Ilchi Lee Dahn Hak Yoga

Here’s a great quote from Einstein about the brain…
Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.

You can ask Dr. Ilchi Lee questions on ilchi.com and he posts replies on the site. Here’s an example of a recent question…

Ideal Jangsaeng Walking

Q: Can you give me any pointers on how to improve my Jangsaeng walking technique? I have difficulty tucking in my tailbone, and I am not sure that I am leaning forward at a one degree angle.

A: Because you have a lifetime of habits built into your body, it can be difficult to keep the proper Jangsaeng posture at first. If you have trouble tucking in your tail bone, it is probably because you are holding a lot of tension in your lower back, hip joints, and intestines. You may want to practice some stretching exercises daily in order to gain more flexibility in your lower body. In the mean time, try focusing on pushing your pelvic bone out. In reality, you can not move your pelvic bone independently, so try to move your entire pelvic area, not just your tailbone. You will know you that you are in the right position when you feel a slight tension and heat in your lower abdomen.

As far as the one-degree tilt is concerned, you do not have to try too hard. When in the proper position, you should only have the slightest perception that you are tilting forward. Just focus on keeping your head slightly ahead of your toes, and try not to push your abdomen out. You can think of it as walking with a very proactive, deliberate attitude. Keep practicing and soon this will all seem very natural.

Here’s some tips I picked up over at ilchi.com

Does sitting at the computer for hours make your body achy and mind tired? Do you feel languid and drowsy when you sit at your desk after lunch? Do long meetings have you worn out and feeling drained of energy?

Ilchi Lee, president of the University of Brain Education (South Korea) and founder of Dahn Yoga, recommends, “Try a few simple energy-restorative exercises. They can generate vitality in the body, bring clarity to the mind, and develop the mental stamina for long periods of clear thinking.”

According to Lee, “Our brains need an adequate supply of quality oxygen for their health. Mental activities such as thinking and creating are taxing to both the brain and the entire body. Physical movements stimulate neural circuitry throughout the body to awaken and develop the mind’s work.”

Lee offers four Dahn Yoga exercises that are just right for releasing the mental stress and physical tension that office work produces.

1. Abdominal Breathing. Take deep breaths with your abdomen to provide the entire body, including the brain, with a sufficient supply of oxygen. Tension is released from the spine, and the central nervous system becomes relaxed. This exercise fills the brain and entire body with vitality, so it will facilitate digestion and enable you to shake off your drowsiness. Place both hands on your abdomen. Exhale in short, sharp breaths. Repeat until your lungs feel completely empty. Once you think you have exhaled all of the air in your lungs, start to inhale again slowly. Keep breathing in deeply until your abdomen feels full. Breathe in until your lungs are completely full, hold your breath for a moment, and then start breathing out again. Repeat this at least three times.

2. Exhaling through the Mouth. Only after we have adequately exhaled the air in our lungs do we increase in the amount of air we inhale and deepen our breathing. In exhaling we release stagnant energy, and our bodies and minds relax. Sit comfortably in a chair. Straighten your lower back and relax your shoulders. Close your eyes and exhale through your mouth. Begin by breathing naturally, without worrying about whether your breath comes out heavy or light. Inhale normally and focus on exhaling at a comfortable pace. When you think you’ve completely exhaled all of the air in your lungs, continue exhaling and count to yourself from one to five. As you repeat this, you will be able to feel your breathing becoming calmer and the stream of air in and out gradually narrowing. Make your exhalations as long and narrow as possible. Repeat this for about five minutes, focusing awareness on your chest.

3. Spread Arms to Open Chest. The longer you sit at your desk, the more your shoulders will start to feel stiff and your head will feel hot. This means that energy, unable to circulate through the whole body, is stagnating in the head. With this exercise, you will feel energy passing through your chest and spreading evenly to your whole body, so that new vitality will fuel your brain. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Extend your arms to the front with your palms facing each other. Spread your arms apart as far as possible to open your chest fully. Maintain this posture as you focus your awareness on places where you feel a pulling sensation. Return slowly to your original position. Inhale as you spread your arms, pulling them toward your back, and exhale as you bring them together toward your front. Repeat this at least six times.

4. Neck Stretch. Neck and shoulder stiffness hinders the upward flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, keeping you from having a clear head. This exercise will refresh your neck and spine, and stimulate your central nervous system by helping the flow of spinal fluid. Do sitting or standing. Keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders. When the exercise is done in a standing position, it’s good to have the feet shoulder width apart. Hold your right shoulder with your left hand and turn your head to the left as far as possible. With your head turned as far as possible, maintain this posture and focus your awareness on places where you feel a pull. As you exhale, return to your original position. Now do it in the opposite direction. Hold your left shoulder with your right hand and turn your head to the right as far as possible. Repeat this exercise at least twice. Inhale as you start the movement, hold your breath for a short time while you hold the posture, and exhale as you return to the starting position.

Learn more about Dahn Yoga, or get answers at Ask Ilchi Lee.

Being a music lover, I found this interesting…

Brain Tips: When the Music Stops

Music can help you pay attention

The cocktail party effect is not, as its name suggests, the term used to describe alcohol-induced lack of judgment. Rather, to the contrary, it is the term used to describe the auditory phenomenon by which we are able to focus on one conversation in a room full of conversations.

According to a research team from Stanford University’s School of Medicine, hints at the cause of the cocktail effect may lie in the music of eighteenth-century composer William Boyce. Brain images of people that listened to Boyce’s short symphonies showed that the music engaged two areas of the brain: the area that helps us pay attention and the area that allows us to make predictions and update events in our memory. However, when the music stopped, the brain did not.

Just don’t listen to the music too loud. The next time you’re in a crowded room you want to make sure you can actually hear what your brain is allowing you to pay attention to.