Today, as I celebrate my 60th birthday, I experienced a truly magical moment. Returning to my hotel room after breakfast, I was greeted by a wonderful surprise—a peaceful gathering of ibexes standing right at my door. This quiet encounter with nature felt like a profound blessing, a moment of perfect synchronicity that invited reflection on my journey over the past 30 years of clinical practice and teaching.
It is in this spirit of harmony, inner quiet, and clarity that I want to share my latest article with you: “The Alchemy of Acupuncture and Pure Intention.”
Recently, a deep awareness of clinical clarity and a restored commitment to working with pure intention in the treatment room emerged for me. This realization was born at the intersection of two distinct paths: studying Chapter 21 of the Dao De Jing while simultaneously reading the newly revised edition of The Latest Practical Complete Collection of Master Tung’s Acupuncture Regular Meridians and Extra Points. This core text, containing the genuine teachings of Master Tung Ching-chang, was dictated by Hu Wenzhi—a close disciple who lived and studied alongside him.
Your Attractive HeadingThe Alchemy of Acupuncture and Pure Intention
A deep awareness of clinical clarity, along with a restored devotion to working with pure intention in the treatment room, recently emerged for me through a remarkable convergence. It was born at the intersection of two distinct paths: studying Chapter 21 of the Dao De Jing while simultaneously reading the newly revised edition of The Latest Practical Complete Collection of Master Tung’s Acupuncture Regular Meridians and Extra Points. This core text, containing the genuine teachings of Master Tung Ching-chang (董景昌), was dictated by Hu Wenzhi—a close disciple who lived and studied alongside the legendary master for two and a half years.
In his writings, Hu Wenzhi shares an absorbing story that deeply intrigued me. He recounts a time when the father of the clinic’s registration clerk suffered from severe leg swelling and was completely unable to walk. Upon hearing this, Master Tung calmly told the clerk that her father didn’t even need to travel to the clinic. He promised to treat the man remotely that very night, assuring her he would be walking by morning.
Driven by intense curiosity about how a patient could be healed without being physically present, Hu Wenzhi stayed at the clinic past midnight to observe his teacher. Around midnight, he witnessed Master Tung draw specific esoteric symbols on a piece of paper, then light it and burn it. This ritual matched Zhu You [祝由] perfectly—an ancient Chinese shamanic healing practice involving prayers, intentions, and burning talismans (Fu) to dispel deep-seated pathogens.
The next morning, before the clerk could even speak, Master Tung walked up to her and confidently said, “Your dad can walk now, right?” Utterly shocked and excited, the clerk confirmed that her father had fully recovered overnight.
Deeply inspired by this miraculous display of consciousness medicine, Hu Wenzhi immediately begged Master Tung to teach him Zhu You’s secrets. However, Master Tung firmly refused. He strictly instructed his disciple: “You just need to focus on learning acupuncture well!” and forbade him from ever asking about this spiritual technique again.
Reading this account aroused something intense in me. While I had never formally encountered the ancient practice of Zhu You, Master Tung’s story instantly resonated with my own clinical journey. After completing my formal studies in Chinese Medicine, I desired a true old-world apprenticeship—to learn not in a classroom but side by side with a master. This search led me to Dr. Abraham Abehsera, who came to Neve Ilan, where I lived.
Dr. Abehsera had developed a considerable method called Connective Osteopathy. Like the ancient shamans, he discovered how to treat patients through a silent, non-local dialogue, holding his hands in the space and transmitting pure anatomical information through visualization and intention, without applying physical force. He became my master. From him, I learned the basic principles of osteopathy and how to truly feel Qi. He taught me philosophy and gave me a fierce critical-thinking mindset—advising me “not to be a tourist in the world” but an engaged, discerning observer.
I eagerly integrated this pure visualization into my practice. However, I soon encountered a severe limitation: the sheer mental exertion required to hold this “virtual anatomy” and sustain pure consciousness over a full day of clinic was overwhelming. The mental fatigue became too great to maintain, and eventually, I had to return to the physical practice of acupuncture. Dr. Abehsera was also affected by this fatigue and stopped using the technique; he used to say to me that I’m lucky to have needles.
