TESTIMONIALS BY CATEGORIES

DIABETIC

" My main physical situation is the tightening of my Achilles and my calf muscles, in my legs to the point of so much pain that I could not walk. I had lower back pain and pain in my wrist which I ignored thinking it was the result of a fall. I had many fears guilt, shame, insecurities and low self esteem. I felt like a “nothing”, not worthy, a fear of not measuring up and not good enough. I wondered why I am living, I just existed.
THHP helped me to accept my physical pain. It helped me work through to see how past habits effect my physical body, and stop running away through learning how to stay in my body, connecting to my Dahn Jon. THHP helped me peal away the emotional layers of distress, guilt, shame, to let them surface and face them, to understand them. THHP helped me to find my life purpose hallelujah, fantastic!!!!!!!I now have a road to travel and a life to enjoy. THHP has given more than just helping with my physical condition. THHP gave me my life. "
Sharon

" I came here with bi-polar depression, diabetes, high blood pressure. My goal was to understand my body relationship to my problems. I gained a deeper understanding of how my body and mind work together when focusing on a particular area of my body and how it can get me through physical and mental pain. The confidence I gained seemed more than I have accumulated during my whole life. I definitely feel so much better than when I first came here 10 days ago. The staff was so helpful during the times when I showed doubt and fear in myself; they truly had a better understanding of me. "
Anthony

" I came here with diabetes, fears and doubts and not connecting with my true self. My goal was to improve my diabetes and connect with my true self. Even though I am on blood sugar medication my readings were still very high. After this week my readings went to 103-108. I know that with continued focus, on the process I learned and experienced I will get that number down lower and will be able to get off the medication.
I can not wait to accomplish this and surprise my doctor. I am connecting at a deeper level with my true self. I see what has created the separation and how to reconnect with who I really am. "
Lori

" I came here with stiffness on my chest. I felt uncomfortable unhappy, empty, and have diabetes. My goal coming here to the thhp is to be healthy.

I now because of the THHP feel more confident. My mind is more stable. My body is a lot more flexible. My temper is softened. I think I can change one of my habits, talking impolitely. I feel like I can love anybody. "
Hong

