Dahn Yoga for MS is an initiative inspired by Cathy Downie, a member of the Glendale Dahn Yoga Studio in Arizona. Cathy was able to alleviate her MS symptoms through various Brain Education programs including Dahn Yoga, Dahn Mu Do, Dahn Tai Chi, Dahn Healer School among others. Cathy is now volunteering her time to spread Brain Education principles and tools in the form of Dahn Yoga to people who are suffering from the symptoms of MS.

The Dahn Yoga for MS program consists of stretching, breathing, self acupressure techniques and various poses for opening the joints and improving overall blood and energy circulation throughout the body. The results are reduced muscle pain, spasticity, and fatigue while boosting energy and stress management, Ilchi Lee

Testimonials

Cathy Downie (Video clip)

Tina Johnson (Video clip)

Cindy (Video clip)

Melinda Nace (Video clip)

Rick (Video clip)

Caroline Grabner (around 65 years old)
Bethesda, MD, Dahn Yoga Center
Cancer Diagnosis

It is now 2008 and I am reflecting on how it all started. I was staffing Brain Education Leadership (BEL) training in Ellenville, NY at BEST 5 Resort. I arrived on February 21 and that evening my left arm started swelling at the top. As the days progressed the swelling went all the way into my fingers. I had no idea what was happening. I had been treating a cluster of lumps in my left arm pit with moxibustion but I was sure that was not causing the swelling. The instructor Nora told me to breathe deep from the Dahn Jon (abdomen). (I found out recently that the deep breathing from the lower abdomen stimulates the dump area of the lymph system.)

The next day, February 22, I discovered I could not do one regular pushup, I had been doing up to 40. The BEL ended February 28 and my completion of BE training was March 1-3. When I got home I made an appointment with my regular doctor. He saw me March 6 and sent me directly to a surgeon who took a biopsy of the area. Neither doctor was happy about the moxibustion. (I feel that is what confined the cancer to one area and prevented it from spreading.)

I went back to BEST 5 Resort the following weekend for Tao Leadership training. March 13 I received the call from the surgeon, it was cancer, further it was breast cancer cells in the left armpit and the lumps were lymph glands. So I had a digital mammogram, PET CT scan, and MRI mammogram. Each of the procedures showed no cancer in the breast itself. There was a bright spot on the PET CT scan located on the left clavicle; not a place doctors can access.

Then I saw the oncologist. She was newly graduated and she paid attention to the muscle problem and confirmed I would possibly have lymphadema for the rest of my life. In my mind I decided not so. She did a retest on the original blood test and found muscle cell loss. A normal person ranges between 21 and 100, but my count was 935. The prognosis was dermatomyocytis, an auto immune muscle disease. She put me on 60 mg of prednisone (I started March 29 and did a 90-minute presentation at the Montgomery County Women’s Fair on March 31) and sent me to a rheumatologist, who confirmed and looked me straight in the eye and told me it was very deadly.

By this time I was having a lot of trouble swallowing. Everything I ate had to be chewed to liquid (is this not how we are supposed to eat?) and chased with liquid. It took an hour to eat a 15-minute meal. My voice was in the upper part of my throat and weird sounding and when I talked, my eye muscles moved. I was miserable, in pain, unable to move my arms and my legs ached, I had raw rash on my upper thighs, all my knuckles on both hands and the cuticles of every finger were yellow and extremely sensitive. I felt I was falling apart, but I never doubted I would get over this and get well again, I just misjudged the time by about four months.

The doctors were meeting weekly and discussing my case (very rare on all fronts). I am impressed that the doctors work as a team and not individually. Each doctor expressed how healthy I was otherwise and how puzzling this all was. The oncologist decided that I would start aggressive chemo on April 17 and would do 8 sessions; four of a double chemo and four of taxol. The chemo would knock out the muscle disease. They all expressed sympathy for the lymphedema, which is generally for the rest of ones life, except I decided not. I had detox pads from PowerBody+ and the Friday before Easter I started using them. Direction are to use one pad on a foot at night, remove in the morning, getting at least 8 hours wear; and alternate feet each night.

