Dahn Yoga Boston

Now that you’re all grown up, you get to make your own rules now, right?  Well, it turns out that mom was right about food; you are what you eat.                                        Food has the power to give you energy and health and conversely, a diet that is not so healthy will leave you sluggish and devoid of energy.  A healthy diet will do more for your body than you can feel immediately – it will keep your skin healthy and your hair shiny, and it will also keep you internal organs working well.  It will keep the pH balanced in your body and it will give your body the ability to heal itself.

Oxidative stress is a problem in our current society – there is so much stress and fast food that we are not taking good care of ourselves.  Oxidative stress can lead to the existence of free radicals in our bodies.  Free radicals lead to cell mutations and cell mutations can lead to many kinds of diseases, including cancer.

Ack!  How to get rid of these free radicals?  Make antioxidants a big part of your diet.  Don’t be put off by the big word; there are many foods that are high in antioxidants.  For example, vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants.  Increase your fruit and vegetable intake with dark colored berries, dark leafy greens, whole grains and nuts, and you will be increasing your antioxidant intake.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that you get 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s just not that easy to eat that many high-quality fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.  So, for my family, I choose to supplement our fruit and vegetable intake with a product called MonaVie.  There are 5 different formulas (including ones for joint health, heart health and immune health) and each one has 19 fruits in it.  With just 4oz a day, you receive the antioxidant and phytonutrient equivalent of 13 servings of fruits and vegetables.  Drinking it daily gives me the security of knowing that we’re all getting the nutrition we need.  And, my 6 year old hasn’t missed a day of school due to illness in the year and a half he’s been drinking MonaVie.  That’s enough of an endorsement for me!

Another benefit of MonaVie is that it helps my digestion, so it’s a great complement to my daily intestinal exercises.  Between my Dahn classes and my MonaVie, I’m staying healthy and helping my body be the best it can be.   See you in class!

The author, Dawn McGee, with her family

Dawn McGee takes classes regularly at the Dahn Arlington center in Massachusetts. Dahn Yoga is one component of her healthy lifestyle. She has been drinking MonaVie for over 2 years now and it improved her health so much that she has become a distributor for the company.  To learn more, go to www.theMVacai.com.

Author Karen Preysnar and fellow traveler Betsy Sievers from Gaithersburg Dahn Yoga

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. 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 a local expert, 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 Center.

To learn more about acupuncture or his clinic, please visit: http://www.HealingWithAcupuncture.com

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.

Unity on the River, Amesbury, MA

Barbara Parton of the Amesbury, MA area has dreamed of bringing the Shim Sung , or, ‘Finding True Self’ workshop to her church community ever since she first participated in the workshop in August of 2005.  On June 17 & 18, 2010, her dream was finally realized at the Unity on the River Spiritual Center of Celebration when six people participated in the first Shim Sung workshop held at the church.

The Unity movement is a “New Thought” movement in which God is everywhere present, especially inside of each of us, and fondly referred to as “the presence.” This concept resonated with Barbara immediately when she came to Unity in 1999.  It was when she took the Shim Sung workshop six years later, however, that she actually could “feel” this presence and “know” that it was so.  For her, it brought together the concept with the bodily sensation, and she knew she wanted to bring this experience to others in her community.

The link has now been made, with 6 participants whom experienced this connection with their “true self” at the workshop held last month.  It

Group photo at the end of the weekend

was an combined effort of three holistic yoga and healing centers in Northern Massachusetts.   The Dahn Yoga Center in Andover, MA, provided the trainer, workshop know how, volunteer staff, and materials.  The Roots to Wings Yoga and Healing Center in Byfield, MA, provided more volunteer staff, and advertising help.  The Body Prosperity Center, Barbara’s studio,  in Amesbury, MA, provided all logistical planning, and organization of the event.   Barbara shared, ‘A new outreach triangle is born!   Together we are reaching out to help others reach in and discover their true selves.”  She plans to organize more True Self workshops offered at the church, with the help of the newly formed trio of partners.

