Well, I would like to say that I am considering starting Dahn Yoga. There are quite a few things said about this type of yoga, both good and bad, but I didn’t get any negative vibes about this from anyone I have spoken to about this yoga practice. But I have done a little bit of research about this and it looks like there are some pretty classic bouts of cult-like behaviour afoot and it would be wise to keep an open mind at all times, watch from a detached view point and ultimately, keep my head above water. Fortunately, it’s not like they can siphon much money out of me, as Dr. Pichet is going to be getting the majority of it and I will soon after be a student of Naropa University in Boulder. But I have checked out the Rick Ross website (they have a page on Dahn Yoga) and I have done a bit of research on my own about this type of thing.
A bit more searching using the terms “Dahn Yoga” and cult brought on a blog that talked about the hard-sell tactics that are used by Dahn Yoga studio owners here in Denver. He talked about the fact that he was considering purchasing just a 10-visit booklet for his wife at Dahn Yoga and how they took a class on the mind (sounds vaguely familiar, eh?). Then, after the class, the studio owner tried to befriend them and talk to them about how they were part of their friend’s “family” and then started to cut to the chase – to sell them a 1-year membership at about $999 or a lifetime membership at about $4,500. He brings up the following things about Dahn Yoga:
- Dahn Yoga isn’t really teaching yoga (something Erin pointed out after her first visit) but a variant of qigong and tai chi.
- Dahn Yoga is often accused of being a cult.
- Dahn Yoga is being sued by the family of a woman who died while attending a training class for instructors.
- I’m not the first person to gripe about the high-pressure sales tactics. One yoga discussion board has a long thread of users who express their concerns about Dahn Yoga.
Either way, when you really want to come into a situation like this, you basically have a few options – to avoid the place altogether, to go for a few times and seriously evaluate it, to talk to a therapist and schedule a few appointments during your practice about this, among other things. If you really want to give something a chance (and to be frankly honest, I am still debating about whether or not I should do this) it’s always best to keep your head about you and your wits as well.
Finally, I found the pamphlet for Dahn Yoga at Shangrila Tibet, a store located here in Denver. I am of the opinion that the person who runs that store knows these people and would be willing to talk with me about them. If not, Bikram yoga would be where I am going to start yoga.
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I can see why you’d be worried. I saw some pretty negative things out there too. Had I let them get the better of me, I would have avoided it altogether.
I went into the center in Scottsdale, AZ about a year ago and signed up for a month, and at first, a lot of the stuff they said sounded a little corny. However, I kept coming to class because 1) it helped my digestion (the main reason I came in the first place), 2) it helped a lot with my stress at work and 3) I always felt better after class. I started to look forward to going.
The main thing you have to listen to is, how does the experience make you feel? If you try something for a while and it’s not working for you, why would you go back?
Humm, well, I think I will just stick with Bikram yoga, I am going to start on Thursday!
I think sticking with Bikram sounds like a great idea. I know several people who had very strange and negative experiences with Dahn yoga – with so many other options out there, it seems like it would be best to avoid it. I wouldn’t want to be part of such a manipulative organization.
Just warning you about these dahn yoga people…i first went to the center not knowing anything about them… after she talked to me for 5 mins, she pressured me to make appointment and pay 15 upfront for assessment fee…..i said no…and i told her no..i will make the appointment but will not pay upfront. i left……..then 2nd day i went for assessment, i paid her 15…after that she told me her rates….then she told me i HAVE TO PAY 65 enrollment fee……..by the way that was a “surprise” fee… then i was pressured into getting a 3 month upfront fee…thank god i paid them postdated checks… when i came back home…i went on the website to find out that 1 month fee was $150, and she told me $180. THEN my mom told me about the lawsuit, after she saw my contract laying on the desk. even before i found out anything, I had such uneasy feelings from the first day. and i got such bad vibes from the so called “master”. THANK GOD I AM GIFTED THAT WAY. BUT I IGNORED MY FEELINGS THAT TIME. AND I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON. I called her today to cancel my contract, and in the morning going to the back to stop the checks…also BE CAREFUL OF HOW THEY WANT THE CONTRACT TO BE CANCELED IN 3 DAYS, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAIL IN THE REQUEST BY MAIL. THESE PEOPLE ARE CROOKS. THEY WANT YOUR MONEY, AND THEY WANT YOU “HOOKED IN HAPPY LIFE” WITH YOU PAYING FOR IT.
I was involved with Dahn Yoga in West Bloomfield, Michigan for a few months. At first, things were lowkey and I did enjoy the classes. Some of the stuff we did seemed silly and not at all like yoga, but I left feeling calmer. It felt like part of the purpose was to build a family like support group. After about 2 months, there was pressure to schedule and pay for another evaluation. So I did, and many blockages were supposedly discovered. They wanted $200 for one healing session. I put them off, then noticed that the young man who had led our sessions wasn’t there anymore. No one would tell us why.
I do think that this is at the very least a psychogically coercive group who takes advantage of the stress and anxiety many of us feel. I left Dahn, but it is still going in my area. I take real yoga now – Ashtanga and Vinyasa. I think Dahn is called yoga as part of marketing – there was no yoga that I recognized.
Stay away from Dahn. 26 former masters/employees just filed a lawsuit that reads like a script of a horror movie; Ilchi Lee raping and sexually molesting women, labor exploitation, brain washing, mind control, enrichment of Ilchi Lee, and illegal immigration.
I currently have a loved one in this cult and I have had to resort to seeing the help of a professional therapist who specializes in cults. Think about that for a second, people get so “into” this organization that a professional therapist is needed to get out.
STAY AWAY!!!