In four days, the lymph edema was gone and has not returned. I could feel with that first pad an energy movement through my body. During this time I was doing deep Chun Myung breathing and trying to keep up with my DahnMuDo healing martial arts and Tai Chi exercises.

I will always remember the second chemo, as the liquid went in it felt like an explosion inside and energy shot in every direction. I really had to use my Power Brain training to gather myself together again. The chemo also affected my eyesight and I used the BRQ device to help relax and focus, plus doing the energy rub exercises for the eyes. I have heard many people say they were unable to read during chemo. My eyes would stop focusing when I got really tired. (I can still tell when I am very tired by how my eyes focus).

My last chemo was July 31 and in August my husband and I attended the International BE Festival and attended all the brain seminars. He came away with a completely different idea of what I had been doing for four years. He still practices the knee exercises and assumes the Longevity Walking stance when he walks. He has lost 30 lbs. according to his doctor who told him to keep doing whatever it was he was doing; it was good for him.

The month of August I used the detox pads to clear out my system from the chemo treatments. On September 12th I had out-patient surgery to remove the area of cancer in the arm pit. The surgeon said he had never had such a difficult surgery and it looked like a bomb had exploded in the armpit leaving a matted mess. They were unable to count the amount of lymph nodes removed during this surgery. My lymphadema did NOT return. The doctors still do not understand that part.

Then I saw the radiologist. She would not do the radiation until the DCIS had been removed. That surgery was October 15, in-out and simple. I was at work the next day and the Dahn Yoga Center manager and I did a presentation at a subsidiary of CIGNA in Rockville, MD. I talked, and Ms. Brianna taught. I went in for a simulation to set the radiation machine and really had to pull the power of my brain to get through it. Pain is just energy and one should be able to just accept and let it go or flow with it. Well, this pain took over the entire body system. I made it through but hope to never have that test again.

The radiation started November 12 and ended December 28, it consisted of 20 minutes every weekday with my arm propped up and back to expose the armpit (I had to use every bit of my brain to get through these too). It is done every day but weekends and some days when films were done it took up to 40 minutes. Everything went fine until December 21st and my skin suddenly went bright red and started peeling. I now know how the turkey skin is after being in an oven for hours. I was given December 24th off as my underarm was raw and oozing. Again reaching deep into training and getting through it. It also was helpful to accept this was temporary and would soon be over.

I was in the hospital for 3.5 days in June for very high fevers and needed to have the port removed. Since I had eaten lunch, they took it out with just locals, I imagined sitting half lotus in front of the waterfall at Ellenville. Very peaceful. When I got home I knew I was really dark energy so I got out the CD’s of Ilchi Lee’s lectures, and laughed and brightened and felt much better. From the start I would wake up and laugh out loud or if not alone, silently. There were days when I was not laughing, but I never gave up hope. I also used the BRQ recordings once in the early part of treatment, and when the program ended I saw the flattest black I have every experienced. I think that time I saw what the end is. I still have some issues with blank spots in the thinking process, but each day it gets better. When I saw all my fellow BEL graduates in August, it took me 18 hours to remember some of their names, I am told this all will clear as time passes.

My doctors have been amazed through this entire process. The oncologist tested my balance because of the muscle issue. I took my one leg stance with the DahnMuDo posture and held it. She said she could not do that. I also shared toe tapping with her for a good nights’ sleep. My surgeon is still amazed that I do not have lymphadema considering the three hits the lymph system has taken: chemo, surgery and radiation.

The radiologist sent me to therapy at the hospital and the Therapy unit at Sibley Hospital now has Dahn Yoga brochures and are very interested in this “energy Yoga”. I shared with them the toe tapping exercise for deep sleep. I have connected with The Wellness Community Center close to where I live and I plan on offering my services for Longevity Walking and proper breathing to assist the lymph system. This Center offers all programs at no cost to all cancer patients.

