Notes from Brain Education and Consciousness

I am learning and experiencing so much here in Korea and at UBE that I want to share about. What's exciting for me is seeing the connection between ideas I've read or heard about and things I've practised with greater ideas about education and the development of human potential. Here are some of the notes I've taken over the first few weeks of our Brain Education and Consciousness class:

- The philosophy behind Brain Education is "Learning by doing and learning by practising".

- Education is for physical, emotional and cognitive development and integrates our inner and outer consciousness.

- In the observable world, 1+1=2, but in the unobservable world 1+1=10 is possible.

- Instead of cause and effect being predetermined, we have a "database" of reactions to choose from.

- Traditional way of seeing the brain--as part of the body. New perspective--Brain as an instrument that we use.

- Two types of knowledge:
1. Intuition
2. Logic (must be evidence)

- Ego (our thoughts, emotions, ideas) is not really me. (These come and go and are just information).
- True self (our pure thoughts--no emotions).

- Meditation is a way of connecting with our inner consciousness.

- The kind of information we choose is very important. See the book, "Messages in Water" for the effects of words and thoughts.

- Modernism (division of mind/body) vs. postmodernism (mind/body complimentary)

- Recovery of our innate inability for health, emotional well-being, and peacefulness.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I take the bus to Seoul for Korean language classes. UBE is located in the countryside about 15 minutes from Cheonan city.
This is what the scenery looks like while I am waiting for the bus...
And this is a side street in Seoul in Gangnam-Gu, the area where the Seoul Korean Language Academy is located...

Both have different kinds of energy. Seoul is very active and fast and, here at UBE, it's very quiet and easy to connect with nature. Experiencing both is good training for me. Every time I travel to Seoul, I am reminded that we cannot always choose our surroundings or the people around us, but we can choose how we want to react. By changing ourselves, I believe, we can have an impact on the world.

In my last blog, I talked about how the Canadians on the Korean Meditation Tour will join in the opening celebration of a new park here at Kookhakwon/UBE. I made an error in naming the park--it will be a Korean cultural and historical park.

Preparations are underway for the park. There is lots of construction, landscaping, and other work going on. I watched a group of men make these totem poles over a couple of days. The totems started out looking like this...
And now they look like this...

The totems say, "Honk Ik In Gahn, E-Wha Saegae" in traditional Korean letters, which translates to "Widely Benefiting Humanity, Everything-Harmonious World".
These statues represent figures significant to Korean history. Their faces look real to me. They are patiently standing (or sitting) in a parking lot waiting to be painted gold.

This is my favourite one...


And there will be statues representing different saints throughout the history of the world...


I think all of these figures have something to share. I wonder what they would tell us if they could? If we listened, each of us would probably hear a different kind of message. The message I received was to keep going and to share what I am learning with others.

Canada Comes to Korea!

From September 26th to October 7th, 25 members from Dahn Yoga Centres in Canada will visit Korea on a meditation tour. The tour will include visits to special places related to Dahn Yoga, Brain Education, and Korean history and culture and training with Masters in Dahn Mu Do (Energy Martial Arts) and Pyoong Ryu Do (Yullyo).

After arriving in Seoul, the Canadians will move to Chun Hwa won, the first mediation centre founded by Ilchi Lee, and Mt. Moak, the location of Ilchi Lee's enlightenment. They will visit a traditional Korean folk village and then fly to Je-ju island, designated by the government as an "Island of World Peace".

Jeju Island: An Island of World Peace

Back on the mainland, the Canadians will tour the University of Brain Education and Kookhakwon (the Insitute of Traditional Korean Studies). They will help to celebrate the opening of an International Peace Park here at Kookhakwon on October 3rd, "National Foundation Day", which marks the foundation of Korea by Dangun in 2333 B.C. and will take part in the Earth Human Festival, a celebration of humanity and the earth.