Volunteer Staff came from Dahn Yoga, Roots to Wings Yoga, and the Body Prosperity Centers, all in Northern MA

The Mission of Unity on the River is to  “….Celebrate the Presence and Awaken Humanity to it’s Divinity.”  The True Self workshop is this mission in action. Please watch for further news on when the next one will be held, hopefully in October of 2010.

Barbara Parton is the owner of the Body Prosperity Center, a Holistic Fitness Center located in the Unity Church plaza in Amesbury, MA. For     more information about this center activities and programs please visit: www.bodyprosperitycenter.com

This Two Minute Tip is soooooo refreshing, especially after walking around the city on a hot summer day.  Try it today!

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

If a Dahn Yoga practitioner taps her dahnjon 500 times in Boston, does it trigger a decrease in global warming elsewhere on the planet?
It might seem like a stretch to say so, but it isn’t impossible. The concept of the Butterfly Effect is that even a seemingly small action can cause a chain of events that results in consequences on a global scale. In this sense, we could reason that every mindful Dahn Yoga practitioner could effectively initiate positive change for the Earth. This is action that begins at an individual level and could potentially result in radical healing for our planet.

In harmony with the earth

Intestine exercises, breathing postures, and dahnjon tapping are internal exercises that directly improve the health condition of the internal organs and repair the ki and energy meridian systems. The result is immediate improvement in physical and mental health. Another result is that the physical body starts to develop sensitivity to the energy body.

With continued practice, people can become increasingly aware of energy everywhere: food, nature, other people, and the general atmosphere that surrounds us. This sensitivity often results in changes of habit.

For instance, when the energy of the stomach is weakened from an excess of heat in the head, the lack of balance in the body makes it crave excessive sugar and cold beverages, for example. When these urges are occurring in millions of people, it has a certain effect on the environment. If people with the same condition strengthen their stomach’s energy through internal exercises, they become more aware of the immediate discomfort that accompanies the consumption of cold drinks and excessive sugar. As it becomes healthier, the stomach begins to demand wholesome food; practitioners can thus experience natural and spontaneous changes in diet.

To continue this example, if the demand for refrigeration and sugar were sufficiently decreased, industries would have to respond accordingly, resulting in a positive change for the environment.
The energy body feels sensations before they settle into physical reality. Sensitizing ourselves to our energy body is like getting a glimpse into the future. It may take decades for the average person to feel the effect of too much sugar on the hips and knees. But with enhanced sensory awareness, people could feel it in their 20’s. It may take a tumor on the lungs to stop a person with severe nicotine addition to quit smoking, but intense lung-meridian pain twenty years prior may provide the same incentive to quit. If people can sense some ill effect from eating food processed with unnatural chemicals in a pollutive and inhumane environment, they will choose food produced in a more healthy fashion.

From an ideal to a need

It is consumers that drive the demand for products. The green movement is on the rise, but there is still a lot of room to demand more environmentally friendly products and policies. Perhaps, for the average consumer, the idea of environmentally sound choices may just be a noble ideal, but not a dire need. Dahn Yoga exercise could potentially motivate us to take actions that are more aligned with our ideals.
There is a growing number of people with an elevated consciousness who are aware of our place as stewards of the Earth and are working to create a world in which we behave accordingly. Thanks to these people and to sufficient scientific evidence, few could dismiss the idea of global warming without political consequence.
When we develop energy sensitivity, we don’t have to rely only on people whom we feel have extraordinary wisdom or higher consciousness. We will all act together in an instinctual movement for self-preservation.

Connecting with our mother

We cannot feel the subtle vibration of peace from the cosmos, or the earth, if we are numb. Unless we feel our direct connection with the Earth, we will see it only as a physical object that is separate from us, something to be used as a resource. We will feel no alarm as poorly planned urban environments threaten natural ones and our oceans and skies become polluted. We would hardly take notice until our own stomachs were hungry from lack of food, our livers bogged down with toxins from processing too many chemicals.

Author Genia Sullivan started practicing Dahn Yoga in Brookline, MA in 1999, and has been teaching since 2001. She has also worked leading Outdoor and Environmental Educational Programs with Youth.