Saying Goodbye to my Brain Education Journey in South Korea

It is now over a year after I graduated from UBE with a PhD in Brain Education (February 2013). I thought it would be a good time to finish this blog now. :)

The picture above is of me and my good friend in South Korea. She and her daughter helped me pack up my stuff, settle things with my landlord, and sent me off on the bus to the airport. I'm having my "last supper" (or lunch :) in Korea at Lotteria (like Korean McDonald's, but not like McDonald's).

It has been quite the experience to be back "home", where I can really say I feel like a foreigner again. It's so funny to me that after about five years of being in Korea, I found a way to fit in (even if I stood out) and then when I came back home, I really felt like I was a foreigner all over again. My brain, including my ways of thinking and seeing and responding to the world, literally changed.

For me, this is a reflection of what I learned from my journey with Brain Education. For those who may not know, Brain Education is an experiential education approach designed to foster the development and effective management of the brain's unlimited potential and ability to create health, happiness, and peace for individuals and collectively. Brain Education is also a field of study focused on researching and developing theory and methods for the wholistic development of brain potential that integrate theory and practice from fields such as brain science, neuroscience, physiology, kinesiology, and nutritional science.

At the individual level, for me, my journey with Brain Education was really about becoming more conscious of the value and power of my brain--to notice how I thought, felt, sensed, and responded to the world based on the biology of my brain and on my experiences and programming, and then to choose what I wanted to do with that. My experience in South Korea was a good example of this. So many things here challenged me and were so different than what I would have experienced in my environment at home, that I really got to notice and meet different parts of myself and my brain. It was definitely a life-changing experience and a gift.

I learned a lot about myself through my journey with Brain Education and the impact of my experiences in Korea contributed to changes that were already occurring in me. Because of those changes, I've decided to not continue with my plans for Brain Education and to take time for myself and for my husband right now.

I am very grateful to all I met on my Brain Education journey--the members and staff of the former Dahn Yoga Centers in Canada; Ilchi Lee, the President of IBREA and UBE; the staff at IBREA, BRC, BE, Dahn Yoga, Sun Tao, and other affiliates in the U.S. and Korea; the staff and students at UBE; and all of the people in Korea I met--those who were kind to me and those who challenged me. Through my connecting with all of you, I learned something about myself and I am thankful for that.

Graduation 2013

On February 23, 2013 I graduated with a Ph.D. in Brain Education from UBE.

Here's a link to an article for an interview I did about my experience doing a Ph.D at UBE (it's in Korean).

http://m.ikoreanspirit.com/articleView.html?idxno=37412

Here's me receiving the President's award:

Thank you to the friends and supporters who were there in person and in spirit. Some of you are in these pictures.

Public Presentation at the 11th Brain Education Conference

On January 13, 2013, I completed the final requirement for my PhD--a public presentation of my thesis. The topic was: An investigation of the factors contributing to life satisfaction and prosocial behavior and the presentation was in Korean. I had help from one of my dear friends and English students, Scarlett, who helped me translate and practice the presentation. I appreciate her, and all those who supported me while I was giving the presentation by giving me their attention and doing their best to follow what I was saying. This was the final requirement for my PhD requirement. The next day I left my one-room apartment and took the bus from Cheonan to the airport for the last time, and headed back to Canada.

Below are some of the presenters (from left to right): Kim Sunha, another PhD presenter; Professor Shim Junyoung; Professor Yoo Seongmo, my thesis supervisor; me; and Professor Seo Hochan.

Thesis Proposal

Step 1 of Project Thesis Completion done!

Today, I completed the first step towards my goal of completing my thesis by the end of this year: my thesis proposal.

Although my written proposal was in English, my presentation was in Korean. This picture isn't a very good one but it's the only one where you can actually see my face. I spent most of the presentation with my head down, reading the Korean, and trying to finish in 15 minutes. :)

Next step: Data collection

Brain Education Cultural Center in Cheonan

At the beginning of October 2011, the Brain Education Cultural Center opened here in Cheonan. Like many other cultural centers here in Korea, it is meant to provide members of the community with opportunities to take workshops and general interest courses at a fairly reasonable cost. Most department stores and big discount supermarket chains like E-mart have cultural centers while others are located in the community.

What makes this center unique is that in addition to some of the courses normally offered like Sports Dancing or language classes, there are also courses specifically geared towards Brain Education, like mediation, parent coaching, or Brain Education English classes.

At the end of December, we celebrated the end of the first Children's and Adults's BE classes in English. Congratulations!

Brain Education English at UBE: Graduation

Congratulations to the graduates of Brain Education English Intermediate: Part Two--Denny, Kay and Chloe (English names). I learned a lot from this small, but mighty, group. I am thankful that they had the courage to take a class with a foreigner and to learn about Brain Education in English. Thank you and all the best with your continued studies!

The BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center and the BR Brain Oriental Medical Clinic

On Saturday, I visited the BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center and BR Oriental Medical Clinic in Apgujeong, Seoul.

The BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center provide services for children and adults. Services available to help enhance attention include assessment, neurofeedback, computerized training programs, Brain Education, and play therapy.

Other children's programs include HSP (Heightened Sensory Perception) training, Emotional Stabilization for Academic Achievement, and Global Leadership (offered in English).

Recently, a group of 22 youth from the Global Leadership program attended the annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations.

Adult services offered include assessment, healing, breathing and meditation, and brain relaxation, balancing, emotional releasing, and integration.

The BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center are currently developing offline and online continuing education courses for certified Brain Trainers.

BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center website (in Korean)



The BR Brain Oriental Medical Clinic offers acupressure and oriental medicine services focused on improving brain function and, as a result, physical, emotional and cognitive health.

BR Brain Oriental Medical Clinic website(in korean)

The BR Attention Clinic and Brain Training Center and the BR Oriental Medical Clinic partner with (KIBS) the Korea Institute of Brain Science, IBREA (the International Brain Education Association), UBE (the University of Brain Education), and GCU (the Global Cyber University) to increase research, awareness, and application of information and tools for enhancing individual and collective brain health and overall well-being.

English Meeting in the Mountains

Last weekend, some of the students from our Brain Education English group at UBE spent the weekend in the mountains.

We met in the town of Mungyeong and from there went to the Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park and hiked to a cabin in the mountains. That night, we enjoyed good food, music, and conversation with our host, the owner of the cabin (first picture).




The next morning we walked to the nearby falls.




After lunch, we walked to the First Gate and then Second Gates (built after the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 and 1598), of a mountain pass that had once been the main route for scholars travelling from Busan to Seoul for the public officials exam during the early Joseon Dynasty (in the 1400s). Along the way, we saw rest stops that were used by the officials and one of the filming sites used by the Korean Broadcasting System for historical dramas. We also visited the Mungyeong Saejae museum.


On Saturday night, we visited the home of a well-known potter who makes traditional tea bowls. Each bowl is unique, has a name, and a story. We each chose a bowl, heard the name and story of the bowl and then watched the tea-making ceremony and drank the fresh ground tea, which was similar to green tea. That evening we slept at the sauna at the Mungyeong Hot Springs and in the morning bathed in the hot spring water.

The next morning we had our English meeting about one of the tools used in Brain Education, called PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Action)--a tool that is helpful for planning, evaluating and achieving goals.

For more information about PDCA, click here. Click on the PDCA tag, for a series of articles about PDCA and ideas for applying it to your life.

Many thanks go to fellow students--Hee Jeong Kim and his friend for organizing our accomodations and our weekend activities and the other Hee Jeong Kim and her lovely daughter Kum Kang for participating.

The Prayer of Peace

Yesterday, I was part of a group of people from around the world who read the "Prayer of Peace" to commemorate the first day of 2011.

The Prayer was originally presented by Ilchi Lee, the founder of Brain Education, at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations on August 28th, 2000.

It suggests that we recognize the Earth as our common home and express the "true nature" that exists inside all of us (regardless of our religion, race, or country of origin) to create peace.

I climbed the mountain behind our university in the morning and read the prayer there. The old fort at the top of the mountain has been opened for visitors, so I had a great view of our university, Cheonan city, and the surrounding countryside.






Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2011 for all!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Prayer of Peace

I offer this prayer of peace
Not to the Christian God
Nor to the Buddhist God
Nor to the Islamic God
Nor to the Jewish God
But to the God of all humanity

For the peace that we wish for
Is Not a Christian peace
Nor a Buddhist peace
Nor an Islamic peace
Nor a Jewish peace
But a human peace
For all of us.

I offer this prayer of peace
To the God that lives within all of us
That fills us with happiness and joy
To make us whole
And help us understand life
As an expression of love for all human beings

For no religion can be better
Than any other religion
For no truth can be truer
Than any other truth
For no nation can be bigger
Than the earth itself.

Help us all go beyond
Our small limits
And realize that we are one
That we are all from the earth.
That we are all earth people
before we are Indians, Koreans, or Americans

God made the earth
We humans have to make it prosper
By realizing that we are of the earth
And not of any nation, race, or religion.
By knowing that we are truly one
In our spiritual heritage.

Let us now apologize
to all humanity
For the hurt that religions have caused
So that we can heal the hurt
Let us now promise to one another
To go beyond egotism and competition
To come together as one in God.

I offer this prayer of peace
To you the almighty
To help us find you within all of us
So that we may stand proudly one day before you
As one humanity.
I offer this prayer of peace
With all my fellow earth people
For a lasting peace on earth.

