Dianne Sommers

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Dianne Sommers is a philosopher, acupuncturist, physiotherapist, and studied classical Chinese at the Sinological Institute in Leiden. She wrote, among others, The Chinese fascination for the mind (2007) which includes a Dutch translation of the Neiye, a classic text on inner work and self-cultivation.

On the field of acupuncture, she published three volumes on 'Auriculotherapy' (2016), with a fourth part on the way. Besides being an author, she is connected as a teacher and speaker to various institutes for acupuncture, philosophy, and Eastern medicine.

Landing in dao

Traditionally, people all over the world have pondered about who we are. At the Greek temple of Apollo where the Pythia delivered her oracle, the phrase gnothi seauton or 'know thyself' is inscribed. Chinese philosophy also shows a great interest in the intrinsic nature of humanity. However, the focus here is not on deep introspection or self-examination, but on development, on a process of inner cultivation. Humans follow a path that has no clearly defined objectives on how things should be. How then can anything be said about this?

In this lecture, we will explore the thoughts on the human being and their dao (way, path), as outlined in the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Neiye. The perspective that emerges is particularly relevant for the acupuncturist, as it shares its foundations with Chinese medicine. It speaks about the human being, their place in the larger scheme of things, and what they are actually here to do in the world. It provides insight into the mystery of the path and indicates how our inner nature can be nurtured. Ultimately, it shows how we can 'land within ourselves' – to become who we truly are.