Ilchi Lee always talks about stimulating the brain. Today in my dahn yoga class, my brain was really stimulated! We did all Halloween themed exercises. It was so funny and creative. My brain felt as if it was tingling as we did everything. The postures, even though they had funny names, were actually challenging. I was definitely stimulated as we did this special themed class.
While practicing Dahn Mu Do, a martial art form created by Ilchi Lee, I discovered how peaceful moving slowly can be.
As I went through some of the postures, I could feel this deep sense of serenity within me and it only grew more as I continued. Even though my body shook, I could feel relaxed in even the most difficult postures. After I finished, I could feel such great circulation in my body and my heart felt more open. I plan on practicing this more often.
Ilchi Lee says that when you put your mind to something, a result happens. This is the mind to matter principle.
I felt this today. Today, I was asked to do a job that I normally hate–calling people and doing follow up reviews. When asked today, though, I responded very well, and I was actually excited to do it. From this mindset and the positive energy, I made many positive results-more than normal. When I was getting tired or unfocused, I noticed how the results slipped. When I changed my mind again, the results picked up. This is amazing stuff!! I was blown away!
Today at my Dahn Yoga center, we had the follow up session for the Finding Your True Self workshop, created by Ilchi Lee. Seeing so many members who achieved their goal was a delight. Their smiling faces make me smile more. Whenever I hug people who have taken this workshop, I can really feel their heart. When I hug some people, I automatically laugh and giggle because joy bubbles up inside of me and overflows out.
When I can feel this joy, I feel better about myself and I open up to others more, instead of staying inside of my shell (which I’m prone to do). Through reliving my experience and by seeing others, I can fully appreciate how I’ve changed through this workshop.
The following short story is one that always reminds me of Ilchi Lee and what he has been trying to do all of these years: affect the world, one person at a time.
A man was walking along the beach one day. In the far distance, he saw a figure and could hear a strange sound. Being naturally curious, he approached the figure to find a young boy. This boy was picking something up and throwing it back into the ocean. “What are you doing?” the man asked.
The young boy was picking up starfish and tossing them out as far as he could. “They all washed up. I’m throwing them back in.” The man laughed. He had seen so many starfish on the shore. The young boy had an impossible task ahead of him. “Just give up. You can’t save all of them. Why bother? They’re only starfish.”
The boy looked at the man.
As he looked at the man, he lifted up another starfish, turned, and threw it back into the ocean.
The starfish that the boy saved may have gone on to repopulate the ocean’s habitat. A whole community and generations could be saved, just from one young boy’s actions.
We can all do this. One small action can have very big, positive results. I hope that everyone can keep pushing forward towards their goal, no matter what obstacle comes.
When I’m in my dahn yoga class, I always find that the music being played has a wonderful effect on how I feel. Upbeat music makes me move more and slower wind-like music makes me slow down. I had heard in one of Ilchi Lee’s lectures that music is key in really feeling and expressing what’s inside of you. When I stop thinking and just be, I can really feel and appreciate that.
Choice is always a key component, says Ilchi Lee. More frequently, when I use the Wisdom of the Chun Bu Kyung deck, I keep getting the card that talks about Blossoming Fully. This means to not be afraid of change and to grow and develop into yourself. Whenever I am having a difficult time in my life, I think back to this and I realize that my difficulties are a chance for me to develop and grow. these difficulties are really mini blessings, ones which I am learning to take to heart if i really want to change myself for the better.
When I first started this journey, I became a blooming flower. I was only a seed that slowly began to form a bud. After healing myself and taking the True Self workshop, I began to blossom. As I continued with my education in the BEST 5 program of Dahn Yoga, I really began to blossom and bloom. I found out who I was and what I really wanted to do with my life. I loved helping people but I always felt limited. Now, I better express what I feel and I can help others more…because I experienced it myself. That experience is the key.
I’m really thankful to Ilchi Lee for creating a system like BEST 5. Without it, I wouldn’t be the strong person that I am now.
Until I started Dahn Yoga, I never really thought about my brain. Ilchi Lee’s concept of feeling the brain was so foreign and unusual to me until I actually experienced it. For once, I could really feel my brain and feel the brain waves I emitted. I could tell when I was calm, when I was upset or anxious, and when I was happy. I was really surprised to discover that my brain was real and not some big halloweenlike-prop. I could feel what was happening and I could actually see which parts were dark and which were light.
Through the new brain wave training, I could feel the firing off within my brain. My eye twitched a bit which was a funny feeling and I could feel my brain waking up. I plan on doing this every day!
Ilchi Lee had once said that life is a cycle of give and take. This is reflected in many things, nature as one of them. What we exhale, the trees inhale. What the trees exhale, we inhale.
