Dahn Yoga MA Member’s blog

Join with the rest of America and the world in praying for the souls of the departed and their families. As I spend the majority of my time in the United States. Ilchi Lee feel unbounded love for the often-breathtaking beauty of the land, and the everlasting warmth of her people. I was personally shaken by this tragedy. This is indeed a time of grief and reflection, not only for a nation, but also for all of humanity. The attacks were horrifying to us not only because of the magnitude of destruction they wrought, not because they occurred in our backyard, and not because they threatened security in our very homes. Ultimately it was because of our inability to understand the depth of hatred that lay behind these actions. There is a wall of ‘unknowability’ of the sheer rage exhibited by such actions. What could drive human beings, to purposely sacrifice their own lives to kill and maim thousands of innocent others in order to make a point?

When I look at the horrific aftermath of the attacks, I ask: “What point could possibly have been so important to cause such bloodshed?” “What cause could possibly have been so crucial to cause bodies and limbs to rain down on the streets of New York City?” “What national or international interest can be so paramount that innocent babies must be riddled with nails from a crude bomb, or a child be shot and bleed to death next to his father?”

We feel anger, rage, and an urge to retaliate against the perpetrators of these dastardly deeds. We want justice served, which often means inflicting the same or greater amount of pain on the parties responsible for these acts.

The motivation of a terrorist comes from information that caters to satisfying the collective ego of the particular group to which the terrorist belongs. In order to satisfy the collective ego of the group, an individual will commit terrible acts of violence. His or her brain has been injected by information that not only justifies such actions in the name of country, god, tradition, history, etc., but also glorifies them.

The group reserves the highest places of honor for the heroes who have advanced the cause of their egotism. Therefore, the reality behind any action is the information that drives it. Bin Laden may die. but the information that defines him will not. After his death, the information will just transfer to a different host, and continue its destructive work. What does this tell us about the nature of human beings?

The value of a human being depends on the quality of information held in his or her brain. Depending on whether that information is positive or negative, destructive or constructive, loving or hateful, the direction and destiny of the person’s life will be determined. However, the most important point, that we must never forget, is that no piece of information is more important than the soul. Even the gods and religions that make up our faith traditions are merely information that has been received into our brains from birth. That information did not create our souls.

All about Ilchi Lee.

Let’s say you have in front of you, the worst terrorist in the history of humankind, perhaps even Bin Laden himself. Say he is sleeping, with a face that is almost angelic, without a trace of evil. At this moment, can you call him the devil? Or is he good? Can you apply any value judgment to this person at this moment? He is neither devil nor angel. He is just a person sleeping. While sleeping, the various forms of information in his head: knowledge, intellect, will, ambition, personality, etc., are dormant in his brain and thereby powerless to influence his surroundings. It is the information inside a brain that makes a person into the devil or an angel. Depending on the information and the source of information that a person chooses to accept, he or she may stand on the side of God or Satan.

Here Ilchi Lee says that I’m sure that terrorists have parents, brothers and sisters. I’m sure that terrorists have wives or husbands or girlfriends or boyfriends who love them. And I am also sure that each one of the terrorists was the light of someone’s life. The terrorists gave their lives willingly because they held a piece of information, or belief in this case, that was stronger than their instinctive hold on their very lives. They probably thought of themselves as great martyrs up to, and beyond, the moment of their own death. And were without any sense of guilt, because this information represented the overriding value in their lives. A person thus polluted by bad information not only disgraces himself but also disgraces his god, for he always justifies his actions by his faith or belief. Unfortunately, God is helpless against being painted by this same terrorist stroke because God cannot appear in court to defend himself.

Despite the obviousness of this, people do not realize that they have come to Earth and that Earth is the foundation of life. Nations, religions, and all else exist because of the Earth. Even space travel exists because of the Earth. However, there is no school that teaches this.  According to Ilchi Lee book there is no curriculum that expounds on the relationship between Earth and humanity. If we were to realize the true meaning of Earth and Earth-Humans, then it would be impossible to hate each other as we do today.

We did not come to the Earth to compete against one another as separate entities. We came to the Earth to found a peaceful global community centered on Earth, as a cosmic exercise in the evolution of our awareness and the growth of our souls. Only we can institute world peace. Not the moon, the stars, or even the sun. Only we, the Earth-Humans, whose awareness has expanded enough to see the reality of the Earth and earth’s community of interwoven life, are capable of creating lasting peace on Earth. An Earth-Human can go beyond the boundaries of nation and religion, because his expanded consciousness recognizes the fleeting nature of artificial separation that imprisons us. We will no longer belong to one particular people, country, or religion. We will belong to the Earth, and her all-enveloping wholeness.

For an Earth-Human, the standards by which he or she lives will be determined by conscience that arises out of awareness that the Earth is at the root of all. An Earth-Human will gladly take responsibility for the future of the Earth, for an expanded awareness demands nothing less. To become an Earth-Human is to realize your spiritual heritage of enlightenment.

PURPOSE: Assesses lower-body strength, which is needed for numerous tasks, such as climbing stairs, walking, and getting out of a chair, tub, or car.

HOW TO TEST: Sit in a chair with your arms folded across your chest. Stand up, and then sit down again. Count the number of full stands you can complete in 30 seconds.

