Dahn Yoga Voice

Dahn Yoga & Health Centers, Inc. announces the recent end of a highly publicised lawsuit by 27 former employees and members. The federal lawsuit that began in on May 22, 2009 officially ended onApril 1, 2013. All claims in the lawsuit have either been dismissed by the Court or dropped by the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit against Dahn Yoga and its affiliates was filed in the US District Court of Arizona (Barba et al. v. Dahn Yoga et al, Case No. CV09-1115-PHX-SRB) and attracted media attention with claims that included fraud, undue influence, unfair and deceptive business practice, emotional distress, wage and hour law violation and civil RICO violations.  On November 3, 2009, Judge Susan Bolton dismissed a majority of the claims, affecting  nearly all of the 27 plaintiffs. In light of the Judge’s Order, the plaintiffs and their attorney filed an Amended complaint, but it did not strengthen their case.  Subsequently, on October 26, 2011, plaintiffs’ attorney, Ryan Kent , withdrew from the case. In his motion to withdraw, Kent acknowledged that he had  expected the case to be settled without protracted litigation.  As a result, many plaintiffs were dismissed by the Court or dropped their claims. Some even admitted in writing that allegations made in the lawsuit were not what they had intended or directly contradict their experience with Dahn Yoga.

The court rulings and the plaintiff withdrawals bring a difficult chapter to an end.  A statement by the current Dahn Yoga CEO expresses the company’s appreciation for the consistent support of its members, instructors, employees and friends. She states that in light of this experience “… we have made many important changes and despite the challenges we faced, we have emerged from this experience as better communicators, better managers, better business people and better citizens.”

Dahn Yoga & Health Centers, Inc. (www.dahnyoga.com) provides personalized service and exceptional facilities that teach a stylized practice of yoga based on Korean traditions. The word “dahn”, meaning “energy”, emphasizes the mind body connection as the key to health and well-being. Ilchi Lee founded the practice in South Korea before the first U.S. Dahn Yoga center was opened in the early 1990s. Acclaimed for health and wellness innovations and the integration of ancient and modern, Dahn Yoga has an extensive network of highly-respected facilities and instructors in seventeen states, and numerous affiliates around the world.

On July 1, 2011, Ha’aretz, a leading daily newspaper in Israel, published an article in its weekly North America edition about the death of Matan Givol, a former Dahn Yoga member and perspective franchise owner. Prior to his involvement with Dahn Yoga, he had been a prominent violinist and he had recently resumed his musical career in Israel. On May 22, 2011, before he was to perform at a concert in his home city of Tel Aviv, Matan took his own life.

The article in Ha’aretz provides some detail about the circumstances of Matan’s death and speculates as to the reasons he may have taken his own life, including the death of his father, pressures associated with his musical career and his mother’s belief that Matan was under extreme pressure from Dahn Yoga to open franchises in Israel.

We at Dahn Yoga & Health Centers, Inc. were very saddened to learn about the death of Matan Givol, a good man, with a deep and abiding commitment to peace. Though we sympathize with Mrs. Givol’s loss, we strongly disagree with any assertion that Matan was under pressure from Dahn Yoga, its employees or affiliates at the time of his death.

For almost one and a half years, Matan was on his own in Israel, planning to open independent franchises there. Those plans were based on his own personal interests and he was under no pressure from anyone in our company. During the time that Matan was in Israel, we had very limited contact with him, but we are aware that he had other pressures and personal concerns. We cannot comprehend why he chose to take his own life, but our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Joseph Alexander
Vice President of Communications

CNN has advertised the lead up to a story that they will begin airing on January 5, 2010. CNN’s report will be principally investigating claims in a recent lawsuit against Dahn Yoga. We are concerned that the sensational claims of the plaintiffs may get most of the attention, which would be unfortunate. The plaintiffs have used news media to try to pressure Dahn Yoga into a large monetary settlement. If CNN only listened to the plaintiffs, they would get a distorted story about Dahn Yoga. Therefore, we at Dahn Yoga have fervently tried to help CNN air a fair and balanced story. We hope that CNN does not allow itself to be a tool of Read the rest of this entry »

While many of the world’s leaders were gathered in Copenhagen taking on the challenge of a collective response to climate change, an important step was taken in Cottonwood, Arizona on December 16, 2009 towards individual responsibility of the earth’s stewardship.

Under clear skies near the Coconino National Forest, an international gathering of community leaders, local residents and international visitors celebrated the opening of the Mago Earth Park, a natural oasis and educational environment for peace and harmony.

