
This form of bodywork / therapy may leave marks on the body which give the appearance that one has been hugging an octopus :) These are not bruises and are nothing to be alarmed by! It's a sign of an effective treatment & that your body is ridding itself of what it no longer needs.
A very limited list of benefits include:
- improving eliminative function & stimulating essential metabolic processes & self healing (for example liver & gastrointestinal tract function)
- improving blood & lymph circulation
- releasing pressure of haematomas in acute physical injuries / sports injuries, & reduces tightness in swellings & inflamed tissues
- relieving pain, swelling & inflammation in acute & chronic musculoskeletal disorders – such as back & joint pain, lumbago, arthritis, etc - even years after a physical trauma
- can help to ease chronic mental tension, anxiety, & stress
- it also feels great!
Where does it come from?
Across various cultures & continents, we find evidence of cupping being practiced in the home by a family member and/or a trusted community healer as part of a holistic approach to home health care - including across Old Europe. For me this was an important part of my learning about the practice - to know that this cultural practice has ties to an area where my ancestors are from. In the text Remedies and Rituals: Folk Medicine in Norway and the New Land, Kathleen Stokker references "kopping" being practiced by traditional healers in Old County (Norway) as well as among Norwegian immigrants in areas currently known as Wisconsin + Minnesota.
The symbol of the sucking cup was actually a sign indicating someone was a physician in ancient Egypt & Greece. The Egyptian hieroglyph for "doctor" is a cup inverted with an arrow beneath it. While the practice is widespread, there are variations to the approach between communities. In Latin America the practice has been referred to as Ventosas. Within SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa)* & Islamic tradition, Hijama. In Greek tradition, Sikia. In Japan, cupping is called Kyukaku. In Turkey, Kupa Cekme. Chinese technique's are referred to as Jiaofa or Baguanfa.
*SWANA: This term is a less Euro-centric description of the region more commonly referred to as the Middle East and North Africa or MENA, which I learned about from Layla Kristy Feghali of River Rose Apothecary.
Please note that I am only offering the practice of dry cupping, meaning that the skin will not be pierced or perforated. There is a different variation of the practice which is referred to as wet cupping that I have not been trained in at this point in time.
90 Minute Session Includes:
15 minutes of conversation + intention setting
60 minutes of bodywork
15 minutes of wrap up + aftercare discussion
You can fill out an intake form here & you can also contact me directly to schedule an appointment!
Sliding Scale Fee Pricing available here.
