Dahngerous "Yoga"

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Clockin' Dollars and Hands Where They Don't Belong

A reader turned us on to a fine piece of investigative journalism about Korean guru Ilchi Lee's Dahn Hak, aka Dahn Yoga in the States, an org that's chock full of the usual culty nastiness in which lives are wrecked while the cash gets clocked:

Shipley, now 25, is one of 27 former Dahn practitioners who filed suit in Arizona in May claiming the group subjected them to psychological manipulation and fraudulently induced them to spend thousands of dollars on Dahn yoga classes and retreats in Sedona, Ariz. and other places. The punishing techniques, they say, included forced isolation from friends and families, exercises like bowing 3,000 times all night long without breaks, disciplining members by sticking their heads in the toilet and making them lick other members' feet, and having them hold certain poses, like the push-up position, for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. On top of those charges, the suit alleges that Ilchi Lee, the 57-year-old Korean founder of Dahn and its spiritual leader, sexually preyed on young female disciples.

Dahn makes its money the traditional way, squeezing it out of hapless initiates with "money training," ridiculous quackery and straight-up pseudo-science:

Dahn centers sell a variety of products it deems healing-related. Nina Miller, a plaintiff in the Arizona suit, is seeking reimbursement for the $1,800 she spent on a gold painted "Okum turtle"--an item purportedly made from "living metallic materials" that "optimizes harmony within the body." For $450 Dahn sells a kit that includes a Brain Respiration Quotient, a transmitter that uses light and sound to supposedly stimulate the brain, and Power Brains, a brain-shaped handheld vibrator that is said to increase awareness during meditation.

Testimonials on the company's Web site claim brain wave vibration has lowered high blood pressure, corrected lazy eyes and healed the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. But the company cannot point to any independent peer-reviewed studies vouching for its effectiveness. Brian Cummings, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, says calling it pseudoscience would be generous. "Exercising, stretching and meditating may be beneficial to health. But there is no science behind the claim that vibrations in the body alter brain activity in a meaningful way," says Cummings.

And guess where all the money goes:

Dahn claims that founder Ilchi Lee is no longer directly involved in the company but instead runs a consulting firm, BR Consulting, which owns the intellectual property used by Dahn Yoga. (Lee is seeking to dismiss the suit against him on this basis as well.) But according to the plaintiffs, Ilchi Lee controls them all. They claim Dahn's profits are transferred to Lee and used to fund a lifestyle that includes a horse ranch in Arizona, high stakes gambling, a yacht and a private jet. forbes confirmed that BR Consulting owns the jet, the horse ranch and some residential properties.

In the end, you'll take it in the end for the guru and like it. This is the operating principle of almost every bit-time guru's satsang. Lee is no exception, and apparently, despite all the bad press he's generating in the States, there's still a full, rich market of the disaffected from which he can continue to steal.

Taking Dahn Down

File under; Gurubusting, Satscams and The Siddhi of PR

Dahn Yoga is the darling of local TV news investigative reporters looking to target something culty. The latest inquiry took place in Phoenix, AZ, by local ABC affiliate ABC15:

Steve Hassan is a cult expert with more than 30 years of experience. Hassan said that he has counseled more than 15 former Dahn Yoga followers.

“They are basically taking people's minds and substituting the Dahn mind in its place,” Hassan said.

Hassan said Dahn starts with the power of suggestion.

Our producer went undercover at one of Dahn Yoga’s seven valley locations.

The initial meeting was an energy check, which seemed more like a health diagnosis.

The Dahn Yoga instructor told our undercover producer that her spine was crooked, and that her kidneys were tight.

“That means you're not circulating,” the instructor said.

The instructor suggested treatment for our ailments.

The instructor told our undercover producer she needed at least one year of Dahn Yoga, at a cost of more than $1600. The instructor said it was the only way to get rid of all our ailments.

“I do not believe people in Dahn are qualified to make medical evaluations,” Hassan said. “There is a wealth of psychological problems that this group has generated.”