I am convinced that without the previous four years of training this fifth year would not have turned out as well as it has. An aside, I still provide my chiropractor with our Center brochures. He took an x-ray of my spine a year ago and said he had never seen such a beautiful natural curve in a spine. When I went to him before I started Dahn Yoga, the spine curved the wrong direction because of arthritis, damage, and pain. Through the training, releasing many preconceptions, understanding anger and universal rules, I was able to relax, release muscle tensions and recover my natural body. I am unable to explain how I got cancer, but it has been a journey of learning and if it is true that pain strengthens the brain, my brain is now extremely strong. I have never lost my vision of being able to share this Dahn energy Yoga with people who do not know. We have no other choice but to change our world as it is, to one that can be. For that, I need to regain my strength and become active again.

I have also discovered that I can push energy when I run my hand up my left arm from the back of the hand to the shoulder and over to middle of chest and release, that is the pathway of the lymph system in the arm; it then dumps into an area in the lower abdomen and exits the body. I do it when I am doing Capsule Course energy exercise. I plan on sharing this with the therapists, as they are really excited about the Dahn Yoga and always looking for help with lymphadema patients.

Content provided by Ilchi Lee.

It is now 2008 and I am reflecting on how it all started. I was staffing BEL training in Ellenville, NY at BEST 5. I arrived on February 21 and that evening my left arm started swelling at the top. As the days progressed the swelling went all the way into my fingers. I had no idea what was happening. I had been treating a cluster of lumps in my left arm pit with moxibustion but I was sure that was not causing the swelling. Master Nora told me to breathe deep from the Dahn Jon. (I found out recently that the deep breathing from the lower abdomen stimulates the dump area of the lymph system.) The next day, February 22, I discovered I could not do one regular pushup, I had been doing up to 40. The BEL ended February 28 and my completion of BE training was March 1-3. When I got home I made an appointment with my regular doctor. He saw me March 6 and sent me directly to a surgeon who took a biopsy of the area. Neither doctor was happy about the moxibustion. (I feel that is what confined the cancer to one area and prevented it from spreading.) I went back to BEST 5 the following weekend for AWS training. March 13 I received the call from the surgeon, it was cancer, further it was breast cancer cells in the left arm pit and the lumps were lymph glands. So I had a digital mammogram, PET CT scan, and MRI mammogram. Each of the procedures showed no cancer in the breast itself. There was a bright spot on the PET CT scan located on the left clavicle; not a place doctors can access. Then I saw the oncologist. She was newly graduated and she paid attention to the muscle problem and confirmed I would possibly have lymphedema for the rest of my life. In my mind I decided not so. She did a retest on the original blood test and found muscle cell loss. A normal person ranges between 21 and 100, my count was 935. The prognosis was dermatomyocytis, an auto immune muscle disease. She put me on 60 mg of prednisone (I started March 29 and did a 90 minute presentation at the Montgomery County Womens Fair on March 31) and sent me to a rheumatologist, who confirmed and looked me straight in the eye and told me it was very deadly. By this time I was having a lot of trouble swallowing. Everything I ate had to be chewed to liquid (is this not how we are supposed to eat?) and chased with liquid. It took an hour to eat a 15 minute meal. My voice was in the upper part of my throat and weird sounding and when I talked, my eye muscles moved. I was miserable, in pain, unable to move my arms and my legs ached, I had raw rash on my upper thighs, all my knuckles on both hands and the cuticles of every finger were yellow and extremely sensitive. I felt I was falling apart, but I never doubted I would get over this and get well again, I just misjudged the time by about four months. The doctors were meeting weekly and discussing my case (very rare on all fronts). I am impressed that the doctors work as a team and not individually. Each doctor expressed how healthy I was otherwise and how puzzling this all was. The oncologist decided that I would start aggressive chemo on April 17 and would do 8 sessions; four of a double chemo and four of taxol. The chemo would knock out the muscle disease. They all expressed sympathy for the lymphedema, which is generally for the rest of ones life, except I decided not. I had detox pads from PowerBody+ and the Friday before Easter I started using them. Direction are to use one pad on a foot at night, remove in the morning, getting at least 8 hours wear; and alternate feet each night. In four days, the lymphedema was gone and has not returned. I could feel with that first pad an energy movement through my body. During this time I was doing deep Chun Myung breathing and trying to keep up with my Dahn MuDo and Tai Chi exercises. I will always remember the second chemo, as the liquid went in it felt like an explosion inside and energy shot in every direction. I really had to use my Power Brain training to gather myself together again. The chemo also affected my eyesight and I used the BRQ to help that plus doing the energy rub exercises for the eyes. I have heard many people say they were unable to read during chemo. My eyes would stop focusing when I got really tired. (I can still tell when I am very tired by how my eyes focus). My last chemo was July 31 and in August my husband and I attended the International BE Festival and attended all the brain seminars. He came away with a complete different idea of what I had been doing for four years. He still practices the knee exercises and assumes the JaengSang stance when he walks. He has lost 30 lbs according to his doctor who told him to keep doing whatever it was he was doing; it was good for him. The month of August I used the detox pads to clear out my system from the chemo treatments. On September 12th I had out-patient surgery to remove the area of cancer in the arm pit. The surgeon said he had never had such a difficult surgery and it looked like a bomb had exploded in the arm pit leaving a matted mess. They were unable to count the amount of lymph nodes removed during this surgery. My lymphedema did NOT return. The doctors still do not understand that part. Then I saw the radiologist. She would not do the radiation until the DCIS had been removed. That surgery was October 15, in-out and simple. I was at work the next day and the juwanjanim and I did a presentation at a subsidiary of CIGNA in Rockville. I talked, Master Briana taught. I went in for a simulation to set the radiation machine and really had to pull the power of the brain to get through it. Pain is just energy and one should be able to just accept and let it go or flow with it. Well, this pain took over the entire body system. I made it through but hope to never have that test again. The radiation started November 12 and ended December 28, it consisted of 20 minutes every week day with my arm propped up and back to expose the arm pit ( I had to use every bit of my brain to get through these too). It is done every day but weekends and some days when films were done took up to 40 minutes. Everything went fine until December 21st and my skin suddenly went bright red and started peeling. I now know how the turkey skin is after being in an oven for hours. I was given December 24th off as my underarm was raw and oozing. Again reaching deep into training and getting through it. It also was helpful to accept this was temporary and would soon be over.