Earth Human Festival 2001

After this, Meditation Tour participants will move on to the North-eastern part of Korea and visit the reunification tower. On October 5th, they will do a demonstration and participate in the 2nd Il Chi Ki-Gong festival. The tour ends with two days in Seoul, visiting a traditional market, a Dahn Centre, and the royal palaces.

I am fortunate to be able to join the Canadian group for part of the tour so stay tuned for updates on their travels and experiences! And to all the Canadian members who are coming, Welcome to Korea and see you soon!

Why I Became Interested in the Brain Part 4: The United Nations and Brain Education

After last year's Olympiad, I returned to the U.S. to spend some time learning about the International Brain Education Association (IBREA). IBREA is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote excellence in brain education for the betterment of humanity. As part of this mission, IBREA represents KIBS (the Korea Insitute of Brain Science), an NGO (non-governmental organization) in consulative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), at the UN headquarters in New York.

As a representative of KIBS/IBREA, I attended United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) weekly briefings and participated in non-governmental organization (NGO) conferences and committee meetings. As I sat and listened to discussions about the challenges facing the UN and the world, I felt hope in the contribution that Brain Education could make to each and every issue, including health, education, youth, aging, peace, and guardianship of the earth.

I also had the opportunity to take the Brain Education Teaching Workshop (BETW) in Brooklyn, New York, where I joined teachers, social workers, occupational therapists, and parents from schools in the New York area. Over two days, we experienced the 15-week Brain Education for Enhanced Learning (BE for EL) curriculum, which includes exercises and activities focused on the brain itself, resulting in physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits for students. For more information about the program, see http://www.powerbrainedu.com/.

After returning to Canada, I started teaching the BE for EL program at the Burlington and Mississauga Dahn Centres. I was joined by my colleague, MaryAnn, who helped to teach the class after we both graduated from the BE Leadership course. Through the course, we became certified to teach all 30 weeks of the BE for EL curriculum and the BE for Successful Aging program for older adults (or anyone interested in aging successfully :).


I learned a lot from teaching the children's program and watched as the students grew in their confidence, in their ability to concentrate and to regulate their emotions, and in their concern for each other and for the earth. None of this was something we taught them--the program had brought out the natural abilities and qualities they already had inside. At the end when the students shared what they had learned, I was amazed by their wisdom and by the understanding they had of themselves. As a teacher, this was exactly the kind of program I had been looking for and it gave me a lot of hope for the future of education.

In April of this year, we held a BETW in the GTA area and trained 25 teachers and BE instructors. Since then, Brain Education has also been introduced to educators in Ottawa and Calgary and to schools in the Montreal area. There are plans to hold another BETW in the GTA this year.

(On September 30th from 7:40-9 pm the Burlington Dahn Yoga Centre will be hosting a special Introduction to Brain Education Workshop for Teachers. Please visit or call the centre to reserve a spot: 905-681-7215).

So, this is the long answer to why I became interested in the brain. Through this journey, I've learned to trust my own brain and that everyone has the ability to develop their brain's potential and have a positive impact on others. This has given me hope for the future of education, humanity and the earth and is what brought me here to UBE to learn and experience more about the potential of the brain and about the current and future implications of brain education.
I believe that as individuals, families, organizations, and nations look for ways to solve their most serious challenges, effective self-management, organizational-management, and earth-management through using the brain well will be the key to our successful future.

Adventures in Korean Cuisine

As I'm starting to learn, there are a whole variety of foods eaten in Korea. Before this weekend, my culinary adventures were confined to the cafeteria, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, Kyochon Chicken (Korean chicken chain) and a Vietnamese Pho Soup restaurant in Seoul. Thanks to some kind people here at UBE and Kukhakwan, I am getting out to explore some other kinds of food.



The restaurants here usually have a specialty. Yesterday, a group of us had lunch at a restaurant that serves pork legs (jokbal) and cold noodles (nangmyeung, which are usually eaten in summer). You wrap the pork in lettuce leaves and hot sauce. It actually is like summer here--usually at least 30 degrees during the day and around 18 at night. Korea has not escaped the effects of global warming--there is very little spring or fall and the summers and winters are getting longer.

