Dahn yoga (also known as Dahn Hak or Dahnhak ) is a Korean yoga system founded by Ilchi Lee. In Korean, dahn means "primal, vital energy," and hak means "study of a particular theory or philosophy." Dahn teachings are said to place equal emphasis on physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. News sources have described its exercises as "a blend of yoga, tai chi, and martial arts exercises." A number of lawsuits have been enacted against the organization and former members suggest that Lifton's criteria of thought reform applies to their strategies.
Training Methods
Dahn Yoga's training methods are intended to improve the practitioner's health through development of the energy system and enhancement of the mind-body connection. The practice draws upon traditional notions of ki, also known as chi or qi. A typical class begins with what is called "Meridian Stretching" exercise, which is believed to stimulate the energy in the body. After these stretching exercises, practitioners normally follow a sequence of postures to accumulate and circulate energy in the body. Classes often include elements of meditation, as well.
An article by three physicians in the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports the conclusions made during a 3-month study of community-based mind-body training methods. The study measured the progress of 171 adults enrolled at various Dahn Yoga Centers in the New York City area. All of the participants had taken ten or fewer classes at the beginning of the survey-based study. They scored poorer in measures of health-related quality of life than the general U.S. population and were significantly sedentary at the start of the study. The article concludes that participants reported "moderate improvements after 3 months of practice" with "improvements in all domains of health-related quality of life, fewer depressive symptoms, less trait anxiety, and greater self-efficacy." Practitioner reviews such as those written during a citywide vote for "Best Yoga Studio" in Boston assert the effectiveness of Dahn Yoga in healing common ailments such as back pain, shoulder/neck tension, sleeping problems, migraine headaches, or digestive disorders.
History
In 1985 the first Dahn Yoga Center opened in downtown Seoul. In 1991 the first U.S. Dahn Yoga Center was opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1997 the Sedona Ilchi Meditation Center (SIMC) was established, hosting specialized programs open to Dahn yoga members for a fee. Over the next ten years Dahn yoga focused on expanding its operations globally. In 2006 Dahn yoga introduced two new training methods. The first, DahnMuDo , also referred to as “The Art of Being Limitless,” is advertised as a non-combative martial art. The second, Jung Choong Breathing, is a form of internal alchemy using five simple postures focused on breathing and what is said to be proper positioning of the body. It is claimed to help release stagnant energy and accumulate fresh energy in the lower abdomen, also known in Korean as the Dan Jeon (energy center) or the 2nd Chakra in Sanskrit yoga terminology.
Controversy
In recent years there has been significant criticism of Dahn yoga and its teachings, with some accusing its associated organizations of cult status. A Dahn Center spokesperson denies this accusation, saying that such critics have "probably mistaken leaders' and other participants' enthusiasm about the training program for something else." A 2006 news report says that the organization is involved in at least two lawsuits, one being a wrongful death suit involving the death of a practitioner during a training event. According to the lawsuit, Julia Siverls, 41, died from heat stroke and dehydration during a master training hike at the Ilchi Meditation Center in Sedona, circa 2003. According to a document filed by the Southern District of New York of the United States District Court, the case was dismissed on August 1, 2008.One former member says that the organization was characterized by "conformity, suppression of individuality and rote learning," and criticizes the cost of "high-level courses," citing several programs costing thousands of dollars.
Mental health counselor Steven Hassan has reported providing counseling to more than a dozen former Dahn members.
In 2002, a former Dahn employee filed a civil lawsuit in Alameda County, California for Unfair Business Practices and Undue Influence against Seung Heun Lee, et al. The defendants responded with an un-categorical denial of the allegations. A 2003 motion by Dahn to seal the case record from public view was denied. The case was reportedly settled out of court with no admission of guilt.
The official Dahn yoga website began addressing the cult question in 2005 in their FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, stating that: "Dahn Yoga is not a religion, and it is certainly not a cult." The Boston Magazine published an Internet article in 2007 describing a father's change of heart from his conviction that the Dahn organization is a dangerous cult to his assertion, after becoming a member himself, that it is not a cult.
Dahn yoga is being sued by 26 former members and masters. A complaint was issued at the end of May 2009. Charges range from undue influence, thought reform, and failure to pay proper wages, to RICO Law violations and sexual assault. WBZ Channel 4 News in Boston interviewed two of the claimants on June 11, 2009.See also
- Alternative medicine
- New religious movements
References
- ^ a b Dahn Yoga Education (2006). Dahn Yoga Basics . Healing Society. ISBN 1-932843-17-5.
- ^ a b c The Village Voice July 11th, 2006
- ^ http://www.ex-cult.org/General/lifton-criteria
- ^ http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/dahn.yoga.cult.2.1049155.html
- ^ Dahn Yoga Education (2006). Dahn Yoga Basics . Healing Society. p. 15. ISBN 1-932843-17-5.
- ^ Dahn Yoga Education (2006). Dahn Yoga Basics . Healing Society. pp. 21–29. ISBN 1-932843-17-5.
- ^ Dahn Yoga Education (2006). Dahn Yoga Basics . Healing Society. p. 45. ISBN 1-932843-17-5.
- ^ Body & Brain Magazine article on Jung Choong Breathing, Summer 2006 issue
- ^ Lee SW, Mancuso CA, Charlson ME (July 2004). "Prospective study of new participants in a community-based mind-body training program". J Gen Intern Med 19 (7): 760–5. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30011.x . PMID 15209590.
- ^ 2007 A-List: Reviews by Boston practitioners
- ^ 2006 WAVE Magazine Reader's Choice
- ^ What is Dahn Yoga?
- ^ CBS2 Chicago
- ^ Stipulation of Dismissal, Case 1:05-cv-07518-PKC, Document 144, August 1, 2008
- ^ a b Now Toronto article by former Dahn student
- ^ a b c DomainWeb: Access to General Civil, Family Law, and Probate Cases Superior Court of California, County of Alameda; Case Summary # 2002068156; See Register of Actions. Accessed January 23, 2008.
- ^ a
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