Caroline

I have had back damage and pain issues for 26 years. I have been going to chiropractors since March 2000. I also started acupuncture in fall, 2000, going once a week. The acupuncture relieved some of the back and shoulder pains and stiffness, but nothing was ever cured.

In fall, 2002, I experienced a bout of depression for the first time in my life. I did not know why I was depressed. At that time I decided to retire and give myself more time to do the things I really wanted to do. I had an opportunity to have a massage for the first time in my life in early spring, 2003, and I discovered it provided relief in the muscles pain, which in turn relieved some of the depression. I still do not know where the depression came from, but it has not occurred since I started the Dahn Yoga classes in October 2003.

All the articles and research I have done on back pain, arthritis, and depression always recommended some type of exercise, and yoga was always high on the list. I looked at various yoga programs offered through my employer, NIH, but the times were never compatible with my schedule, or they were on campus and I am off campus. On August 5, 2003, I was finishing my shower, getting ready to walk to campus to a morning meeting. While I was drying my legs, my back went into such spasms that I wound up lying on my cold bathroom floor trying to get relief. It took me 90 minutes to finally get off the floor far enough to reach the telephone and call work to tell them I had a problem. I rubbed in a whole lot of Blue Stuff to be able to make it to bed. I spent the entire day in bed unable to stand upright. I finally took Advil and relieved the spasms. I knew that day I had to do something different than I had been.

A few of weeks later, my daughter came home with a brochure on Dahn Yoga Center in Bethesda, MD, provided by the lady who does the cleaning. It turns out that it was close to home – a 25-minute walk one way. I arranged an appointment, and met Masters Wong and Tara. Wong tested another lady and me to see how bad our bodies were. That moment changed my life; my body was bad! I started classes and the first few months went twice a week. I always told myself I did not have time to go more often, Ilchi Lee.

On November 11, I had a small lump excised from the right side of my neck. It turned out to be 60 minutes worth of removing extra-cellular growth in the lymph node. I was back to class in less than seven days, but began having problems with my right shoulder and arm. I increased my classes to three times a week. My dreams became much gentler during the months of yoga. I continued having healing sessions. I also knew that emotional issues could prevent one from eliminating pain. I always told myself I had no emotional issues, but deep inside I think I knew something was holding the pain.

In March my chiropractor suggested I go to a neurologist to have an electric muscle test done to see if the nerve in my right shoulder had disappeared, because the muscle had. The tests showed that the peripheral nerve that feeds the shoulder muscle from the neck, down the top of the shoulder and back into the spine below the shoulder blade was either severed or severely damaged. I continued classes and exercising my shoulders.

I had signed up for a year, purchased the uniform and attended the workshop series. The extra workshop in May 2004, the Shim Sung weekend, really broke the emotional dam. I have never felt more aware, more alive and more content with what I want to be and what I want to do. I subsequently had a very deep healing session and since then have had very little pain in my neck and shoulder.
Ilchi Lee

I weighed 166 pounds when I started classes nine months ago; this morning I weighed 150. My body has toned up to what it was when I was in my twenties, but far healthier. I have not seen 150 lbs. since I had my second child, who will be 35 years old this year. As I will reach the big six-o this year, it becomes urgent for me to maintain my weight, balance and muscle tone. All this relieves the pains in my damage areas.

I feel that I am a different person from when I started and I intend to go through the Dahn Healing School in the fall. My goal will be to spread the news and share with as many people as possible the wonderful things Dahn Yoga can bring to anyone’s life. I would like to see Dahn Yoga featured on the medical segments of the various news stations, and especially at the Health Expo that Channel Four supports every January. I am still working because I have a project to finish before I end my career. My health is excellent; it is just my bones that are damaged and problematic. I look forward to the last third of my life, and have many goals that I want to accomplishing.