Even with your own breath, you can see the cycle of give and take. If you inhale and keep inhaling (demonstrating a taking and receiving aspect) , you will practically explode. If you exhale and keep exhaling (demonstrating a giving aspect), you will pass out and choke. Inhaling is not possible without exhaling, and vice versa.
This was something that I wrote after experiencing Ilchi Lee’s training for a few years. It is something that is well known, but was very surprising to me once I fully realized it and it’s power. I’d like to share it with you.
” One of the most common subjects that I hear about is “Time.” “I don’t have time.” “Where did the time go?” “Its all about timing.” I’m curious to know why we focus on time so much. When we are stressed, Time is against us. When we enjoy ourselves, Time is still against us, because it goes by quickly. When we are searching for something, we say that the right time will come, if we’ve had failures.
What I’m beginning to realize is that Time has no power. You can control time (within limits, of course), by making choices. If I really need a break from my stress, I’m going to make the time and take it. If I’m enjoying myself, I’m going to make more time to keep enjoying myself. And, if situations are against me, I am going to create the right time by doing my best in the situation. I am beginning to see, feel, and experience the power of choice.
I hope that you can create the time that you want. =) “
How you ever sat for a long time pondering the purpose of your existence? Try it, and then let us know how it went:
From the time Ilchi Lee realized the oneness of all creation, he perceived Cosmic Energy. It is the stuff that comprises all that we see as separate — you and me, Earth and Heaven. Whatever form his trainings have taken — Dahn Yoga, Brain Education and many others — the common dimension has been Cosmic Energy. It can heal the body, uplift the mind, nurture relationships, prosper business, grow the soul, and achieve world peace.
As above, so below
As within, so without
These are more words reflecting the interconnectedness of everything. Everything inside us is reflected outside of us and everything in heaven in reflected on the earth, and vice versa.
“You are sacred. All peoples are sacred. Everything is sacred…
We are all accountable and responsible for what we see around us, because, as
we are all are connected and related, everything we do, think and say
affects everything and everyone else.”
Little Crow, 1933-2004
What my brain focuses on it will find and create…the words I have found lately in my travels reflects this Brain Education principle. I have been finding many words from people other than Ilchi Lee who say similar things. These words by Little Crow (I’m actually not sure who he is at the moment) reflect Ilchi Lee’s level of responsibility for his life and the world. It is this level of responsibility that he teaches his students. It’s the same as– what is in your brain will be reflected in the world around you
The Dahn Yoga center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts is lucky because Jamaica Plain is a place of community-minded people. There are many artists, students, and people in service professions who believe in creating a better place through community organizations and activism. Jamaica Plain happily was the site of several Phoenix Project outreach activities. I think the people of Jamaica Plain will love Ilchi Lee’s Brain Education as more of them learn about it.
“Without the Sangha [spiritual community], we cannot help living beings. We cannot do the work of transformation in the world. Therefore, taking refuge in the Sangha you have to actually participate in the work of Sangha-building. You have to use your talent to convene, to embrace, and to make it into one solid body. It also means to educate, to transform, and to make the Sangha more beautiful.”
By Thich Nhat Hanh in Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers
Ilchi Lee has created what Thich Nhat Hanh calls a sangha. He calls it the World HongIk Organization (WHO). HongIk means “widely benefiting”. The WHO is constantly striving to help the world and the life in it. People need to work together in a community in order to create a widely benefiting and peaceful world. I think a spiritual community is a community of people who share similar values.
One thing that sets Ilchi Lee apart from many people who share similar principles is his desire for action. He takes action to create the world he wants to see and he encourages others to do so. He also gives them tools to empower them to do it and many real-world companies to do it with. Thank you Ilchi Lee!
Last night I listened to a short bit of Neale Donald Walsh’s book Conversations with God on audiocassette. Neale Donald Walsh and Ilchi Lee have known each other for a while and endorse and meet with each other. I was very struck by the profound truth of what I heard. The principles that Ilchi Lee teaches are the same as the concepts in the book, although some of the words used to explain them are different. This view of the world and of our lives is spreading and is shared by more and more people.
“We are the peacemakers, one in the love of God.
With hearts united, we establish harmony and peace
in our lives and in the world.”
The goals of Brain Education are health, happiness, and peace for humanity and the earth. On September 13th, Unity Churches and Centers held the 14th Annual Unity World Day of Prayer during which they prayed together for peace. Several Dahn Yoga practitioners that I know also belong to a Unity Church. It’s touching to me to see various groups on the same mission. It’s the beginning of a Spiritual United Nations through Brain Education!
Download a free e-book at http://www.dailyword.com/worldpeacebook.html