Brain Education English at UBE

I started English classes and activities for staff here at UBE and Kookhakwon. There are three levels: Basic English and Intermediate and Advanced Brain Education English, as well as English Noraebang and English "Cafe" nights.

My hope is that people will have a chance to learn and practice English and Brain Education in English in a way that helps them build confidence in speaking English and in sharing Brain Education with others.

Here's a link to an article about the classes published in the Kookhak News, an online publication.

Article about Brain Education English in Kookhak News

Update on the University of Brain Education

This is the new website homepage (not so new now) for the University of Brain Education (UBE). Now that I've been at the university for over two and a half years, I have a better sense of the kinds of programs that are offered here so thought I would share.

The university has three departments: Brain Education, Peaceology, and Kukhak.

Many of the students enrolled in the Brain Education program are teachers, parents, and professionals working in the field of education or health, who are interested in Brain Education as an approach to supporting the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of children and adults. Courses offered include those such as Cognitive Neuroscience, Child Development, Psychology, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Brain Education Philosophy and Practice, Brain Education and Creativity, Counselling, and the Brain and Physical Health.

Recently, the department has been focusing on researching the "Happy School Program", a school-wide program based on the Brain Education approach that has been implemented in schools throughout Korea.

UBE also offers online courses, which allow students from our university to obtain credits but also provide continuing education credits for those who are teachers. I took one of the courses last semester about preventative lifestyle changes, exercises, and healing (based on a Korean approach to healing called Hwalgong) for different health problems often experienced by students and teachers. It was full of useful information and practical tools that I could easily apply.

The Brain Trainer program is also run by the University of Brain Education. It is a National Certification program which certifies people to become "Brain Trainers". Anyone who has obtained an undergraduate degree can work towards this certification by taking a written and practical test. An online course is also available. Those who pass the certification must show knowledge and skills about the brain and methods for brain health assessment, training, and ongoing evaluation. Training is also available to organizations. Recently, for example, a certified Brain Trainer provided training for a group of women from a Women's Career Center in Seoul.

The Department of Brain Education recently started offering a program for parents called "Parent Coaching". The program offers tips for parenting using the Brain Education approach and related knowledge from the fields of applied neuroscience, psychology, education, and nutrition.

Peaceology is the academic study and research of an approach to peace called Peaceology. Peaceology includes a concrete plan for action and vision that is based on a philosophy that espouses the betterment of all humanity. In Korean, this is called the "Hongik" philosophy, which served as the philosophy of the Han people (see below in the Kukhak section) and interestingly is also the motto of the modern Korean education system. The action plan for peace contained in Peaceology includes Brain Education as an approach to helping individuals become healthier, happier, and more peaceful. Many of the students enrolled in this program are from NGOs involved in Peace Studies. The courses offered also include those related to the issue of reunification of the Korean peninsula.

The purpose of the department of Kukhak is to study and revive the philosophy and practices of traditional Sundo, a philosophy which originated with the Han people (different from the "Han" Chinese), who lived in parts of North-east Asia thousands of years ago and who encouraged its citizens to develop themselves and contribute to the betterment of others. Many of the students enrolled in this department are involved in work to promote the recovery of this ancient history, culture and philosophy. The Kukhak Department often sponsors conferences and seminars.

There is lots more to share about the university. I'll keep working on my Korean so I can understand and share more. Stay tuned... :)

The 6th International Brain HSP Olympiad

This year I had the opportunity to see the event that introduced me to Brain Education--the Brain HSP Olympiad--in Korea. It was held at the Korea University in Seoul.

There were seminars and lectures given by educators and scientists, as well as the Olympiad events.

This is Professor Oh Mi Kyung from our university.



Here are the happy winners along with special presenters:

BR English News

BR English is an organization here in South Korea that offers programs for students to learn English and includes techniques used in the brain-based approach of Brain Education.

This recent newsletter includes an interview with a teacher who recently joined the BR English team and an article about BR English students' experiences at a camp in the US and here at Kookhakwon (The Institute for Traditional Korean Studies) in Korea.

The "Dog Days" of Summer and Your Intestinal Health

In Korea, "Bok nal” refers to the three hottest days of summer, based on the lunar calendar.

The first day is called “cho bok”, the second one “jung bok”, and the last one “mal bok”. On these days, Koreans prepare special food said to strengthen the body during hot weather. Although at one time, Koreans may have eaten a kind of dog stew, nowadays, people tend to eat "Samgyetang" (pictured above), a soup with chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, Chinese dates, and chestnuts.

When I was little, my mom always said it was better to drink hot liquids, especially when the weather was hot. At the time, this didn't make sense to me because everyone else seemed to be having ice-cream and drinks with ice cubes.