I was in the hospital for 3.5 days in June for very high fevers and needed to have the port removed. Since I had eaten lunch, they took it out with just locals, I imagined sitting half lotus in front of the waterfall at Ellensville. Very peaceful. When I got home I knew I was really dark energy so I got out the CD’s of Ilchi Lee’s lectures and laughed and brightened and felt much better. From the start I would wake up and laugh out loud or if not alone, silently. There were days when I was not laughing, but I never gave up hope. I also used the BRQ once in the early part of treatment and when the program ended I saw the flattest black I have every experienced. I think that time I saw what the end is. I still have some issues with blank spots in the thinking process but each day it gets better. When I saw all my fellow BEL graduates in August, it took me 18 hours to remember some of their names, I am told this all will clear as time passes.

My doctors have been amazed through this entire process. The oncologist tested my balance because of the muscle issue, I took my one leg stance with the DMD posture and held. She said she could not do that. I also shared toe tapping with her for a good nights’ sleep. My surgeon is still amazed that I do not have lymphedema considering the three hits the lymph system has taken; chemo, surgery and radiation. The radiologist sent me to therapy at the hospital and Therapy at Sibley Hospital now has Dahn Yoga brochures and are very interested in this “energy Yoga”. I shared with them the toe tapping exercise for deep sleep. I have connected with The Wellness Community Center close to where I live and I plan on offering my services for JS walking and proper breathing to assist the lymph system. This Center offers all programs at no cost to all cancer patients. I am convinced that without the previous four years of training this fifth year would not have turned out as well as it has. An aside, I still provide my chiropractor with our Center brochures. He took an x-ray of my spine a year ago and said he had never seen such a beautiful natural curve in a spine. When I went to him before I started Dahn Yoga, the spine curved the wrong direction because of arthritis, damage, and pain. Through the training, releasing many preconceptions, understanding anger and Universal rules, I was able to relax, release muscle tensions and recover my natural body. I am unable to explain how I got cancer, but it has been a journey of learning and if it is true that pain strengthens the brain, my brain is now extremely strong. I have never lost my vision of being able to share this Dahn energy Yoga with people who do not know. We have no other choice but to change our world as it is to one that can be. For that I need to regain my strength and become active again.