If the hard-hitting reporting keeps hitting this hard, Dahn Yoga is going to be 'circulating' right back to Korea and straight up the ass of Ilchee Lee, the mega-monster fraudster who started it all.

Nice try with the college recruitment "Body and Brain" clubs, though.

Dahn Haked Again

File under: Satscams

Dahn Hak Yoga just can't catch a break in the U.S. anymore. This probably has something to do with the fact they killed one of their instructor-trainees on a forced death march in the Arizona desert last year. That has subsequently made them a primary target of anti-cult investigative reports by many local TV news outlets over the last 6 months.

In this latest report they are referred to as "Dahn Con" and the reporter found a couple of ex-followers to spill the beans:

As advertised, the Dahn centers offer new clients an energy check, like the one our researcher got on Michigan Ave.

A Dahn master pushed her so-called energy centers and found blockages.

"She said that my energy was very weak. I was in danger of falling into a depression," CBS 2 researcher Emily Withrow said.

A former Dahn instructor, who asked that his identity be concealed, says the energy check is a sales gimmick.

"Since everybody has aches and pains everyday, everybody technically has energy blockages," he said

Another ex-follower regrets falling for the flim flam:

Susan Yates went to a Dahn center in Libertyville.

"It's definitely a con," she said.

She realized that after signing contracts for classes and private healing sessions, even buying Dahn gimmicks like vibrating power brains to help healing.

"Eight thousand dollars I spent in a month. I'm embarrassed to say that I did," Susan said.

She says it happened after intense private healing sessions with the school master.

"They get you to share personal information about yourself and they'll use that to basically get you to sign up for more classes," the former employee said.

Yates quit after they wanted her to attend Dahn healer school for another $10,000 "and become healers and give our lives to Dahn."

Eight-grand can buy a lot of medicinal herbs – like a four-year supply. If you asked us, we believe you'd derive much more benefit from a daily dose of Kali Mist than this megalomaniac's quite literal brain-washing respiration exercises.

Dahn Going Down In Arizona

File under: Gurubusting, The Siddhi of PR

It was only a matter of time, after all the other trouble they've been causing, but it looks like Dahn Yoga, a breathing cult from Korea, is starting an inevitable slide toward extinction (or a radical reinvention) in the States:

Dahn Yoga claims it can ease your stress, even heal your ailments. Dahn Yoga operates more than 130 centers across the U.S.

A new lawsuit filed on behalf of 26 former Dahn members alleges the organization subjects its members to “psychological manipulation”.

Experts say this organization fits the definition of a cult, adding that the accusations made in the 53-page lawsuit are not new.

Steve Hassan is a cult expert with more than 30 years of experience. The ABC15 Investigators spoke with him on camera in 2007.

“It’s a destructive, deceptive, mind control cult,” Hassan said.

He said he’s counseled more than 15 former Dahn followers.

It's a cult that gets pretty juicy in the middle:

Former members call these rituals “spiritual surgery” in the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, it happened at Dahn’s Sedona, Arizona Center. Retreats there also included "competitive events where losers were punished by sticking their heads in the toilet, drinking toilet water, licking and kissing the other members' feet on the floor of the men's bathroom”.

We misspoke. It's a breathing and ritual sadomasochism cult from Korea.

Dahn Hak Be Damned

File under: Satscams and The Siddhi of PR

Julia Siverls is the gal who was Dahn Haked to death in the Arizona desert last year:

From another set of documents, a different picture of Dahn emerges. In a 109-point civil complaint, nine of Julia's brothers and sisters allege that Dahn masters "forced and coerced" her to practice their brand of yoga, ultimately compelling her to attend the deadly yoga retreat. They charge that members of Dahn laced her food with drugs before leading her on a grueling mountain hike, during which, despite indications she was struggling, they denied her medical care.

