Brain Wave Vibration Helps Spinal Cord Damage and Creates Hope

Brain Wave Vibration is creating a lot of hope for individuals with disabilities and limited mobility.

Click below to watch a video about Charles, a man who has experienced many health issues, including paraplegia. His dream is to become a Yoga Master to help others with spinal cord damage recover their health and hope through a greater awareness and use of the brain's potential.

http://www.brainwavevibration.com/successStories/successStory_view.aspx?idx=191

Brain Education Day Proclaimed in Busan, Korea

On February 15th, 2009, Brain Education Day was proclaimed in Busan, South Korea.

Busan is a port city in South-Eastern Korea and the second largest city in Korea.

For the past year, the Busan Department of Education has been piloting Brain Education programs into its schools with great success. Researchers from UBE and the Korea Institute of Brain Science (KIBS) will begin research on the effects of the program this year.

Read about the proclamation here:
http://www.brainwavevibration.com/news/192/Busan/Brain-Education-Day-Proclaimed-in-City-of-Busan-South-Korea/

Announcing the Brain Art Festival, Radio City Music Hall, NYC

On August 15th, 2009, the International Brain Education Association and Korea Institute of Brain Science will host the Brain Art Festival at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Presented by Ilchi Lee, the founder of Brain Education, the festival will be a celebration of the brain through music, movement, dance, drumming and art. Through these various art forms and interactive lectures, you can experience healing rhythms, inspirational performances and messages, and the joy that comes from knowing the true value of your brain.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here:

http://www.brainartfestival.com/

Or, if you have a Brain Wave Vibration story you'd like to share, click here to share your story and enter a draw to win a ticket to the festival:

http://http://www.brainwavevibration.com/news/184/Brain-Art-Festival/Submit-Your-Success-Story-and-Have-a-Chance-to-Win-a-Ticket-to-the-Brain-Art-Festival/

Burlington Dahn Yoga Receives Platinum Reader's Choice Award

Congratulations to the Burlington Dahn Yoga Center for receiving the Burlington Post's Platinum Reader's Choice award in the category of Best Yoga Center.

The center has been in Burlington since 2002 and at its new location since 2007.

As of this January, the Center Manager is none other than my wonderful husband, Marek Kazmierczak. Marek combines his knowledge of physical exercise and strengthening with his training as a Dahn Mu Do instructor and Dahn Yoga instructor to help people strengthen their bodies and minds.

Congratulations Marek, the instructors, and members! By growing yourselves, you are contributing to the health, happiness and peace in Burlington!

Use It and Get More of It

You may have heard the phrase, "Use it or lose it", referring to our brain's need for ongoing challenge and stimulation in order to maintain its health and functioning.

Dr. Elkohon Goldberg, one of the featured speakers at a recent seminar co-hosted by the International Brain Education Association (IBREA), says that the reality of how our brains work is better reflected by the phrase "Use it and get more of it".

In an interview with Sharpbrains co-founder Dr. Alvaro Fernandez, Dr. Goldberg also emphasizes the need for everyone to have a basic understanding of the brain and of how to cultivate it and the importance of mental exercise for healthy cognitive aging.

You can read more here:
http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/12/08/dr-elkhonon-goldberg-on-brain-fitness-programs-and-cognitive-training/

Dr. Goldberg is clinical professor of neurology at the New York University School of Medicine. His recent book, The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger as Your Brain Grows Older is about cognitive aging and how to prevent decline.

The Brain That Changes Itself

In his book, The Brain that Changes Itself, Toronto psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Norman Doidge presents the concept of neuroplasticity, or the ability of the brain to change and rewire itself, through research that includes meetings with the top researchers in the field and the people whose personal stories prompted this research.

For example, one woman who herself had learning problems used self-created brain exercises to stimulate the weak areas of her brain and went on to establish a program and school for children and adults with learning diffficulties based on this method. Reading the book gave me hope not only for those with brain damage, but for all of us, as it highlights the brain's ability to adapt and change.

Dr. Norman Doidge was one of the featured speakers at a recent seminar titled "The Role of Brain Education in Global Mental Health" held at the United Nations. The seminar was hosted by Ilchi Lee, the founder of Brain Education, and co-sponsored by the International Brain Education Association (IBREA), Korea of Brain Science (KIBS), the NGO (Non-governmental organization) Committee on Mental Health, and the NGO Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations.

You can watch the CBC documentary, The Brain That Changes Itself, based on Dr. Doidge's best-selling book here on David Suzuki's The Nature of Things:

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2008/brainchangesitself/index.html

Happy Lunar New Year

Last weekend I was invited to celebrate Lunar New Year (Sol Nal) with Pak Jin Kyu's older brother's family in Yongin (near Seoul). The train station was busy with people travelling to their hometowns for the holiday. Unlike Chuseok (like Thanksgiving) and thanks to Pak Jin Kyu, I had a reserved seat on the train so I didn't have to bargain for a seat.


After arriving at the family's home, we enjoyed a delicious meal of Kalbi (Marinated Beef Ribs), Salad, Chapchae (Glass Noodles with Vegetables), and other dishes. Then we played Yut Nori, a game that families traditionally play with each other at New Year's. We then made Mandu (dumplings) together.



The next morning, we wore Han Bok (traditional Korean clothing) and I watched the family participate in char'ye--a ceremony in which they commemorate their ancestors. Food was prepared for the ancestors and the family did bows in their honour. (You can see the altar in the picture below. The food is placed in a special order and cut so that it is easier for the ancestors to eat it.)

After that the children in the family did "Saebae" bowing to the adults and the adults gave them wishes for the year and envelopes with money.




Then, we enjoyed Mandu Dukgeuk (Dumpling Ricecake Soup) and many other delicious dishes.

Sol Nal (the first day of the Lunar Calendar year) is a special family holiday in Korea so I was thankful to have the opportunity to meet and celebrate with this family.

Sae Hae Bok Mani Padusayo! (Many New Year's Blessings to You!)