I'm not sure why this picture uploaded on its side but it is a picture of a traditional meal we enjoyed with rice, soup, and many sidedishes. The dishes include smoked fish, noodles, roots and stems from plants, chives, and other vegetables. Many of the sidedishes are seasoned with sesame seeds and soy sauce or with hot peppers or hot pepper paste.

This is a picture of some hot peppers drying in a garden close to UBE.

And a Kimchi update...I do not eat Kimchi every day any more. I was being very adventurous when I first arrived, trying everything. I've since learned that even some Koreans don't eat Kimchi or RICE everyday! I've cut back on the spicy foods a bit and my stomach has thanked me for it.

Shee-won-hah-dah!

This is the exercise or training room at UBE. At the beginning of each week in the morning the staff exercises or trains together. Today, we did Dahnjon tapping (lower abdomen tapping, which stimulates circulation), stretching, and Jung Choong breathing. At the end, we did laughing exercise with the group and with a partner and told our partner one positive thing we noticed about them (for example, "Your smile is beautiful").

What a great way to start the day and week!

아이 시원하다! (Ah-ee-shee-won-hah-dah), which means "Oh, feels so good!"

For information about the benefits of laughing and walking, see this video: http://www.ilchi.com/brain-education/jangsaeng-walking/video%3a-laugh-and-walk/

When All You Have is Hope

Before coming to Korea, I picked up this book at the Toronto Airport called When All You Have is Hope by Frank O'Dea, one of the co-founders of Second Cup.

As a young man, Frank O'Dea was sexually assaulted by several people in positions of authority. By 13, he was addicted to alcohol and by 23, was living on the streets in Toronto. One day, he heard a radio ad about a program that could help alcoholics and he decided to get help.

From that point on, his life changed. He went on to become the co-founder of Second Cup and other successful businesses and founded several non-profit organizations including Street Kids International, War Child (Canada), and the Canadian Landmine Foundation.

Frank O'Dea was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor General for his work inspiring others to overcome addiction, and his contribution to the business and not-for-profit world. He now serves on the boards of private companies, public companies, and not-for profit organizations.

Frank O'Dea's message is about hope, vision, and action. He shares about his journey and his spiritual development along the way. He talks about what he feels is lacking in Canadian leadership and the need for Canada as a nation and its leaders (that means all of us, I believe) to develop vision, core values, and the ability to keep promises.

Here's an interview with Frank O'Dea on the Hour:
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/videos.html?id=734851759

Chuseok

This weekend is Chuseok, a major harvest festival in Korea like Thanksgiving. Many Koreans travel to their hometowns to honour their ancestors in special ceremonies and to share a traditional meal together. These are songpyeon or traditional rice cakes. One of the staff here made some on Friday--they were delicious!

There are very few students or staff here at UBE and Kukakwan and the cafeteria is closed. One of the staff and I went for lunch in Cheonan and I did some shopping for food at E-mart. E-mart, like many stores, was selling special giftsets of food or other products for Chuseok and many of the employees were wearing the traditional Korean hanbok. This lady said, "Kimchi!" when I took her picture.


I got a sense of just how many Koreans travel when, last night, I tried to get back to UBE from Seoul where I take Korean class.

My class usually finishes at 9 pm (last night around 8:45) and I take a city bus to the Express Bus Terminal. The busride to the terminal was the first indication that there was a lot of traffic.The busride normally takes about 20 minutes (and this is in heavy traffic) but last night, it took about an hour.

When I got to the bus terminal, the clerk said there were no more bus tickets to Cheonan. There was a man scalping bus tickets to Cheonan for 10,000 won (normally 4,500 won). I was shocked that he was selling bus tickets at more than double the price. I laughed, shook my head, and like a crazy foreigner started talking in English (mostly to myself since no one else was listening) saying, "I can't believe he's selling tickets at a higher price--that's unfair".