ARM CURL

PURPOSE: Tests upper-body strength, which is needed to perform household chores and other activities involving lifting and carrving items, such as groceries, suitcases, and grandchildren. HOW TO TEST: Sit in a chair with one arm at your side, holding a hand weight—5 pounds (2.27 kilograms) for women and 8 pounds (3.63 kilograms) for men. Bend the elbow and bring the weight up to shoulder height, then extend the arm again to complete one biceps curl. Count the number of biceps curls that can be completed in 30 seconds.

About Ilchi Lee

The Senior Fitness Test provides an easy and effective way to measure the strength, flexibility, and endurance of older adults without sophisticated equipment. Safe and enjoyable for older adults, it also meets scientific standards for reliability and validity. Developed by In Full Bloom coauthor Jessie Jones, Ph.D., and her colleague Roberta Rikli, Ph.D., its accompanying performance norms are based on actual performance scores of over seven thousand men and women between the ages of sixty and ninety-four. When completing the test, do the best you can, but do not overextend yourself or push yourself beyond what you consider safe. Prior to testing, complete a five- to ten-minute warm-up and general stretching routine.

This test was not developed specifically for use with the Brain Education System Training (BEST) method, but it is a great accompaniment. It is especially helpful for assessing progress during step one, which emphasizes the connection of body and brain. If you work with older adults, or if you would like to assess your own condition, try using this test before you begin. Usually it takes approximately three months of consistent practice to fully experience the benefits of BEST, so it is preferable to retest every three to six months.

Read Ilchi Lee books about Brain Education System Training (BEST).

In Oriental medicine, the Yong-chun is one of the most important energy points. Yong-chun means “like spring water spouts out of the earth, life en-ergy is created inside the body.” It is believed to be a source of great vitality and courage for your life. This same concept is represented in the West in the term “cold feet,” which suggests that courage is somehow connected to circulation in the feet.

Yong-chun is located in the front third of the sole, right under the ball of the foot, between the second and big toes. It is located in the indention where the sole print creates an upside-down V shape.

To stimulate the Yong-chun, stand up straight and comfortably, and lean forward about one degree from the center of the sole. When standee ing this way, your weight naturallv shifts to the Yong-chun. As vou do this, concentrate on your Yong-chun and use the strength of vour toes. Since the weight is now evenly distributed throughout the bodv, the joints won’t have the burden of bearing your entire weight. You mav notice that it is hard to stand still in this posture because your body will want to spring forward naturallv with little effort.

Now walk forward, concentrating on the Yong-chun and using the strength of your toes, as if you were grabbing the earth. As your weight is placed on your toes, all the weight that was on the heels will move to the front.

Read more articles about walking principles by Ilchi Lee.

Spend a few minutes observing how you walk normally. Notice if one leg takes more weight, or of there is pain on one side. Also notice your footsteps. You may notice that one or both feet turn inward or outward. The feet should remain consistently parallel, like the number eleven. If not, it is an indication that the legs are not in proper alignment with the pelvis.

This sort of misalignment can lead to serious problems in the knee and hip joints. Also, when the legs are not aligned, they consume more energy in each step. While walking, consciously try to keep your legs parallel with your knees turned forward. Your knees should almost touch, and the legs and feet should remain parallel throughout the entire step.

As Ilchi Lee tells in the human body, the pelvis is to the body like the foundation is to a building. When properly aligned, the rest of the body will naturally follow-. Carefully aligning your legs and feet in this way will help facilitate energy flow in the legs, and it will allow better accumulation of energy in the abdomen, which is the center of physical energy. Digestion and circulation around the organs will also improve as the entire body comes back into alignment, thereby improving your overall sense of well-being.

walking with the body symmetrical is the most basic principle ot Jang-saeng Walking, and it governs the whole circulation system of the body and energy. when telling tired or powerless at work, or when you teal pain and stiffness in the joints, focus on realigning your body for better energy flow. You will feel much better.

Our discussion here concerns Brain Integration. This aspect of BEST works to reunite the diverse processing centers of the brain, reviving dormant connections between thought, emotion, and reasoning and helping vou to discover your true self.

The human brain is the most complex structure we can imagine. Its billions of neurons interweave in countless neural connections, and it is a living, dynamic system. Millions of nerve cells die every day while more are created as a result of new experiences. Though we have made great leaps in our knowledge of the hormonal, electrical, and functional operation of this amazing organ, we are still  light years away from understanding how the physical brain gives rise to self, awareness, and consciousness.

According to a 2006 study conducted at the Yale School of Medicine, the brain uses both digital and analog coding for communications across its expanse. Digital signals, the yes/no option that defines today’s computers in everything from cars to video cameras, are very efficient and were thought to be enough for the brain to do its complicated work. Not so. It turns out that analog signals, which depend on changes in the voltage of the electrical impulses that drive our brains, are also involved. The result is a solution far more subtle and efficient than we ever expected. Our brains are full of surprises, as are we. Your brain gives you the potential to reinvent yourself at any age.

You may remember the comfort you felt as a child when your mother rubbed your tummy if you weren’t feeling well. As an adult, you can give and receive the same kind of comfort.

Have the person lie down on the floor comfortably. Sit close to the person and place your hands on the abdomen above the navel. Focus on the warmth of your hands and the rhythm of the breath.

With your hands slightly cupped,begin to rock the person gentlv back and forth. With the base of your palm , begin to work in a circular motion around the abdomen.