Dahn Yoga DC Metro Member’s blog

 Ilchi Lee, pioneering brain philosopher and educator, introduced his innovative Brain Education (BE) program to 400 Washington, D.C. area residents in a free public lecture held Monday, August 20, 2007 at George Washington University’s Cafritz Conference Center.

After explaining the connection between our brain’s functioning and our health, Lee introduced the 5 steps to the BE program: sensitizing, versatilizing, refreshing, integrating and mastering. Putting words into action, Lee lead attendees through two BE sensitizing exercises, “Jang Saeng Walking,” and “JiGam” exercise.

“Jang Saeng,” or “longetivity” walking, is a walking meditation method Lee developed with Dr. Sung Lee of the Ilchi Center for Applied Neuroscience (ICAN). Lee instructed attendees to “tuck the tailbone” to keep the spine long and “feel the soles of your feet,” to circulate energy to vital organs. By implementing the simple guidelines of Jang Saeng walking, we have the key to activate our brain and maintain the health of our physical body.

Try it yourself by following the guidelines below. Don’t forget the last, but most important step :-).

9 Guidelines for Jang Saeng Walking
1. Tilt the lower part of your pelvis forward.
2. Breathe with your lower abdomen.
3. Let your heel tap the ground gently as you step forward, with a straight leg.
4. Feel your weight transfer fully to the balls and toes of your foot.
5. Keep your feet parallel, walking on either side of an imaginary line.
6. Angle your body 1 degree forward.
7. Relax your shoulders.
8. Swing your arms freely.
9. Smile!

Lee then introduced a way to calm your brain by focusing on the “ki” or life energy in the hands in a sensitizing exercise called “JiGam.” Attendees were instructed to sit up straight in their chairs and bring their palms to face each other in front of the chest. With out touching, attendees focused on their palms and slowly began to move their hands apart and back together to feel the sensation of “ki.” “JiGam” is a a moving meditation exercise that in Korean means to “stop thinking” to calm the brain.

Brain education is taught at 12 Dahn Yoga centers in the Washington, DC area. Fairfax County, Virginia middle schools will implement Brain Education into after-school programs beginning September, 2007.

It has been almost a year since I joined Dahn Yoga and I was just remembering some of my first impressions. I joined on a Tuesday and came that Friday night to class. I had no idea that Friday’s class would be any different that the one I took on Tuesday. Therfore, I was a bit put off when we all closed our eyes and started tapping and moving. I remember standing there thinking, “I paid for this?”, “What is this supposed to be doing for me?”. I found it an odd class and I was very unsure about the experience. Being someone who believes you should always give things a second chance, I tried it again the following Friday. And the following. And the following. Vibration class soon became the class that I looked forward to the most. Where else could you go and shake off all of the stresses of the week and not worry about anything? No one was watching you or judging you. You could get as crazy as you’d like and have fun doing it. It was like being a kid again, when you jump around and act silly and don’t care what people think.

I will always recommend Vibration class for new members and old. We wind ourselves up so tightly throughout the week, that we need an hour to just let it all go and be a kid again.

Dinah

Ilchi Lee is now touring the United States giving a workshop called Light of Tao. Dahn members attending the workshops open their hearts and learn more about the importance of having a purpose or a goal. They then learn how to meditate to make an energy capsule around their body. The purpose of the capsule is for healing their bodies and helping them to feel peaceful. After the workshop they can make this capsule whenever they want. When it becomes easy for them, they can surround their loved ones with this capsule as well.

On Monday August 20th, Ilchi Lee visited the Washington, DC area. Many members of the area’s Dahn Yoga Centers attended. We would love to hear your feedback!