Several options came to mind. I thought about calling someone to see if I could stay in Seoul but by this time, I just wanted to get back to UBE. I also thought about getting to the train station and trying to catch a train but I had never taken the train before and didn't think the chances of getting a train ticket were any better. I also considered staying at the bus station all night and getting a bus in the morning but that didn't seem like the best option.

So, I asked the man who was scalping bus tickets if he had a ticket to Cheonan. He had just sold the one he offered me (for 10:00 pm). About two minutes later, though, he offered me another ticket for the 10:40 pm bus. I paid him the money, still muttering to myself about how unfair and crazy this was.

Wow! What a good opportunity to watch myself. The buses were all running late because of the traffic in and out of Seoul and Cheonan so I had a long time to sit and wait, along with throngs of people, and reflect on myself. I began to be thankful for the man who was selling bus tickets for a higher price. He was my ticket back to Cheonan. I felt all the anger melt away and I started to laugh at the way I had reacted.

I managed to get on the 10:10 bus (if you wait in line and there are extra seats, you can use your ticket on an earlier bus), which left the terminal at 11:20. The busride back to Cheonan took 2 hours and 20 minutes (with no traffic, usually an hour) and after taking a taxi to UBE, I arrived at the dormitory at 2 am. The moon was full, the air was clear, and the mountains were like big shadows. I arrived back at UBE happy and thankful for meeting someone who had given me a ticket to seeing myself. Next time, I'll try negotiating for a better price.

Why I Became Interested in the Brain Part 3: The 3rd International Brain Education Conference and Olympiad

As soon as I started noticing the benefits of practising Dahn Yoga, I began to think of all the different people that this could help. My desire to help other people become healthy, happy and peaceful led me to become a part-time instructor and then, in April of last year, a full-time instructor at the Burlington Dahn Yoga Centre.

Last August, I had the opportunity to be part of the 3rd International Brain Education Conference and HSP Olympiad in Ellenville, New York. The conference, sponsored by the International Brain Education Association, included Brain Education workshops for parents and teachers and lectures by neuroscientists and educators about the effects of Brain Education on the brain and on the health and well-being of individuals and organizations. I learned that these programs had been used in Korea in companies, schools and other organizations, and even the military. In the US, a curriculum had been developed specifically for schools and was being used with much success across the country.

The HSP Olympiad includes friendly events which showcase the potential of the brain. The events test participants' cognitive, motor and sensory systems (the ability to perceive information using subtle body senses rather than the five senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste). Children and adults from Korean, Japan and the US competed together and there were a lot of smiles and laughter.

Marek participating in the HSP Gym Event at this year's Olympiad

HSP Body Sense Perception Event

What really stood out for me wasn't the individual abilities of the competitors, but the kind of environment that was created by the trainers and competitors that allowed for each person's potential to shine. I was also struck by the brain's potential beyond what we normally expect and felt how, with this potential, creative and productive solutions to the problems of humanity and the earth could be found.

The HSP Olympiad is a display of the 4th Step: Brain Integrating, which can be achieved through advanced Brain Education training. I talked about the three layers of the brain before: the neocortex (the "thinking" brain), the limbic system (the "emotional" brain), and the brain stem (responsible for basic life functions). Do you ever feel like your thinking, emotions and body aren't working together? Brain Integrating means getting these three functions of your brain working together. It also means integrating the left (more logical and analytical) and the right (more creative and spontaneous) sides of the brain so you can use them together well. Using our brain in an integrated way allows us to tap into the immense potential of our brains.

continued...

O-ren-ji ju-su?

Learning Korean is a good way for me to watch how my brain works.

I often read signs. Even if I don't know what they mean, it gives me practice reading in Korean.

This morning, I was reading the paper towel roll holder, thinking I would learn a new Korean word.

I read 점보롤(Jom-bo-rol). Like my grade one students used to do, I kept sounding it out syllable by syllable, practising my new Korean word. Then, I saw "Jumbo Roll" in English next to the Korean and realized I wasn't learning a new Korean word at all.

