There are a total of 9 practice levels in Sun Do. The first 3 levels focus on cultivating the physical aspects. The second 3 levels are focused on developing the mental and spiritual aspects for the most advanced practitioners. The third 3 levels are for the highest and most advanced practitioners in body, mind and spirit.
There are different sets of sequential postures and different breathing patterns for each level designed to develop body and mind to the ultimate potential.
In each stage, there are different sets of sequential postures and different breathing patterns designed to develop body and mind to the ultimate potential. Practitioners wear different colors of belt depend on the level of practice.
The First 3 Practice Stages (정각도, 正覺道) (육체적肉體的 수련修煉) are:
1. Joong Ki Dan Bup (중기단법, 中氣丹法): 50 sequential postures with a basic breathing pattern for the Ki circulation in 12 Ki channels; students practice to focus and balance body and mind; blue uniform with white belt
2. Kun Kon Dan Bup (건곤단법, 乾坤丹法): 23 sequential postures with an intermediate breathing pattern for the Ki circulation in 14 Ki channels including the 2 major Ki channel running from Danjeon to head through the spine and head to Danjeon through the front of body; students practice the connection of the Ki of Heaven and the Ki of the Earth; blue uniform with yellow belt
3. Won Ki Dan Bup (원기단법, 元氣丹法): 360 sequential postures with an advanced breathing pattern for the Ki circulation in the all of the 365 Ki channels throughout the body; students work on the primordial life energy; blue uniform with red belt (phase I) and blue belt (phase II)
The first 3 levels are the practices usually able to observe in the average Sun Do practice studio. Practitioners beyond these 3 levels are very rare and it takes devoted life long practice to achieve these levels.
The Second 3 Practice Stages (통기법, 通氣法) (정신적精神的 수련修煉) are:
4. Jin Ki Dan Bup (진기단법,眞氣丹法): 5 sequential postures; practice for the unity of the practitioner’s own Ki (micro-cosmic Ki) and universal Ki (macro-cosmic Ki); begin to breathe through skin; the 2 major Ki channels located in the front and back are naturally opened (임독유통,任督流通) ; students work on pure transformational Ki energy; white uniform with black belt
5. Sam Hap Dan Bup (삼합단법, 三合丹法): freestyle postures; Ki breathing through skin (기공호흡, 氣孔呼吸); white uniform with white belt
6. Jo Ri Dan Bup (조리단법, 造理丹法): freestyle postures; Ki breathing through skin and circulating Ki throughout the body (전신경락유통, 全身經絡流通); white uniform with white belt
The Third 3 Practice Stages (선도법, 仙道法) (합일적수련, 合一的修煉) are as follows and they are for the practitioner who has achieved the unity of his own Ki and universal Ki: white uniform with white belt
7. Sam Chung Dan Bup (삼청단법, 三淸丹法)
8. Moo Jin Dan Bup (무진단법, 無盡丹法)
9. Jin Gong Dan Bup (진공단법, 眞空丹法)
Human being can be viewed as a micro-cosmos compared to the macro-cosmos of the universe. Through Sun Do practice, the practitioner gradually gathers and circulates the Ki and a fetus of Do (Tao) gradually forms at the Danjeon. Finally, the unity of heaven and earth, the unity of macro-cosmos and micro-cosmos is realized through Sun Do practice.
