Dahn Yoga DC Blog

Are you interested in starting yoga but think you are not in good enough shape?  So did I., but I learned through experience that that is not true.  Now, I am not only a yoga practitioner, but I co-own my own studio.  Let me share how (and why!) I did it.

When I was younger, I started working out by jogging, using the gym once in awhile for the stair-climber and weights.  Over time, my feet began to hurt too much to continue running; so my physical exercise declined.  Soon enough, I was in menopause and seeing the weight gain that sometimes goes along with it.  I started having medical issues too- it seemed like every six months, some new diagnosis was coming up. .  I also worked (and still do) as a health care analyst, and knew that many of my physical problems were closely related to stress and my unhealthy ways of handling it. Soon, even the unspeakable was upon me: I had to have surgery.

This was the last straw. I knew I had to do something to get back into better physical shape, and decided to have an action plan in place before I went through the operation.  During this time, I picked up a brochure for Dahn Yoga (the type of practice that I teach) at a Dunkin Donuts shop (of all places!!).  I went for an introductory session thinking that I would just check it out before trying several yoga studios.  However, in the end I signed up right there because I knew it was just what I needed.

I had some reservations about whether I could do the exercises. All the images of ‘yoga’ that I had in my head were of young, healthy, fit women and men in tight clothing and complicated postures.  However, as I watched the instructor help each person follow the poses up to their own physical condition, I felt relieved and started training regularly.

In short order I realized that I needed not just improved physical health, but also better harmony between my mind and my body.  The problem wasn’t that I was ‘washed up’ physically, as I had kept telling myself.  The reality was that my head was full of negative ways of thinking, causing me to impose imaginary limits on myself.

Through Dahn Yoga, a whole new way of being has opened up to me. I find I am not only healthier, but also able to focus on what I am doing in each moment and, on what I have dreams and hopes of doing in the future.  Yoga helps beyond just conditioning the physical body. It helps condition the mind, to use as a tool for achieving your hopes and dreams.  That is why my center, where I teach Dahn Yoga, is called a ‘Body and Brain’ Center..  We need to work continuously on improving both things, at any age!  So to all the women out there that think they are not fit enough, or are too old, to start yoga, I hope this article helps you change your mind.  If it’s something you want to try, get out there, and do it!

Author Cindy Forry

This month, 21 Dahn Yoga practitioners from all part of the US traveled to Korea to gather for a meditation tour. It was an amazing experience, and very well organized.

The author, Karen, with fellow traveller Betsy Sievers, also from Gaithersburg Dahn Yoga Center

All we had to do was to get ourselves there, and the staff took care of everything from that point forward. We traveled to many different parts of Korea on a tour bus, stayed in nice hotels, and had a lot of great meals in Korean restaurants. We also got to follow Ilchi Lee’s footsteps on his path to creating Dahn Yoga – called Dahn Hak in Korea.

I had heard how Dahn Yoga began in Korea before, but seeing where the events took place was a completely different way to experience it. We visited the park where Ilchi Lee taught exercises to the very first Dahn Yoga student 30 years ago. The first participant was a stroke patient, and within a short period of time, many other people also began to gather there regularly to exercise. These type of free classes in the park, as well as other outreach classes are still very active today. We then visited the site of the first Dahn Yoga center in Seoul. The space is now occupied by a restaurant, and we had lunch there.

There are currently hundreds of Dahn Yoga centers in Korea, and we visited one in Seoul where we took a class, then shared tea and watermelon afterwards. One of the highlights of the trip was a hike up beautiful Moak Mountain. It’s a very peaceful and spiritual place and in fact, many temples are located on this mountain. There’s a stream that flows down the mountain which added to the beautiful setting. As we hiked, we stopped periodically to meditate and to feel the mountain’s energy. After each stop, I could feel my energy becoming lighter and brighter. By the time we reached the top, I felt refreshed and energized even though I had just hiked up a mountain! Moak Mountain is also the place where Ilchi Lee spent 21 days in an intense ascetic practice in order to learn the purpose of his life. During this time, he attained enlightenment and was then inspired to create Dahn Yoga, Brain Education, and all the many programs that Dahn Yoga members are able to benefit from today.

