Dahn Yoga Chicago

It looks like this research proved what many of Dahn Members already experienced. That coming to center and meeting all the people with their happy smiles lifts your own spirit and bring the smile back to your face. I can recall a number of times when I went to the center feeling angry, or depressed, or fatigued and feeling better within 5 minutes of walking in. Just seeing another person whit an HSP smile would change my mindset. And after reading this article on a research that came with a same conclusion I  have to ask myself “Why don’t you be that person that lifts others spirit?”. This is definitely something worth working, and working very hard on.

Link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/health/05happy-web.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&bl&ei=5087&en=c26f4b2fc5be93c5&ex=1228626000

Your brain is designed to accommodate at least five senses—sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste. But how much do you really engage all five? Take, for example, the simple act of eating. When you eat, of course you notice the taste of the food, but do you fully utilize the rest of the senses? Do you take time to feel and appreciate a full range of tastes, textures, and smells in your food?
The way most of us take in sensory input is a little like eating a steady diet of fast food. Typical fast-food fare, consisting of ground meat, refined wheat flour, processed cheese, and frozen and refried potatoes, deprives you of sensory range. The natural texture of this meal has been removed to produce an even, comfortable mouth feel that requires as little chewing as it does mental adjustment.
Maybe you are already wise enough to avoid the fastfood trap, but could you be living a fast-food existence  through your brain? Just as some people turn repeatedly to a favorite fast-food comfort meal, your brain may have developed a fastfood sensory habit.
In the case of a fast-food meal, one has sacrificed other sensual elements in favor of one—flavor. Consider how you may be doing the same with your other senses. People today are prone to rely on one sense, especially visual stimuli, at the Use All Your Senses expense of the others. When asked to describe some object, what do you focus on? Chances are that you describe how it looks, but usually not how it feels or sounds or tastes. In most experiences, one sense comes to the forefront while the others blur into the background. Through this habit, you deny the many parts of the brain involved with sensory processing the chance to work in tandem and to open up new modes of experience for you. One very quick way to build additional connections in the brain is to simply open up your senses fully to the world around you.
Life is like a beautiful feast. Take the time to open yourself to the full range of experiences it offers.

from the book ‘Brain Management’ by ilchi lee

A new website, mentioned in an earlier post, has come to life! Hopemonster.com is a quote website featuring inspirational quotes from Ilchi Lee, as well as other teachers and even visitors to the site. Anyone can register and submit a quote.

The site is meant to add a little inspiration and hope to the world. Go every day to feed on your own portion of hope.

But what does this have to do with Dahn Yoga? Besides being a site related to the founder, Ilchi Lee, it is relevant because Dahn Yoga is actually a tool from which people can find hope inside no matter what the external circumstances.

By Michela

I found this amazing poem inside the jacket of the “White Dragon” audio music CD by Arang Park. It is a beautiful reflection of the oneness we can all feel through a consistent Dahn Yoga practice. Dahn Yoga gives us the tools, but here is the inspiration:

(Can you see the dragon in the picture?)

 White Dragon

- by Ilchi Lee

I am a white dragon
invisible to the eye

I live in the deep ocean
and dwell in hidden in the clouds

My home is nothingness
everywhere and forever

And I hear the music in the starry sky
and sing songs of the soul

I belong nowhere
attached to nothing

Stars sparkle
winds blow quietly
I’m dancing with the stars and winds

I breathe within all life
embracing the wonders of the world

I am everything
I am everyone

I am a white dragon
I’m nowhere and everywhere

I am everything
Just like you

-By Michela-

When I ask people what part of their body they feel like they hold the most tension, most answer their neck and shoulders. Long hours sitting in front of a computer or television, or behind a steering wheel, leads to poor posture and stiff, hunched shoulders.

Here is the Asian medicine point of view of pain and tension in the neck and  shoulders as explained by Chunsuk Lee, master trainer of Dahn Healing System at the Sedona Mago Retreat Center, in the old magazine earthuman:

…neck and shoulder pain are the result of poor Ki energy circulation. People who are very sensitive and have little patience are most likely to respond physically to stress. The Ki energy of the heart (viscera in oriental medicine) weakens and Yang energy of the liver becomes hyperactive. When this happens the elevated liver energy interrupts the flow of energy through the meridians around the neck and shoulders, causing pain and stiffness.

Ignoring painful shoulder muscles can lead to decreased mobility and structural deformity. Do not allow minor symptoms to become so painful that you are unable to perform simple motions such as swinging your arms comfortably. Pain beginning in the shoulder region will eventually spread to other areas such as the neck, arms, and lower back. The condition can also cause headaches by diminishing oxygen and blood ciruclation to the brain.

Here are some simple  exercises you can do to alleviate neck and shoulder tension while toning weak muscles:

PULL YOUR ELBOW

1. Place your right arm behind your head. Hold your right wrist with your left hand.

2. Inhale and pull your right wrist with your left hand. Focus on  your shoulder joint as you perform this exercise.

3. Exhale and release.

4. Repeat exercise twice with each arm.

ARM ROTATION

1. Bend your left knee 90 degrees and place it in front of you. Extend your right foot back, with weight on your toes. Extend both of your arms out in front of you with your wrists flexed.

2. Very slowly, rotate your right arm in a 360-degree circular motion down towards your right leg, then around and overhead back to its original position. Repeat 5 times. Concentrate on your shoulders while you make the motion.

3. Then move your right arm in a 360-degree circle in the opposite direction. Repeat 5 times.

4. Switch the position of your legs and use your left arm to repeat the same motions.

Remember to take regular breaks to exercise your shoulders. Report back here on whether you feel a difference when you regularly give your shoulders a little TLC.

One way to gain control over your stress response is to realize when it has become inappropriate.
Some stress is beneficial, but when and how does it become a problem for you? One way to determine
this is to watch your physical body closely. Often, even before your conscious mind becomes aware of
a stressor, the muscles in your body respond to it, becoming tense and rigid.
If you are under the influence of chronic stress, you probably have a few stress-related knots around your
neck and shoulders. Sound familiar? Work to release these knots through stretching, massage, and breathing
exercises such as those in the following chapters.
Be patient—your body has a stress habit, so these tense spots may take awhile to alleviate.
Also, notice how your body responds when you are in a highly stressful situation. Do you hold your
shoulders high? Does your breathing become shallow and rapid? These little details can be your clue to
the point at which stress hormones have gone from helpful to hurtful.

from the book ‘Brain Management’ by ilchi lee Read the rest