Dahn Yoga - Ilchi Lee Founder

Last year my good friend Mike (and his wife Talia) invited me to attend a lecture by Ilchi Lee. Lee is the founder of Dahn Yoga, a holistic mind-body exercise program that utilizes Ki energy to maximize the potential of the brain. Dahn Yoga began in South Korea in the early 1980's, which is where Lee himself was born. Today there are Dahn Yoga center located all over the world, with a large following right here in California.

Lee's English is minimal, so the whole lecture was spoken in Korean and translated into English through an interpreter. He began day by giving us a little background on himself, explaining how as a child he had experienced a common learning disorder that is now known today as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). One of the advantages of this childhood affliction was that it inspired him to develop various meditation and yoga techniques to help other
kids overcome similar learning challenges and be able to center themselves. To date, he and one of his associates, Dave Deal, owner of the National Brain Education Center in New York, have started over 300 schools utilizing the Dahn Yoga brain vibrational techniques.

Lee goes on to ask, "How can we live our best life?"   “How do you manage and utilize your energy?” and suggests using different methods of body focus to achieve this best life practice. For example, “I love my flute” he shares, “but I didn’t know how to play it.” “If I could learn how to play it, I’d be able to express my love for it.”

He explained that when he learned to play the flute there were no mistakes because there was no sheet music, so he was able to play the flute perfectly. He proceeded to play a beautiful piece for us … and yes, he has learned to play the flute quite impressively. The room was completely filled with love by the sound of this beautiful flute, fueled by Lee’s breath.

Living is life, and how you manage your life, is living your life. There are no assurances of tomorrow, what matters is the now. Most people are carrying attention outside of themselves, which can produce fear and anxiety. However, when you turn the focus inside, something very different happens – the mind becomes calm and serene.

There are three factors that indicate we are alive and sustaining energy: breathing, the beat of the heart, and brain waves. The breath can be held for long periods of time and you still live. If the heart stops beating sometimes it can be started again. But if your brain waves stop, you die.

Many things can influence brain waves: our thoughts, emotions, as well as various external factors can all play a part, even our body posture can change brain waves. Emotions are energy and Lee’s work revolves around Ki energy. Lee describes consciousness as being awake while your brain waves are in a state of total relaxation - or sleeping.

Most people are only using 5% of their body capability because they are carrying attention outside of themselves. When you turn the focus to the inside and learn how to harness the Ki energy, the energy shifts. Travel inspires curiosity and hope.

We were then prompted to watch a short video of Natalia Avseenko an amazing woman who can hold her breath under water for over 12 minutes. Lee felt her abilities were a nice example to show that the key to controlling energy is through the breath, and believes that through special breathing methods, one can overcome their limitations.

Lee's prediction for 2012 – that it would be an era of Spiritual civilization, a state of matter and spirit wisdom to open to managing energy and the brain to heal the world’s problems. Currently we are in a material civilization – selfish desires to control and possess and the problems between humans and nature are serious. It’s an exploding state. He advises, now is the time to prepare for this new era - cleanse, dream, be happy. Trust yourself and show your transparent true spirit. Live in the present and allow your brain and spirit to reflect your true inner reality of the present moment.

Lee then told us an amazing story about one woman’s journey of harnessing energy for her own healing. Bette Castoria (hear her story) woke up one morning with a major headache, double vision and was throwing up – this continued for over a week. She thought she had the flu, but it turned out to be an inoperable brain tumor (Feb 2011). Castoria had been a Dahn Yoga instructor and student of the Life Particles training (a training Lee himself had developed) for many years and began utilizing her knowledge immediately, envisioning specs of gold and white Life Particles (basic essence of life) entering her body. Because of the support of the Dahn community she had also been put on a group prayer and Life-Particles healing list where prayers and Life Particles were sent to her every morning at 9:30am. By May of 2011, the brain tumor was gone. Some might call this miracle coincidence, but you can decide for yourself.  

Ilchi Lee's artwork

Reflecting on his own experiences Lee suggests, “Focus on yourself and see and feel the miracles. Love yourself. Meet with the creator within you through breathing.” He then taught us a simple breathing technique used in many cultures/practices throughout the world - three breaths in (on one inhale), and three out (on one exhale) – for five minutes – in through the nose, out through the mouth. Sternly he reminds us to stay focused on the breath and nothing else, which became relatively an interesting exercise when thirty seconds into the meditation the fire alarm in the convention center went off and an announcement came over the loud speaker, “This is an emergency, please leave the building immediately”. Lee advised us not to move and to keep breathing. Disregard the alarm and stay focused on your breathing! While it wasn't a real time part of Lee's exercise, it certainly was a cosmos instilled challenge with humor of learning how to be able to stay focused. Interestingly enough, no one moved - everyone stayed focused and kept breathing. Fortunately it turned out to be a false alarm. (Editor’s Note: The room was truly within 45 feet of the outside world, so if it had been a true emergency we would have been able to leave quickly.)

To date I have not experienced the Dahn Yoga technique, however the day I spent with Lee definitely sparked my interest, and came with a one-month gift certificate for classes – you can be sure I’ll be taking advantage of the gift.

Ilchi Lee has created many training programs and methods, authored dozens of books, and founded a variety of for-profit and non-profit organizations. For more info visit - www.dahnyoga.com