Kam sam ni da, Ilchi Lee.

Author: Alexis

Before Dahn Yoga I was a very sick person, barely able to function in society at times. My low moments included repetitive and debilitating negative thoughts, and also feelings of depression and hopelessness. These low moments were interspersed with raging levels of high energy, or mania. I was diagnosed with Manic Depression at 20 years of age. It took me 4 long years of struggle to find the solution which would help me cure my illness: Dahn Yoga (such simple, yet comforting words to my heart).

During those four years I tried anything – and everything – to stabilize my mind and body. I took 8 medications daily, including anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication, anti-psychotics, and mood stabilizers. However, my high level of worry and anxiety caused me to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, like over-eating unhealthy foods, and often times having incredibly itchy skin. Medication did not cure these annoyances. I felt so helpless and hopeless because nothing helped me to feel stable, happy, or peaceful to the depth that I desired.

I read many books and used workbooks to document my negative thinking habits and eating patterns. But no amount of writing and thinking helped to change my mind. I went to a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group after being hospitalized and learned about techniques to manage stress and emotion – but they were just techniques. I attended Dialectical Behavioral Therapy group in college to solve my over eating habits, but because I was surrounded by many sick people, I only began to identify more as a “sick person.” For one year I attended a support group for people who had mental illness, but we did not have much mind for how to heal ourselves or take proper steps towards real stability and health. Instead we vented, shared, cried, and searched without a clear way to make peace and harmony within our mind and body.

What else did I try? Throughout my 4 years of clinical diagnosis I had three therapists. I enjoyed to talk (i.e. rant and rave) to them, listen, learn and practice trying to create a healthy mind. But I did not find peace inside my heart or mind. I drank herbal drinks, took fish oil pills, practiced sleeping a lot, journaling, running and even hypnosis at one point when I was studying overseas. Over this trying four year period, I was hospitalized 4 different times because of the mania.

Personally, I could not heal myself with these types of remedies. But they gave me ammunition to try ANYTHING. Then I found Dahn Yoga at my undergraduate University. I resisted and said no at first to most things, but in my heart it always felt right to me when my instructor guided me to take a program, so I just trusted and participated in many courses. Because of my determination to heal myself, I soon committed to very regular practice. Then, after two months I attended the Shim Sung (true self) workshop. From that moment forward, I knew that I had something inside of me that was stronger and more powerful than my illness. Before, I always used the line, “I am Bipolar” to identify myself. But through this experience, I could drop that old baggage. Instead, I discovered profound new ways to identify myself: “I am…courage, strength, peace, joy and love.” Suddenly, I knew then that I could heal myself.

According to modern medicine, it is very unusual to overcome mental illness by oneself. However I realized that, in fact, this is the only way. I feel lucky to share with you that through my many wonderful experiences participating in Dahn programs (such as Initial Awakening, Shim Sung, Private Healing sessions, and Dahn Mu Do), I have been able to come off of all medications and completely manage my own health and happiness! What a miracle!!

Now I have healed myself more than I ever imagined, and gained the tools to manage the mania, depression, and anxiety. After attending Initial Awakening, I could manage my stress and emotions. From Shim Sung & Healer School I knew my worth and preciousness as a human being and found my life purpose. Through Dahn Mu Do, I found my beauty, strength and inner power. I harnessed my abundant energy and brought it inside of my body. I feel that what used to be my illness and weakness instead became my healing energy and my source of power.