Ironically, the hardest words for me to read are the ones that come from English, I think because: 1. I am not expecting them to be English and 2. because they don't sound exactly like the English version.

For example,

오렌지 즈스 (O-ren-ji ju-suh) is "orange juice".

골프 (Gol-buh) is "golf".

It makes me think about how many times I "see" things around me and don't actually "see" them for what they are because I expect them to be different based on my own experiences.

I'm hoping that, with practice, some day I will look at "점포 롤" and know right away that it is Jumbo Roll. Similarly, with training and practice, I want to be able to go beyond my thoughts and ideas about difference and see and experience the world in a more flexible and open-minded way.

So, I think I'll go drink some (커피) (kaw-bi) and listen to the 라디오 (ra-di-oh).

Annette's Story

Have you read or heard about Annette's story? She is a 19-year old young woman with Rett's Syndrome. Her mom started doing Brain Wave Vibration (shaking different parts of her body), tapping, and other exercises with her and has seen amazing changes in Annette. When I worked with families of children with developmental disabilities and mental health issues, this was the kind of hope I wanted them to have.

Ilchi Lee, the founder of Brain Education, writes about Annette and her mom in the journal section of http://www.ilchi.com/, where you can also see a video of her story:

http://www.ilchi.com/journal/ilchi-blog/real-people/

Why I Became Interested in the Brain Part 2!

Through training at the Dahn Center, I learned some basic information about the brain--the three layers, their functions, and relationship to our body, emotions, and thinking. I also learned and more importantly, experienced, the next two steps of Brain Education: Brain Versatilizing and Brain Refreshing.

Brain Versatilizing is about making your brain more flexible so you can learn and adapt easier. Through our lives we tend to use the same pathways in our brains. We tend to do things that we are good at or enjoy--this is a great function of the brain. It means we don't have to relearn everything over and over again. But, it also means we can become rigid or comfortable. This actually goes against the brain's (and nature's) natural tendency towards growth and development.

In my case, I was holding a lot of tension in my body and mind and I was afraid to try new things especially if it meant I would make mistakes or look silly. As my body and my brain became more flexible, I learned to enjoy challenging myself by learning new things and using different parts of my brain that I wasn't used to using (even if it meant making mistakes and looking silly).

Brain Refreshing is about releasing ways of thinking or emotions that are preventing you from living the kind of life you want to live. For me, no matter what others said about how well I was doing something or how great I was, this didn't matter. I had an underlying fear and lack of confidence in myself. I also was holding a lot of anger, sadness, guilt and other emotions that were holding me back. When I could let those go, I felt like I could really start to let the person who I think others saw in me, come out. Sometimes this is called your true or authentic self or your soul.

To be continued...

Pyung Ryu Do and Cognitive Neuroscience

Janggu: A Traditional Korea drum

Yesterday I started two more classes. One is a practical class called Pyung Ryu Do (we call this Rhythm Yoga at the Dahn Centre). Pyung Ryu Do is one form of Brain Education, where music, rhythm, dancing and drumming are practised. The Pyung Ryu Do instructor played the Jung gu and sang while we did Brain Wave Vibration (moving our bodies freely to the rhythm).

This is a great way of releasing stress, tension in your body, and negative thoughts and emotions and easy to do--just put on some of your favourite rhythmic music, close your eyes, focus inside, let your whole body move freely, and focus on the movement not on your thoughts or emotions. Just let those go. Afterwards, I felt like my brain was refreshed and ready to take on my next class...Cognitive Neuroscience.

Cognitive Neuroscience is taught by Professor Yoon Seon Ah. The lecture was entirely in Korean. I didn't really understand anything other than a few words and the discussion at the beginning about what time we should have class and to have breaks or to end early. Some things are universal :)!

I was thankful to have Kim Boon-Young, a high-school English teacher from Seoul who is also a student, sit beside me and write the key points of the lecture in English in her notebook. I can also order the texts in English here in Korea.

