Alternative Lifestyle or Korean Cult?

As I continue my exploration of Dahn yoga, I take into account my own experiences, Dahn yoga as it presents itself, as well as the backlash.

Minimal damage includes first-hand accounts of yoga class coercion. The blogosphere is filled with personal experiences; 32 Entropy Lane writes:

He [yoga master] totally tried to brainwash me and told me my Lupus was because my mind and body weren’t connecting and there were “Blockages”. They could heal me through their “program”. I laughed. Seriously. The whole thing was $1900 and he had me trapped in this little room talking about how I really needed this and my body was crying out in pain. SO funny. He kept pressuring me and I kept saying “I’m not making any decisions tonight.” The guy was relentless. It was so odd. Then he started bringing the price down...It was very “One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in that they were all wearing white faux karate outfits with their names scrawled in black marker across their chests...This Dahn Studio was the place where they felt validated and loved and accepted.

An ex-member writes:
"I am an ex-member of Dahnhak. I experienced a complete emotional/psychotic breakdown and was hospitalized, directly after a Shimsung workshop. I can remember their exercises, the people there, the Shimsung experience and the suicidal feelings that I felt after leaving. It took all my strength just to heal myself. After Shimsung I've needed a therapist, psychotherapy, medication and a psychiatrist to prescribe my meds. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My business went into bankruptcy and my life was forever changed. I'm terrified about what happened to me and embarrassed that I was fooled, but can't stop thinking about the next new member, who might not be as lucky as me to live through it. I could have died!"

An article by the Albuquerque Tribune, Dahn Yoga Stretches Into Controversy, trace the story of Monica Demarco, former member of the group:

The first day, Demarco recalled walking into a training session that she expected would be for learning new stretching or martial arts moves.

Instead, she said, participants were meditating with their "inner child" and "saying sorry to yourself for your inner pain."

"People were hysterically crying, some hitting the ground with their fists. It was freaky," Demarco said. "Imagine 150 people doing this all at once."

She said she and a few others sat in the back of the room pretending to participate "so no one would ask me about it later."

The oddest experience, Demarco said, was the session with Dahn Yoga founder Lee during one of the last days of the retreat.

"We had to meditate for an hour before he entered the room," she said. "People were sobbing before he came in."

He spoke about working for peace and told the group he was "shooting us light through his eyes," Demarco said.

Additionally, retreats include rigorous training, including fasting. Such excessive deprivation and physical exertion resulted in the death of an attendee:

In New York, Lee and 11 other Dahn-related entities are listed as defendants in the Julia Siverls wrongful death lawsuit.

Siverls, the 41-year-old who died at the Sedona retreat in 2003, had been involved with Dahn Yoga for about two years before advancing to a master training seminar, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims she was "pressured and coerced" into walking a tightrope 30 feet in the air without safety precautions, that she was secretly drugged with narcotics and that she was forced into the hike that killed her.

The hike, the lawsuit contends, consisted of her five-member group hiking up a mountain while wearing backpacks filled with 40 pounds of rocks and only three, 10-ounce bottles of water and three pieces of fruit for the entire group.

The lawsuit claims she passed out several times starting about 9:30 a.m. but continued, finally collapsing unconscious sometime after 10 a.m. The Siverls' attorney says the hikers didn't call 911 until about 4:30 p.m., after they had called the center.


But is there a differences between yoga classes and workshop/retreats? Can one enjoy the benefits of classes without being coerced into a physically and mentally dangerous cult? The Ohmtastic blog features a variety of opinions:

"I dunno - I just signed up for a one year membership at a dahn place in union square. unlimited classes (2-3 a day if I want) for 1,500. that's a great price (in new york). I don't plan to buy any of the extras. dahn yoga, like anything in life, if what you make of it."

Another comments:

"I have been in Dahn Hak for 3 years and have enjoyed the experience of the yoga exercise. EVEN though next level classes were recommended, I used a little word my parents taught me - NO. What concerned me most were the folks coming in looking for this to be the end all be all to whatever was troubling them. These were the folks that seemed to sign up for the additional courses, etc. My thought is whether it is Dahn Hak or the little church down the street, folks have to keep some common sense about them"

In response to stories of losing thousands of dollars, one blogger writes:

"Wow!
I can hardly believe what I'm reading. Ever go to a car dearlership? Ever go to Bally's for that matter? If anything, i joined Dahn Yoga because they didn't hound me on the phone every day trying to get me to join. I went for the free class and they told me my options. Pressure...didn't get it more than i would at any other business. I've only been at it for 30 months and i love it. They do anxiously want you to attend their weekend workshops as if it was a bit of an urgency but I have a life and a mind of my own. I say no and they leave it alone. You get sucked in to stuff only if you allow it."

Lastly:

"I started my Dahn hak practice six years ago (on-and-off) and it really hurts me reading some of the negative comments about Dahn hak. Yes, they may pressure you to sign up for some of the special training but, it really is up to YOU whether you actually do it or not. No one is going to threathend you or do anything even if you don't spend any more money on special trainings. And Yes, I would agree with idea that Dahn yoga cots money. But, I am truly willing to spend $100 some money a month just for my physical well-being and mental health. and from my own experience, I personally beilieve that it actully worth more than the moeny I pay. So, if you are so curious about it, why don't you try the class first, and see if you like it. If it works you, you join the class, if you don't, try some other types of yoga. there's no harm trying. You should remember that it is always your own decision and you know whether it is good for you or not."

Steven Alan Hassan's Freedom of Mind Center released an expert investigative report, concluding:

"It is my professional opinion that Dahn Hak, in all its incarnations, operates as a cult or high demand group, and employs unethical mind control, meets the BITE criteria for a destructive cult, uses undue influence and coercive persuasion to attract and retain members, and subjects members to a thought control program/process (see Lifton above). As a result of their involvement, members are not provided informed consent, are deceived as to the true nature and purpose of the group, are coerced into remaining in the group, are isolated from family, friends, and their former lives, are subject to increasing demands on their time and livelihood, are preventing from exercising free, unbridled choice, and live in an atmosphere of fear, shame, guilt, and may be subject to phobia indoctrination about criticizing or leaving the group."

There is a wealth of information available regarding Dahn yoga, and all it's alternate names, including:
- Dahnhak
- Dahn Center
- Holistic Fitness Center
- Dahn Tao Institute
- Healing Society
- Sedona Dahn Retreat
- Tai Chi Yoga Health Center
- Tao Aerobics
- Zen N’ Fit
- Energy Training Centre
- BR Holistic
- HSPHolistic

As an attendee of Dahn classes, and a well-informed individual, it is my opinion that if one is able to attend the classes, reap the benefits, and leave...that is perfectly acceptable. Attendees should avoid personal healing sessions, retreats, workshops and paraphernalia (including vibrating objects and dvds). If one feels harassed or manipulated, clearly that person should not return. I have only had positive experiences, and will continue attending with an open mind, ready to chronicle my adventures on The Colonic. My curious side would love to attend seminars for the shear purpose of reporting on them...however I am not willing to waste my money.

I will be transitioning to a different center shortly, and I am interested how the studios will handle my switch. Will I be contacted to ensure my continued attendance? Will the other studio be informed that I am coming? Will the other studio be more aggressive in its pitches to buy products and services?

Regardless of the horror stories, I have found my classes to be unparalleled by any other yoga experiences I have had. Buyer beware...and I certainly am. Get ready for updates.