Beautiful Views from Mt. Moak

There happened to be a festival that took place during our stay in Korea. It was a gathering of 5,000 Dahn Hak outreach instructors. Several groups performed music and dance onstage, and Ilchi Lee gave a talk and then taught us Earth Kigong. The energy and passion of the instructors and the performers was truly inspiring. Our group left for home very hopeful that we can help Dahn Yoga to continue to grow and flourish so that we can spread health, happiness and peace throughout the United States.

Karen Preysnar teaches yoga and works in Gaithersburg, MD.  For more pictures of her trip, visit www.flickr.com/dahnyogadcmetro.

Although tapping on your chest and saying ‘ahhhhhh’ as if you were at the doctor’s office may gain you a few stares, it can also help you release stress. If you haven’t yet tried chest tapping and breathing out to get through your most stressful days, watch this video and start to try it.

Do-in, the formal name for the stretching postures practice during a Dahn Yoga class, means, ‘pushing and pulling’ of the meridian channels’. So, what is a meridian channel, anyway? We asked an acupuncturist William Kellar, to shed a little light on the subject in this article.  He answered some of our questions below.

What is a Meridian Channel?

‘The human body has a lattice of meridians or energy channels that course through it. The meridians are responsible for moving the Qi (pronounced “chee” in Chinese) or Ki (pronounced ‘key’ in Korean) and balancing the Yin and Yang. Meridian theory assumes that disorder within a meridian causes disharmony and pain. For example, a disorder in the Stomach meridian may cause an upper toothache, because the stomach meridian passes through the upper gums.’

 With this question answered, another basic one asked to be addressed.  What is acupuncture? Why does it seem to help some people?   Again, William Kellar:

What is acupuncture?

 ‘Acupuncture is designed to unblock stagnant Qi in the meridian channels and restore the body’s natural balance. The role of the acupuncturist is to observe all signs and symptoms and to determine what acu-points would best resolve the presenting disharmony(s) when treated. One of the oldest forms of medicine, acupuncture was first practiced in China over 3000 years ago. In modern times, acupuncture has been in the news quite a bit lately. As one of the fastest growing forms of complementary or integrative medicine, more people are learning about and responding to this form of treatment.’

What will I feel during an acupuncture treatment?

 One commonly asked question I get is: ‘what do patients feel during an acupuncture treatment?’ Probably the biggest fear people have, getting stuck with a needle, is usually resolved upon the initial insertion. Because each needle is very fine, most people report feeling little or no discomfort. Many feel being in a state of deep relaxation during their session. Modern Western medicine can not explain precisely how acupuncture works. There are many theories, some supported by clinical research. But for over 3000 years, this medical protocol has helped people with a wide range of health conditions. In fact, the World Health Organization recognizes over 40 conditions for which acupuncture can be effective in treating.

Another question I commonly get asked is, what kind of conditions can be treated by acupuncture. The most common conditions I have seen and treated in my seven years a practice are: Stress and anxiety, neck and back pain, arthritis and joint pain, migraine and other headaches, infertility, facial pain and TMJ disorder, insomnia, allergies and sinus problems, and mood disorders.

Have you tried acupuncture or meridian stretching? Did it help you? Share your experience below.

~Dahnyogama.com editorial team

Thanks to William Kellar, M.Ac., Licensed Acupuncturist, for contributing to this article.

Mr. Kellar’s acupuncture clinic is located at 42 Pleasant Street in Arlington, MA.

Although enjoyable, sometimes a long summer weekend leaves the body feeling a little heavy from too much sun, resting, and drinking, or sore from intense physical activity. This gentle but stimulating stretch for the liver is gentle but effective in opening and relaxing your body.

‘Bowing is, in essence, about recreating yourself as you want. It is about learning to let go of old things so new things can come to you,’ Ilchi Lee, founder of Dahn Yoga

Do you have a bowing practice?

In the Western World, most people associate bowing with Buddhism (think of the Zen practitioner’s 108 bows, or the Tibetan Buddhist full-body prostrations), Islam (bowing performed with timed prayer), or the simple half-bow that serves as a greeting in East Asian countries (the equivalent of our handshake).

Bowing is introduced in Dahn Yoga as a mind-body-spirit practice, not connected with any particular religion or dogma, but as a way to integrate the three bodies and communicate with our inner essence.  Practitioners most often get a chance to  learn bowing before or after the Shim Sung (Finding True Self) workshop.  Bowing is about the development of internal and external grace. It exists for self-reflection and is a conversation with your own true nature. Bowing is also a low-impact, symmetrical exercise that produces a light cardio-vascular workout. When practiced regularly, bowing can help maintain a sense of vitality and help you grow your awareness of how energy works in your body.

