Offering a Taoist map of the human psyche, the "Five Spirits" provide a mythical view of the nervous system and form the basis of Chinese medical psychology. An understanding of these Five Spirits is the key that opens the doorway to the mysteries of Taoist psycho-spiritual alchemy.

With references to traditional Taoist and Chinese texts, as well as influences from the author's background in psychology and psychotherapy, this book by Lorie Dechar demonstrates how practitioners can work with the spirit of acupuncture points in modern practice. The concept of 'kigo', a Japanese word meaning 'season word', is used to understand the seasonal energy of the points and how the body relates to the universal flow. As an understanding of the spirit of the point brings focus and potency to a practitioner's needling, it also strengthens their ability to touch a patient's soul and spirit, besides the physical body. Tying in the macro cosmic connection of the body to the universe with a poetic force that amplifies and deepens the effect of acupuncture, Kigo is the perfect companion not only for acupuncturists, but also for chiropractors and psychotherapists, doctors and nurses, and other practitioners who use the points as part of their clinical work.