Shim Sung

Now, as a Dahn Yoga Instructor I teach as many people as possible all of the tools, wisdom, and insight I have gained. I wish for all who suffer as I did to know that with your Dahn Jon (“energy center”) and life purpose in mind, you can use everything from your life – even what seemed to a crippling mental illness – to help you become a great healer to yourself and to the rest of the world.

Ilchi Lee selected article

Jo-Anne

I enjoy my Dahn program because:

• The programs provide the spiritual growth that individuals need to help awaken your true “self” and to continue on the path is one’s life purpose, at your own pace.

My Dahn practice has benefited me in the following ways:

• Prior to Dahn Yoga and its programs, I was very lost, lonely, confused and stressed, always wondering about my reason for being. Within 2 weeks of joining as a member, I had attended the yoga classes and the Shim Sung workshop (Finding Your True Self). Through this program, my inner guidance guided me to a new path to take my life in a whole new direction which brings much joy, peace and happiness into my life, and to live daily in this feeling, as well as keeping your body and mind healthy.

I believe Ilchi Lee should be recognized because:

• There are many programs and belief systems in this world today. Ilchi Lee’s program is not only simple, makes sense and is very effective, but it is also experiential.

Valerie

I enjoy my Dahn program because:

• It has healed me in many ways… body, mind, & spirit.

My Dahn practice has benefited me in the following ways:

• Healed my fatty liver. My test results have come back normal after years of having fatty liver.

• It has helped me in my weight loss. I lost 15 pounds by attending Dahn Yoga classes. I’m able to meditate, quiet my mind, release stress, and find that balance in my life is important. I’m able to manage my stress level much better than before.

• I have grown spiritually and find that I’m much more peaceful within. I have learned to forgive, love and appreciate the little things in our lives.

• I have been healing my family through the Dahn Healing System that I’ve learned. My family says it always works and they feel better.

I believe Ilchi Lee should be recognized because:

• Ilchi Lee is healing society with this Dahn Yoga programs, and I truly believe he is creating a better world for all to live in.

Additional comments:

• My doctor asked me what I have been doing, because my liver tests were normal. I have checked it the past two months with my doctor, and she is amazed that it’s normal. I have not taken my medication for my liver, however it has cleared since I’ve been doing the Dahn Yoga program. I was so happy and shocked when my doctor said, “your liver is normal!”

Tanyce

Every body know that Ilchi Lee is founder of Dahn Yoga. I enjoy my Dahn program because:

• Dahn Yoga has helped me to realize my bad habits in life and it makes me takes steps in changing for the better. I enjoy doing the yoga exercises and it always de-stresses me. I also enjoy meeting new people.

My Dahn practice has benefited me in the following ways:

• It has changed my outlook on life. I’ve become more social and confident when I meet new people. It is a lifelong practice and I intend to continue Dahn Yoga.

Takushi

My Dahn Yoga practice has benefited me in the following ways:

• I have learned to be calm and patient. Before I was very tense and easily angered.
• This program helps people in many different ways. Each individual has his or her own success program.

Thanks to Ilchi Lee!

Megan

I enjoy my Dahn program because:

• Dahn Yoga programs help me to feel relaxed and give me more energy. I enjoy being a part of the center and all the healing opportunities.

My Dahn practice has benefited me in the following ways:

• Helps with anxiety, headaches. Gives more energy. Helps with memory and concentration.

I believe Ilchi Lee should be recognized because:

• Of all the healing that has occurred because of Ilchi Lee.

Mecheu

I enjoy my Dahn Yoga program because:• It gives me more energy and I sleep good, and it changes a lot, like relax[ing] my body. My testimony about the yoga? It’s very great to join because you feel different and more changes to your body.
• My Dahn practice has benefited me in the following ways:
• I feel better during the Dahn Yoga, and it helps […] my sanity and release the sore neck

I believe Ilchi Lee should be recognized because:

• I want to meet [him] and to do the public, especially here in Hawaii [there are] more old people[. He] need[s to] help them.