During the lecture, I could feel my heart start to beat fast when the professor said we would have to memorize a lot of terms and definitions. Then, I decided to exhale and just focus on the moment and again, the bigger purpose for taking this class. I want to learn more about the parts and functions of the brain so that I can teach others about their brains and how to use it well.

Mmmmm...Kimchi!

Korean Cabbage Waiting to Become Kimchi!

Cafeteria Staff Preparing Onions and Other Green Vegetables to Add

Kimchi is Korea's best-known food. Along with rice, it is one of the staples of a Korean meal. Kimchi is made with fermented cabbage and other vegetables. I used to find it too spicy, but now I eat it every day. Mmmmm...kimchi!

For more information about kimchi, see: http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Food/food.cfm?Subject=kimchi

Brain Education and Consciousness

A Classroom at UBE

I participated in my first class yesterday. The class is called "Brain Education and Consciousness" and is taught by Dr. Shin Hye Sook. The class was mostly in Korean but Professor Shin summarized what was said in English from time to time.

Consciousness has many different meanings but in this case, it refers to an awareness of one's self in your environment and in the universe as a whole. Brain Education (BE) as an educational program, helps children and adults become more aware of themselves and their influence on those around them and on the earth through experiential exercises and activities.

When we become more aware of the impact our thoughts and emotions have on your own well-being and the well-being of others, than we have a greater ability and are more motivated to change it. When we're disconnected from ourselves and from each other, our natural tendency to live in harmony with our own bodies, with each other, and with the earth is diminished.

I met a young woman on the bus today on the way to Seoul who teaches a class of 30 Sixth Graders at a local elementary school. This is her first year teaching--she is 24 years old. She talked about how she is growing with her students--that as she grows as a teacher, they are growing too.

But, she wants more for them than just learning how to write a test well or how to compete with each other. I told her about how the Busan School District (second largest city in South Korea) has introduced Brain Education programs for their teachers and students with great success. She was excited about how BE could help her students and plans to talk with her principal about the program.

Tomorrow, I'll start the rest of my classes. It is almost 1 a.m. here, which means it is almost 12 p.m. in the Toronto area so while some of you are enjoying your lunch, I will be sleeping. Good night!

I Survived and Thrived? My First Korean Class :)

Before I came to Korea, many of my Korean colleagues especially worried about how I would be able to manage eating Korean food and sleeping on the floor. I would always say, "Don't worry I will survive...and thrive!" I didn't want to just focus on surviving when I got here. I really wanted to use this opportunity to create something and to grow.

So, I survived and thrived? my first Korean class in Seoul. There are four other students--two business men from Japan and two English teachers from the US. Our teacher speaks Korean the whole time but uses actions to help explain what she is saying.

Our first lesson was about the conditional or subjunctive--yikes! I could feel my brain becoming stressed because I didn't know as much as everyone else and couldn't understand what the teacher was asking me. I kept reminding my brain why I was learning Korean, kept trying to relax and smile, and sometimes asked my classmates for help. By the end, I felt like I had accomplished something.

Why is it more difficult to learn a second language later? According to David Sousa who wrote a book called How the Brain Learns (2006), the brain areas involved in learning a language don't respond well to foreign sounds after the preteen years. So, additional areas of the brain have to be programmed to recognize, distinguish, and respond to foreign sounds. Also, the grammar and syntax rules of the native language interfere with learning the second language. Sousa concludes that learning a second language as an adult may require more focus, more effort, and greater motivation. Yes! So, back to studying!

What's Your Dream?

Today I went to the Immigration Office in Cheonan to get my alien registration card. The office runs on Wednesdays out of the Ministry of Labour office. I was thankful to have Kim Young Rim (one of the employees here at UBE) go with me to speak Korean with the clerk. The office was packed--Kim Young Rim told me that many new immigrants from Vietnam, the Phillipines, Singapore, and Malaysia come to Cheonan to find work. Most of the work is physical labour.

On the way back, waiting for the bus, we saw this statue. I think it's part of an outdoor art exhibit.

