Dahn Yoga

Dahn yoga is a Korean form of physical exercise developed by Ilchi Lee in 1985. The practice was originally established under the name, Dahnhak wherein “dahn” means vital energy, while “hak” means study of a particular philosophy. 

The Dahn yoga exercise is focused on the development of a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.  It is composed of three unique characteristics, including the following:

1.    Enhancing the brain
2.    The mastery of the use of energy
3.    Self-managed holistic health care

Dahn yoga’s practices are based on the traditional concept of chi, which is often associated with terminologies such as life-force, energy, breathing, medicine, and martial arts.  A Dahn yoga exercise regularly starts with a method of exercise known as Meridian Stretching, which is believed to regulate the energy in the body, followed by a series of poses that look almost like regular yoga.

Dahn yoga, however, is not to be confused with regular yoga postures.  Unlike most other types of common yoga, Dahn yoga is focused on awakening the brain.  The postures performed in the classes are geared towards the development of the brain’s creative potential.  Their maxim is that, when a person becomes one with the natural flow of energy, wisdom will be unleashed, thereby gaining a higher understanding of reality.

Dahn yoga’s mind-body training programs are also founded on Korean healing philosophies and South East Asian energy boosting principles. Dahn yoga ascertains that their healing exercises can contribute positive effect to the person’s well-being as well as inject a positive effect in the practitioner’s community.

Practitioners assert that as they practice Dahn yoga, they begin to understand how the energy in their body works. Because of this, they supposedly begin to become mindful of their surroundings and start applying the energy principles of the yoga into their everyday life.  Continuous practice of the exercises means that injecting the principles daily then becomes second nature to them.

Dahn yoga’s benefits quickly spread like wild fire in the different regions of South Korea.  From its first center in downtown Seoul, South Korea; Dahn yoga, is now being practiced in fifty locations in South Korea.  The practice’s benefits also became known in the United States.

By 1991, Dahn yoga, entered the shores of Lady Liberty, and established its first US based Dahn yoga center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Six years after, the Sedona Ilchi Meditation Center was founded in Sedona, Arizona.  Here, members got to enjoy specialized wellness programs for a fee.

Presently, Dahn yoga has its roots embedded in over sixteen locations in the United States, with branches in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, New Mexico, Georgia, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas.

With people catching on to Dahn yoga’s benefits, a foundation was established in 2006.  Simply named Dahn Yoga Foundation, the foundation helped increase attention to the practice through classes done at community centers, churches, public parks, offices, schools, hospitals, and centers for the aged.  The classes would sometimes be offered free of charge or at discounted rates.