Not to Conquer, but to Listen

A Month of Kora and Everyday Rituals at Mount Kailash

In Tibet, people call it “the foremost of sacred mountains.” Across many traditions, Mount Kailash is seen as a spiritual axis linking heaven and earth. Climbing it is widely considered taboo; instead, people show reverence by performing kora—a circumambulation pilgrimage around the mountain. I lived at its base for a full month, carrying both awe and a desire to find inner order.

At dawn the air was thin and crisp, and prayer flags snapped in the wind. I walked slowly in the footsteps of pilgrims, passing elders from different regions and hearing their wishes and blessings. By a row of prayer wheels, an old man taught me how to keep my breath and steps in rhythm. Along the way, mani stones—hand-carved prayer stones—told me that faith here isn’t about grand slogans; it’s about patience and daily cadence.

Once, as I drew close to the base of the mountain, the surrounding peaks seemed to turn ever so slightly. It felt like a current rushed through my mind—hard to describe and impossible to explain rationally. I took a few steps back with one thought: keep my distance, keep my reverence. I have always believed that Kailash can cleanse a person’s inner life, but it is not something to be conquered. It belongs to the far horizon we are meant to respect.

During that month I circled the mountain each day, keeping a simple ritual: I carried Tibetan crystals and a nine-eyed Dzi bead (a traditional agate amulet) as reminders to stay focused and prayerful. When night fell, the stars looked freshly washed, and my thoughts settled into the cold and quiet. After a month, I felt as if my spirit had been “reset”—not miraculously healed, but reordered by calm and discipline: my breathing slower, my thinking clearer, my heart softer.

On Climbing Mount Kailash (verified record)

Out of respect for its sacred status, climbing Mount Kailash is prohibited, and there have been no verified ascents. Early visitors described the peak as effectively unclimbable, and notable alpinists have declined attempts on ethical grounds. In 2001, when a foreign expedition inquired about access, authorities affirmed that climbing Kailash is strictly forbidden. Since then—and to date—no ascent has been recorded. For pilgrims and visitors alike, this shared understanding reinforces a simple truth: Kailash is not a summit to conquer, but a presence to honor from a distance.

This experience also shaped how I choose to build our brand: we support traceable, authentic craftsmanship and fair partnerships; we honor cultural boundaries; and we treat our products as companions for everyday rituals—not as promises of unverifiable effects. My hope is that anyone who uses them can reclaim a small piece of the plateau’s clarity in daily life.

Note: The above is a personal reflection on travel and ritual practice, shared for cultural and experiential context only. It does not constitute medical claims or statements of efficacy.

Glossary (for readers new to these terms)

  • Kora: a clockwise pilgrimage route around a sacred mountain, temple, or lake.

  • Mani stones: hand-carved stones inscribed with prayers or mantras.

  • Dzi bead: a traditional Tibetan agate bead worn as an amulet; “nine-eyed” refers to the bead’s patterned “eyes.”