What's your dream? One of my dreams is for people with brain damage and neurological challenges around the world to be able to live to their full potential. Having some kind of vision, goal, or dream in my life is important to me. It has to be something that is big enough that I will have to overcome obstacles to achieve it and so that it touches and impacts many people.

Whatever your dream is, make a plan to achieve it and keep making changes to your plan as needed. Make your dream and plan known and the universe will help make it happen. Not sure what your dream is?...Ask your brain! The answer is already inside of you!

Why I Became Interested in the Brain

From Teacher to Social Worker to Yoga and Brain Education Instructor...How does someone who dropped out of Grade 12 Physics and avoided Science classes from that point on, become interested in the brain?

As a teacher, I was most interested in teaching children the tools that would help them get along well with themselves and with each other and have confidence in their ability to contribute to the world. This interest in helping children and their families led me to Social Work.

As a social work intern, I did internships at a hospital inpatient psychiatry unit and at a community counselling centre. In both cases, I began to appreciate the importance of the body and the brain in people's well-being and relationships.

As a social worker, my job was to support families of children with complex needs (developmental disabilities and mental health issues). These families felt like they nobody "got" their child and that the recommended treatment of choice, medication, was only allowing them to survive from one day to the next and not making things better.

I remember one day thinking to myself, this is all about the brain. If we can only understand what's going on in these children's brains, we can develop programs for them that help us to understand them better and help them improve and develop confidence in themselves.

I also learned about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and was struck by the impact that brain damage has on our society and the lack of awareness and misinformation about this issue--particularly about the possible effects of drinking while pregnant and about those individuals who may not look like they have a problem because they don't have the typical facial features, but whose actions show they do.

I began to see the effects of brain damage everywhere--in schools, on the street, in psychiatric units, in our justice system, in the news. Again, here was a group of people who were not living to their full potential because of a lack of understanding of what was going on in their brains.

For more information about FASD from Public Health Canada, please see: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fasd-etcaf/faq-eng.php.

In the meantime, after the first year of my Master of Social Work program, I decided it was time for me to do something for my body and brain. I was stressed and had low energy. I was using my thinking brain a lot and my body was paying for it.

When I joined Dahn Yoga, I began to be more aware of my body and how my thoughts and emotions, my habits, were affecting my body. I learned exercises, breathing, meditation, and principles that helped me to heal and strengthen my body and mind. This is Step One of Brain Education: awakening the senses and learning to manage the body's natural stress response.

To be continued...

Annyong haseyo

Annyong haseyo! (How are you?)

Yesterday I signed up for night classes three times a week at the Seoul Korean Language Academy. It's been a challenge to find a Korean Language Institute. There is only one in Cheonan and it is affiliated with a university. The focus is on training high-school graduates so they can apply to the university. There are several institutes in Seoul but some are university courses, others are quite expensive and in a part of Seoul that is far away.


As it is, I will take a bus from UBE to Cheonan (about 35 minutes), another bus that takes just over an hour depending on traffic to Seoul, and two subways to the institute. Because I studied some Korean before, I have some knowledge of the language. The institute doesn't have a night class at my level, so I have to start at the next level and do lots of "self study". So, it seems that climbing the mountain (learning Korean) will not be easy. There are many obstacles to learning Korean!

Rather than focus on the obstacles, including my poor grasp of the language at this point, I'm going to create a goal for myself--in three years I will be able to speak in Korean and make a presentation to a group of people about Brain Education. Without some kind of goal or challenge, my brain would have no reason to awaken.

Then, I'm going to tell my brain why I want to learn Korean. All of my courses at UBE will be in Korean so I want to be able to learn more and to communicate better with my fellow students and professors. I also want to be able to communicate better with my colleagues in Brain Education to help in the work of disseminating it around the world. And finally, I'm going to keep sending positive messages and encouragement to my brain.

So, I better get busy...I can't expect to achieve my goal by thinking about it! I'm going to do some "self-study" now :).

Annyonghi keyshipseyo! (Good-bye, which literally means 'Stay in peace').