I've since learned how my mom's advice resonates with an important principle traditionally practiced by East Asian cultures to maintain proper energy circulation and health in the body. This concept, "Water-up, Fire-down" is also an important principle used in Brain Education and refers to the importance of keeping a "cool head" and a "warm belly".

According to this concept, drinking cold liquids and eating cold food contributes to a "cold abdomen" and "stiff intestines". As a result, food and toxins get stuck in the digestive tract, which leads to digestive and elimination problems. Fortunately, through diet and exercise, we can better manage our intestinal health.

Two simple exercises that are taught in Brain Education which help are lower abdomen tapping and intestinal exercises (I've included the directions below). You can read about them here. And if it's not something you are used to, why not try eating warm food or drinking a hot drink and notice what happens in your body!

Intestine Exercise softens intestines and helps remedy constipation and other digestive problems. You can perform the exercise in a variety of positions—sitting, lying down, or standing--any time and any place. It’s best to practice them every day. Combine Intestine Exercise with Abdominal Breathing for maximum benefit. If you experience pain in the intestines during this exercise, stop and gently rub the abdomen in a clockwise motion, massaging the intestines with your palms, until the pain subsides.

To do Intestine Exercise:
1.Place your hands on your abdomen with your thumbs pointing toward the navel and your two index fingers touching together to form a triangle.
2.Push the abdomen out until you feel pressure.
3.Slowly and deeply pull the abdomen back in an effort to touch the spine.
4.Repeat this movement 100 times in a rhythmic pattern. As you become stronger and more comfortable, you can gradually increase the number of repetitions to 300.

To do Lower Abdomen Tapping:
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Relax your shoulders, neck, and arms.
3. Bend your knees slightly.
4. Place your hands on your lower abdomen below your belly button and begin tapping the abdomen.

The 6th Annual Brain Education Conference in Korea

Today the Institute of Brain Education held the 6th Annual Brain Education Conference in Seoul.

In total, 5 professors and doctoral graduates presented.

Professor Yoon Seoh Ah presented on 'Establishing Goals for a Happy Classroom'.

Professor Shim Jun Young presented about Exercise as a "Spark" for improving brain health.

Kim Myeong Seop presented on Brain Education Teaching Methods for Enhancing Self-Esteem: focused on youth with a hearing impairment. She described a Brain Education program that had been developed and carried out specifically for young people with hearing challenges.

Lee Mi Hwa presented on Brain Education for Enhancing Teachers' Communication Skills.

Professor Oh Mi Kyung presented her research about "The Effects of the Happy School Program Using Brain Education Meditation for Children on Brain Operating System Quotient(BQ)". The BQ is a scale which measures children's physical, emotional and cognitive brain health.

259 elementary school students participated in the Brain Education meditation Happy School Program over the course of 10 weeks. Pre-test post-test comparisions with a control group who did not participate in the Happy School program showed that the students who participated in the Happy School program had greater concentration, metacognition, emotional control ability, and physical control ability.

Some of the presenters and participants:

Brain Education in Northern B.C.

Before returning to Korea, I visited HSP Ranch near Vanderhoof, B.C. (Dahn Canada's Retreat Center). From HSP Ranch, we drove west to a small town called Old Hazelton. Old Hazelton is home to the Sun Tao Center, where Brain Education programs are offered. Brenda is the Center Manager and instructor there.

At the center, we presented to about 16 educators, health professionals, and community leaders about Brain Education and the activities of the International Brain Education Association in New York and around the world.

The next day we continued driving West and visited one of the women who had attended the workshop at her home in Prince Rupert. The drive and the people we met were beautiful.



We met and heard of many people who already work in the healing professions who are looking for ways to provide people with a purpose, hope, and solutions. People were excited particularly about the way Brain Education programs focus on physical health and the body-brain connection as the basis for emotional, cognitive, and spiritual health and for re-establishing people's connection to the Earth.

Brain Education training will be provided to school, health, and community leaders so that they may provide those in their community with practical tools for health and well-being and to help people re-establish their connection to themselves, to each other, and to the Earth.

The 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad

The past month has been busy with preparations for the 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad held at the United Nations and the Brain Art Festival held at Radio City Music Hall.

Here are some pictures from the 5th International Brain HSP Olympiad. 80 participants (children and adults) from the U.S. and Korea competed in three events which demonstrate the potential of the brain, testing sensory-motor functions, visual-spatial memory, and higher cognitive functions.







Speakers included Prof. Murali Doraiswamy, Director of the Mental Fitness Lab at the Duke University Medical Center and co-author of the Alzheimer's Action Plan and Ilchi Lee, President of the Korea Insitute of Brain Science, an NGO in consultative status with the UN's ECOSOC.





Observers included parents, educators, and representatives from the New York City Principals' Association, Non-governmental organizations, UN Agencies, and Permanent Missions to the United Nations.