This is old news that keeps hanging around and has now found its way into New York's Village Voice, where new details have emerged about the tragedy:

The sheriff's deputy noted that the group "did not appear to be carrying a large amount of water, and it was already very hot at 9:30" a.m. It was this detail that stunned the Siverls family, since the 911 call hadn't come in until 4:30 p.m. "That means all day long she was suffering," Alephia says. "That's what is really unbelievable, that this organization that preaches love would allow someone to suffer to death."

It doesn't look so good for Dahn in the U.S. anymore. The suit being brought by the Siverls should see to that, along with all the bad press Dahn's been getting since Julia died last year. Seeing how they arrogantly deny any culpability in her death while they forge ahead with their satscam, we couldn't wish it on a more deserving group.

Itchie Leeves His U.S. Nest, Still Supreme Leader of Dahn

File under: The Siddhi of PR

Dahn Yoga founder Ilchi Lee has resigned from the board of "the group which advised Dahn Yoga and other affiliated entities," in the U.S. He's still very much in charge of his org in Korea, and almost certainly so in the U.S., despite what Dahn recruitment personnel may be saying.

Turban tip to Yogadawg for the link.

Slick SF Mayor Scratches An Ilchee

File under: Backroom Gurudom and The Siddhi of PR

Gavin Newsom is so smooth that he's running unopposed for a second term as the mayor of San Francisco, California. So we're not sure why he's sucking up to the Dahn Yoga community there by declaring a special day for their founder and guru, Ilchee Lee. After all, Newsom doesn't need the votes this time. Could he be an adherent of the practice some have determined to be little more than standard issue cult manipulation? Whatever the reason, it sure got Rick Ross' attention:

But according to Mayor Newsom’s proclamation, the man some say is promoting a “dangerous con” should be lauded and acclaimed as “a leading philosopher and brain educator.”

However, others that have looked into Dahn with a bit more due diligence have described Lee’s so-called “brain education,” as more like “brainwashing” and “mind control.”

Could Newsom's baby butt grace be about to get a little road rash? He's endorsed a man who is reviled as an evil manipulator of people's minds and bank accounts. Dahn yoga training is said to be the cause of at least one death, along with a number of good mind f'ings. They've even been exposed as a racist organization in Canada.

Looks like someone in the Mayor's office didn't do their homework on this one.

Breathe Your Brain To Enlightenment (But Leave The Questions At Home)

File under: Satscams

There's a new Korean-based spiritual movement sliding stateside. The last one involved wayward hippies being love-bombed into submission and then married en masse. This time it's called Dahn, the brainchild of Seung Heun Lee. At least he had the sense to name it after something other than himself, although he does have his own day named after him.

Lee's Brain Respiration is yet another variation on the prana/chi/ki theme. Of course there are the obligatory claims of scientific validity and paranormal ability making. And it appears that there is a whole cadre of folk called the Healing Society who know just what's best for us and want us to join them.

They also know what's best for us not to know. Apparently inquiry and skepticism are not featured at Dahn, nor are black folk, rural folk and the homeless. "They're not ready for enlightenment."

We believe Lee is making a huge mistake. Black and rural folk can have just as much money as white city folk.

Guru News Roundup

File under: The Siddhi of PR

• Steven Novella of the New Haven Advocate handily debunks JZ Knight's use of quantum mechanics as a cult-recruitment ploy in her film, What The Bleep Do We Know.

• Canadian TM™ers take it to the schools in their attempt to corner the market on mantra meditation, complete with their doctored research and pie-in-the-sky assertions about the efficacy of TM™ as means of supernatural social reform.

• Dahn Yoga takes another hit from a local news org, this time in Connecticut. Will they ever live down the forced death march of one of their students in Arizona last year?

Dahn't Go There

File under: Satscams

Gleaned from cultnews.net, a woman recounts her encounter with Dahnhak operatives:

There were so much hugging going on and huge plastered smiles on everyone's faces. I thought, wow these people are happy. Now, I think they were insane, ecstatic and drawn in by guilt.

The moral of this story: beware culty Koreans who have a thing for lovebombing. You don't want to end up Dahnhaked to death.