Small Seeds, Big Impact: The Benefits of Ear Seeding
As practitioners of Chinese medicine, one of our favourite tools for supporting the body’s natural healing process is ear seeding. This gentle yet powerful therapy is part of auricular medicine, a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine that views the ear as a microsystem of the entire body. Each part of the ear corresponds to an organ, system, or emotional state—almost like a mini map of the body.
What are ear seeds and how do they work:
Ear seeds are tiny seeds (fun fact: traditionally from the Vaccaria plant, they’re now also available in crystal, gold, or metal) placed on specific pressure points of the ears. By applying light pressure to these points, we stimulate the body’s own regulatory systems—especially the nervous system. This constant, subtle stimulation sends signals through the vagus nerve and peripheral nerves in the ear, which can help shift the body out of a sympathetic state (think fight or flight) and into a more relaxed parasympathetic state (think rest and digest). In simpler terms, ear seeds can help calm the nervous system and bring the body back into balance.
Benefits of ear seeds:
Ear seeding offers a wide range of benefits, with some of the most common uses including:
Stress relief
Anxiety reduction
Sleep support
Hormonal balance
Improved digestion
Chronic pain management
Emotional grounding
Often used as a complement to acupuncture, ear seeds serve as a powerful take-home tool, providing continued support between treatments. One of the things we love most about them is how empowering they are—patients can gently stimulate the seeds throughout the day, staying actively engaged in their healing journey.. while being needle-free (for those that are acupuncture apprehensive).
Whether done by a TCM practitioner, or as part of a self-care ritual at home, ear seeding offers an accessible way to tap into the body’s natural ability to heal—one tiny point at a time.
Bright Health Co. is excited to offer complimentary ear seeding at Nice Day Pilates’ NICE AFFAIR! Choose from the following ear seeding points:
Shenmen point, aka the ‘Sprit Gate’, is used to:
Calm the mind and nervous system by acting as a grounding point
Reduce stress, anxiety, and emotional tension
Support better sleep and emotional balance
Autonomic point is used to:
Balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Help regulate stress responses (fight-or-flight vs. rest-and-digest)
Support sense of calm
Point zero, aka the ‘homeostasis’ point, is used to:
Bring the body into balance
Regulate the brain, endocrine, and organ systems
Align the body's center of gravity and restore equilibrium
Thalamus point is used to:
Support pain management and sensory regulation
Regulate emotions, calm the brain and reduce overactivity (especially overwhelm or hypersensitivity)
Useful in cases of chronic pain, insomnia, and neurological imbalance
Endocrine point is used to:
Regulates hormonal balance and helps with mood swings and fatigue
Supports menstrual cycles, fertility, menopause, and energy levels
Come for the celebration and leave with a little more zen (and brightness)!
Have questions? Book a complimentary 15-minute meet and greet with one of our Bright practitioners to learn more.
WRITTEN BY: alysha saks
Disclaimer
The advice provided in this article is for information purposes only. It is meant to augment and not replace consultation with a licensed healthcare provider. Consultation with a Traditional Chinese Practitioner or primary care provider is recommended for anyone suffering from a health problem.