Kunlun Mountain has long been thought of as a Taoist paradise by the Chinese, a sacred place shrouded in mystery.  It is said to be home to the most important Taoist goddess,  Xi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West, along with other gods and human immortals.  Legend holds that the Jade Palace of Huang-Di, the mythical Yellow Emperor and originator of Chinese culture was found nestled in the wilds of Kunlun.  Medicinal and magical healing herbs and mushrooms flourish here, inextricably linking the mountain to Chinese medicine, health and longevity.  While the mountains that exist geographically at the northern border of the Tibetan plateau have since been named Kunlun, they have little association with the myths and mystery of Kunlun. 

 

There is an elemental relationship between Taoist cosmology and psychology, one in which the inner world reflects the patterns and rhythms of the outer world.  The roots of the mountain, reaching deep into the earth, symbolize the collective unconscious; the base of the mountain is the deep individual unconscious; the mass of the mountain represents the mass of our physical bodies; the pinacle of the mountain reflects the upper reaches of the mind; and the upward movement of the mountain embodies our spirits as they reach towards the heavens (as summarized by Lorie Dechar in Five Spirits: Alchemical Acupuncture for Psychological and Spiritual Healing). 

 

With the theories of Chinese medicine and Taoist philosophy as our trail guide, we can explore any or all of these levels.  Acupuncture can tap into our inner wisdom and wellness, allowing us the freedom of body, mind and spirit we will need for the journey.