Master Tung’s historical account, together with my own clinical burnout from pure intention-based healing, served as a spiritual mirror. During this exact period, I listened to a lecture by scholar Derek Lin (“Tao Talks”) analyzing Chapter 21 of the Dao De Jing. Suddenly, Master Tung’s cryptic refusal, my own return to the needle, and Laozi’s ancient philosophy clicked together, revealing how the vague and elusive Dao takes shape and becomes a definite clinical reality.
The chapter opens by declaring:
“孔德之容，惟道是從。” “The manifestation of great virtue follows only the Tao.” (Dao De Jing, Chapter 21)
But how can one follow something with no shape or form? As Chapter 21 continues, Laozi answers this by describing a three-stage process of creation in which the abstract “nothingness” becomes “something.” This, I realized, is the exact blueprint for the acupuncture process and the ultimate explanation for why Master Tung commanded his disciple to focus strictly on the needle. Healing does not begin with physical matter, but it must express itself through it. The text proceeds directly into mapping this passage from the spiritual to the physical through three precise lines:
“惚兮恍兮，其中有象；恍兮惚兮，其中有物；窈兮冥兮，其中有精。” “So indistinct, so unclear, Within it there is image; So unclear, so indistinct, Within it there is substance; So deep, so profound, Within it there is Essence.”
This sequence perfectly maps the clinical journey:
- The Stage of the Idea / Intention (Within it there is image – [象]): Everything begins in the pure field of consciousness, much like Master Tung’s remote intent or the Connective Osteopathy I learned from Dr. Abehsera. Before the needle touches the skin, the practitioner creates a clear therapeutic “image”—a hidden roadmap for healing.
- The Stage of Matter (Within it there is substance – [物]): This is why Master Tung insisted on acupuncture, and why I had to return to it. For the abstract spirit to act effectively, it must be anchored in the physical dimension. The physical needle acts as the anchor, relieving the practitioner of the burden of bearing the entire weight of the treatment. Matter is the necessary bridge.
- The Stage of Vitality and Qi (Within it there is Essence – [精]): The climax of the treatment. When the needle (substance) is inserted, guided by authentic intention (image), it awakens the patient’s deepest vital forces and modifies their Qi.
At the end of the chapter, Laozi asks how one can know and activate this creative force, answering with just two words: “With this” [以此]. “With this” means absolute presence in the current moment—the Oneness where practitioner and patient meet.
From Ancient Shamans to the Medical Texts
This evolution from pure spirit to physical substance is perfectly reflected in the medical classics. In the distant past, humans lived in perfect harmony with the Dao. The healers of that era—the shamans and early physicians—did not need physical tools. They utilized only the first stage: the power of pure intention and visualization, the very art of Zhu You.
“古之治病，惟其移精變氣，可祝由而已” “In ancient times, when treating disease, one only needed to move the essence and change the Qi, and Zhu You (intention and incantations) was sufficient.” (Su Wen, Chapter 13)
But as humanity drifted away from nature and grasped onto ego, diseases became denser, more rigid, and more physical. Consciousness alone was no longer enough; healers had to step into Laozi’s second stage—the stage of “substance”—inventing stone needles. My own mental exhaustion from Connective Osteopathy implicitly proved this historical shift: in our modern world, we require the physical anchor of the needle to ground the spiritual healing.
Yet the texts issue a strict warning: acupuncture’s power never stems solely from mechanical piercing. The very first rule in the Ling Shu dictates:
“凡刺之法，先必本於神” “The rule for all acupuncture: first and foremost, it must be rooted in the Spirit (Shen).” (Ling Shu, Chapter 8)
To root the treatment in the Spirit is to understand the true, active nature of the body’s energetic landscape. In Master Tung’s extensive understanding of acupuncture, the channel system is not a fixed, rigid anatomical structure. When a person is in perfect health and harmony with the Dao, the channels remain unmanifested—part of the void. Only when the body falls out of balance do the channels materialize. They emerge from nothingness into form, appearing on the surface as dynamic reflections of internal disharmony. These newly manifested pathways fulfill a dual role: they are both the diagnostic map revealing internal chaos and the therapeutic pathway needed to resolve it.