Soon, for the first time, we will have a book in the Dahn Yoga library devoted solely to the practice of bowing.  In July, Best Life Media publishing company will unveil its new book- ‘Bowing: A Moving Meditation for Personal Transformation’, written by the Dahn Yoga Education Team.   The book reviews the purposes of bowing, and the benefits of bowing.  It also explains bowing for spiritual growth and other interesting facts such as the purpose for performing the traditional numbers of bows (9, 21,49, and 103.)  The book is well written and appealing to look at, as a small, hard-cover gift book.   You can find it at a local Dahn Yoga Center in mid-July.

Do you have a bowing practice?  Please share your comments or send your stories about the journey you have been on through bowing.

Author Genia Sullivan started a bowing practice in 2000 after taking the Shim Sung workshop.  She tries to bow (almost!) everyday, even if it is  just a few, and is currently teaching Bowing Workshops in Sedona, AZ.

This Two Minute Tips is sooooo refreshing, especially after walking around the city on a hot summer day.  Try it out!

Brain Wave Vibration (BWV) is the signature moving meditation practiced at the Dahn Yoga Centers.  Most people learn it within their first few visits to a center. Developed by Ilchi Lee (founder of Dahn Yoga), BWV is an easy-to-learn and practical meditation technique to relax both mind and body through natural rhythmic movements.  BWV was recently the subject of a research study on the effects of mind-body training on stress and emotions.

The study was designed to assess the association between stress, positive and negative affect, and stress hormone levels in meditation and control groups. Overall the experiment found that people who engaged in a regular Brain Wave Vibration practice were less stressed and displayed more positive emotions. Stress factors such as depression, anger, and the manifestation of psychological symptoms in the body, were also significantly less in the meditation group than in the control group. These effects were similar to those found in experiments with other mind-body techniques.

It also found that there was more dopamine (DA) in the blood of people who engaged in Brain Wave Vibration than in healthy adults who did not. In subjects who had practiced Brain Wave Vibration for three years or more, blood dopamine levels were higher in those individuals with more positive emotional states.

Primary investigator Dr. Do-Hyung Kang from the Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Medical Center explained, “Now it is widely accepted that meditation has positive effects on regulating stress. This study supports similar results, but also gives us a clue that this can be by the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system [the system that generates the stress response], especially by elevation of DA level in this vibrative meditation group.”

This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of South Korea and carried out by scientists from major national research centers in South Korea, including several institutes at Seoul National University, as well as the Korea Institute of Brain Science. Sixty-seven people who regularly engaged in Brain Wave Vibration for an average of 43 months were gathered and compared to a group of 57 healthy adults. The results were published in the June 2010 issue of the international science journal, Neuroscience Letters.

Brain Wave Vibration as a mind-body training technique fit the aims of the study well. The researchers described the technique as being “designed to relax both mind and body through natural rhythmic movements. It is intended to be a simple meditation technique, a kind of moving meditation that can be used to manage stress and optimize brain health. This technique is designed to quiet the thinking mind and release emotions, particularly negative emotions, through physical movements and focus on body sensations.” To learn more about Brain Wave Vibration, you can visit www.brainwavevibration.com.

For more details about the study, visit http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20546836 for the abstract and links to the full article.

How can I do Brain Wave Vibration?  (see www.brainwavevibration.com for more information)

1. Sit in a chair with your arms resting comfortably at your sides or in front of you on a desk. When sitting in a chair, do not lean your back against the chair, but keep your back straight.
2. Close your eyes and breathe comfortably, relaxing your body completely.
3. Begin gently shaking your head from side to side; take three seconds to shake your head from one side to the other.
4. Follow a rhythm that feels natural for your body. The vibration becomes stronger and deeper. Your head may also go up and down or follow the shape of an infinity symbol as you go deeper into the motion.
5. Focus on your brain stem, located at the point where your head pivots left and right. The vibration is spreading from your neck to your whole body through your spinal cord.
6. Repeat this movement for five minutes. Slow down your movement and focus on your lower abdomen.
7. Inhale and exhale fully three times.

[Reference] Brain Wave Vibration, Ilchi Lee, Best Life Media

Jane Gordon, an eigth grade teacher in Washington DC public schools and part time instructor at the Burke Center is the star of  this weeks DahnTV episode!