The event featured the introduction of a new landmark, a 39-foot statue of “Mago” and six-acre park, surrounded by Red Rock Country vistas. Rooted in ancient East Asian tradition, Mago (麻姑) is a name for Mother Earth. Ma means “mother” and go means “eminent and ancient origin.” Mago is similar in significance to Gaia in Western culture. It is a name that holds deep reverence, love, and gratitude for the Earth.

Mago figures Read the rest of this entry »

For thousands of years, Asian cultures, such as that of Korea, have used bow meditation and other prostration exercises as part of their spiritual and physical practices. They were performed both as a preparation for sitting meditation, and as a meditation in their own right. Bow meditation was neither used as a form of worship, nor as a form of self-punishment. Practitioners did not bow down to anything exterior. Rather, they bowed in humble acceptance and deference to their own highest nature.

As Dahn Yoga founder Ilchi Lee wrote in his book Human Technology, “Bowing is one of the most humble Read the rest of this entry »

Considered one of the most profound programs in Dahn Yoga training method, Shimsung is designed to help you look honestly and carefully at mental and emotional habits that keep you from living the life you want to live. Shimsung means “heart opening,” and this is the essential goal of the training. Through a wide variety of games and experiential activities, you will examine patterns of thinking that undermine relationships, and confront habits that sabotage the achievement of a more satisfying life. Through the program, you will develop the physical, emotional and mental sensitivity to experience your deepest essence and will acquire the tools to maintain this experience in your everyday life. You will also gain a stronger sense of self by identifying your personal foundation for all your daily actions and decisions. Shimsung is perfect if you want to get “back on track” or gain motivation for personal transformation.

Watch the video below to see what people say about their Shimsung experiences.

On December 21, 2009, the New York Post published this clarification on the “article in The Post on Nov. 9, 2009, about the “Brain Education” program taught in New York City schools referenced an Arizona federal lawsuit filed by former employees of Dahn Yoga. Power Brain Education is not a defendant in that lawsuit and its methods are not the subject of any allegations in that lawsuit.

The court in that case recently dismissed eight out of 10 claims brought by 26 of the 27 plaintiffs.

The court did not dismiss two claims against Dahn Yoga’s founder, Seung Heun “Ilchi” Lee, which he denies and continues to defend. The Post also referenced a 2005 wrongful-death lawsuit against Dahn Yoga brought by the family of Julia Siverls.

Power Brain Education and its methods were not the subject of that lawsuit.”

This clarification was made after Dahn Yoga Corporate Communications presented this official response to the New York Post –>

December 11, 2009

To: Cynthia Leive, Editor-in-Chief
Cc: Jessica Strul, Editorial Team

Dear Ms. Leive:

On behalf of Dahn Yoga, I am sending this letter in shock and bewilderment at your recent article entitled “The Scary Yoga Obsession.” I am not sure if Glamour Magazine was trying to tell its readers that Dahn Yoga is “scary” or that a new wave of addiction is sweeping the nation’s yoga studios. Either way, it results in a distorted picture of our company, our practices and our relationships with our members and employees. Despite our efforts to provide a broad range of information and people to the reporter and editorial team, and despite their promises of a fair story, this article is one-sided in its reporting on the lawsuit against Dahn Yoga by former employees. It is almost exclusively devoted to the perspective of Lucie Vogel and her supporters. Glamour does a disservice to its readers, especially young women, by minimizing the role of personal choice. The plaintiffs are Read the rest of this entry »

December 11, 2009

To Cynthia Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour Magazine:

As a person who worked closely with the four women in the article, ‘The Scary Yoga Obession’, I say thanks but no thanks for the patronizing complements by Lucie Vogel. She says, ‘The women who become sabumnims (instructors)……are so smart and passionate’….and more lavish praise follows.

In the same article she makes the women who instruct Dahn Yoga sound like foolish victims who are not smart enough to make good choices. I am not a victim. I feel very confident in my ability to make smart choices. I became a member of Dahn Yoga in 1999 and, after completing graduate school, I believe I made a smart choice when I became an instructor in 2003.

Lucie Vogel has shared in her own words, that she is a ‘wiley and tricky’ person, a Read the rest of this entry »

by Dahn Yoga Corporate Communications

A story appeared on Page 7 in the November 9, 2009 issue of The New York Post that purported to uncover a relationship between a new supplementary program being adopted by several New York City public schools and Dahn Yoga. The reporter, Yoav Gonen insinuates that Dahn Yoga, who is a defendant in a lawsuit by disgruntled former employees, is trying to sneak into the New York City school system. He makes Dahn Yoga seem sinister by recounting claims of plaintiffs in current and past lawsuits. This article contains several distortions and misstatements, including my own words.

1. Lawsuits

In his account of the present lawsuit against Dahn Yoga, Mr. Gonen neglects to inform your readers that Read the rest of this entry »