When these channels manifest, they leave tangible clues. An observant practitioner can see them with ordinary eyes as color changes on the skin or the appearance of surface blood vessels and collaterals. They can also be felt through palpation, as the connective tissue loses its elasticity, becoming rigid or forming distinct nodules. However, the VAS provides a far more precise diagnostic tool for locating these areas. It allows the practitioner to detect these evolving channel manifestations when they are still remarkably subtle—long before they densify into obvious material changes in the tissue. To achieve the deep sensitivity required to perceive these subtle energetic shifts and connect with the patient’s true state, the great physician Sun Simiao demanded that a doctor empty themselves of ego and distracting thoughts, becoming a clear vessel:
“凡大醫治病，必當安神定志，無欲無求，先發大慈惻隱之心，誓願普救含靈之苦” “Whenever a Great Physician treats an illness, they must first calm their Spirit (Shen) and stabilize their intention, free of desires and demands…” (Sun Simiao, Da Yi Jing Cheng – 大醫精誠 / ‘On the Absolute Sincerity of the Great Physician’)
This requires the practitioner to step into the room entirely neutral. To truly see the patient, one must leave behind personal biases and preconceived expectations. When we are captive to our own rigid ideas, we become blind. Only by becoming a completely clean, neutral vessel can we perceive the microscopic details that would otherwise remain invisible.
From the Channels to the Needle: The Story of “Tip of the Needle” in the Clinic
All this history, lineage, and philosophy converges into a single quiet, powerful moment inside the treatment room, redefining the concept of Ling Shu [靈樞] – The Spiritual Pivot. Historically, this term refers to the entire channel system, which serves as the pivot between body and mind. However, in daily practice, a highly tangible interpretation emerges: the needle is the key tool bridging spirit and matter.
Imagine the practitioner standing beside the patient. The process starts with absolute emptiness—clearing the mind to be entirely present in deep listening. With one hand steadily listening to the pulse, the practitioner initiates a unified diagnostic process, seamlessly weaving together the pure visualization of Connective Osteopathy with the accuracy of Master Tung’s system.
First, the practitioner mentally scans the patient’s physical body over an area of pain or structural trauma, utilizing the “virtual anatomy” visualization. As the mind senses the physical blockage, it forms a direct connection between this pure visualization and the VAS (Vascular Autonomic Signal) in the pulse. This is where the Idea (Image) stage begins.
Maintaining this energetic connection, the practitioner’s other hand utilizes a diagnostic probe on the patient’s hand to locate the root of the imbalance. When the probe passes over the exact corresponding origin, the pulse wave beneath the fingers triggers another clear VAS response. This provides silent, physiological proof linking the local trauma to the hand’s microsystem.
From this unified diagnosis, focus moves to the treatment strategy. The practitioner mentally scans the dynamically manifested channels and the specific Dao Ma [倒馬] groups to determine where to needle. Again, the VAS acts as a compass, confirming the exact points needed to clear the blockage.
Now, the practitioner inserts the needle, entering the Matter (Substance) stage. But mechanical insertion is not enough; the angle and depth must be exact. The practitioner searches for the precise therapeutic layer, guided entirely by the pulse. When the needle hits the perfect depth and angle, an immediate, two-fold verification occurs: the initial diagnostic VAS response found on the hand vanishes completely, and when returning to mentally scan the earliest physical trauma site, the localized VAS response has entirely disappeared. The Matter has resolved the Idea.
As the intention flows down this physical pivot, the final stage occurs. The practitioner brings the ancient Essence of Zhu You back to life through the physical needle, actively moving the Essence and changing the Qi (移精變氣). By listening to the pulse as it softens and calms, he bears witness to the intention, having traveled beautifully through matter, successfully reconnecting the patient to the natural flow of the Dao.
I write this knowing it is true for right now. Yet, I am certain that by tomorrow, these words will already begin to lose their exactness.
Written from the clinic by Shaun Goodman (“Tip of the Needle”).
移精變氣 (Move the Essence, Change the Qi) August 19, 2026 • 60th Solar Return • Year of the Fire Horse (丙午年) • 8th Day of the 7th Lunar Month (七月初八)