" I had been passing the Nob Hill Dahn Center for several months. The picture and sign that said Serenity was so compelling. I have an immune deficiency which impaired my body’s ability to fight infection. As a child, when the mumps went around I got them twice followed by several rounds of measles topped off with German measles. My tonsils were so infected and enormous that they almost closed off my throat and had to be removed during the height of the polio threat. I had my first major surgery at the tender age of 16. There was nothing sweet about my 16th year. When I entered the Dahn center, I had had 5 major abdominal surgeries, lung infections (including life threatening pneumonia), Rheumatoid arthritis, seizures, fibromyalgia, hypertension and insulin resistance. I had a right brain stroke and lost my left side three years before. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital learning how to talk, walk, swallow and “think” again. The months of rehab were grueling. I tested at the 3rd grade level mentally after the stroke. How terrifying. When you have a stroke, the only thing your family wants is for you to be the person they thought you were before; that nurturing mother, that loving daughter, that thoughtful sister. The only thing you want is to be able to function again – walk and talk, PERIOD. And then, there is the pain – the habitual, debilitating, mind jarring pain. My immune system was getting worse. My physician cautioned me not to go into crowds and especially not to hug or kiss people;all of this because I contracted pneumonia and almost died after being exposed to a baby with a cold. My doctor refused to give me the medical release that I needed to continue my work, caring for special needs, drug exposed infants. What a passion I have for these babies and now I couldn’t even do that. Good grief!
But the most devastating blow of all for me is then I started losing my hearing. Heredity, they said. After all, my father went deaf and his father before him. Hearing impaired people so often become reclusive. It was easy to follow the doctor’s warnings now. It was too hard being in the hearing world anyway. In addition to which, I feel more vulnerable now with this hearing loss - more afraid, to be honest with you.
One day, the Dahn Yoga Center had a sign in the window – Energy Checkup $19.00. So I went in. What the heck was an Energy Checkup anyway? I knew I didn’t have any energy. I met Sun, the instructor and manager. (Drum roll please)! What struck me was when she looked deeply into my eyes and asked me quite matter of factly if I wanted to continue to live like this, you know, sick, scared and hidden away. What? The audacity! I couldn’t believe it. What was she insinuating? That I had chosen this nightmare? And, was she taunting me by suggesting that I could reverse this downward spiral? How cruel, I thought, after spending years learning how to accept my fate, for her to imply that I could be healthy . . . where was the serenity in that?
I told her about my up coming major oral surgery for teeth replacement; titanium screws in the bone and the like. I even showed her the picture of what it was going to entail. I was dead set upon having this surgery, immediately if not sooner. I lamented to her about how my self esteem had suffered since the tooth loss and how I HATED to smile. If I had know that Dahn Yoga had anything to do with smiling, I would never have stepped my foot in the door. How ironic. She quietly and firmly stated that this wasn’t the time for such a major procedure. In fact, she told me this several times. Well, the day before the scheduled surgery the surgeon called everything off. Incredulous! He changed his mind; too complicated he said, need another consult with yet another specialist. Sun had this “knowing” look on her face when I told her about it. She nodded and said, “That’s what I thought. This is the time for you to focus on your healing.” How old was this woman anyway? How can someone so young have that much “knowing”. Well, that convinced me. I signed up for 3 months. I observed how loving the instructors were, how hard they worked for their clients, the hours and hours they put in at the center, the perpetual verbal encouragement, the vigilance in monitoring your progress and endurance. WOW! This was no ordinary place. They rallied behind me even though I couldn’t do very many things. Sun (to put it diplomatically) “encouraged” me to sign up for the healing sessions. I really resisted but finally did. The instant I signed up I felt a weight lift off of me. I knew this was the place for me. It felt right. I was sure.
5 weeks into Yoga, I choked on my tea (stroke related) and had a severe Asthma attack (which I had never had before), and ended up in the hospital for a week. I almost went into respiratory arrest – 911, 50 billion para-medics and firemen at the house – the whole 9 yards. My instructors refused to let me accept the doctors doom and gloom diagnosis. They cheered for me for having such a major “releasing”. Can you believe it? I wanted to give up Yoga. After all, I couldn’t BREATHE. If I thought Yoga was hard before, it seemed impossible now. I felt so defeated. Everyone was blaming the attack on Dahn Yoga. It was too much, they said, too hard. But the doctors told me that the breathing in Yoga probably helped me to survive the attack. But I wanted to give up. I really and truly wanted to quit, but when I talked with my Sabum nim instructor, he spoke with such gentle confidence. He spoke 4 simple words to me. “I can help you”. Those words still reverberate through my consciousness today. There was no one more in need of help at that time than I was. I practically crawled in for a healing session. I couldn’t lift my baby toe. I was so weak. But I could feel the love and concern he and Sun had for me. They refused to let me give up on myself. Their unrelenting confidence and quiet assurance held me up when I needed it most.
This has not been easy. What I have learned is that life is about choices and the choices I am making now are for my true self – for health. I chose to go to class every day and twice on occasion. I chose to do homework every night. In the first 3 months I made incredible progress. I weaned myself down from 13 daily prescription medications to 3, thanks to the unwavering support of the staff, and I mean all the staff at every center. I am astonished at how they pour themselves into us.
I participated in several of the Dahn healing programs, including Master Hong’s Tao Holistic Healing Program. That is where my life changed, under the powerful guidance of this incredible woman, whose love, skill and wisdom lead me to a new understanding about pain, self acceptance and self love, not to mention discipline. I’m learning about Ki energy to heal myself. I’m sure there are volumes you can read to learn about the technical aspects of the energy in our bodies. I can only share with you that my energy body, physical body and spirit are powerfully connected now and through this harmony, I am getting healthy. It has been almost a year now and I haven’t even had a “sniffle”; this is amazing after years of habitual upper respiratory infections. I no longer use a cane. They tell me that these Dahn Yoga principals go back thousands of years. I am fiercely grateful to Dr. Ilchi Lee, our founder, who has dedicated his life to bringing these principals to all humanity. My appreciation for my teachers and guides knows no boundaries. In the face of my resistance, old habits, and yes, arrogance, their strong love jerked me into taking responsibility for the train wreck that was my life. Now, as I approach 60 years of age, I have a new life. Whoever you are, where ever you are, you are not too old, too sick, too cripple, too tired, too defeated or too afraid to embrace hope and change. This program really works. "
Sung