Kouk Sun Do - The Art of Breathing

Danjeon (丹田, Tantien in Chinese, Tanden in Japanese) is located at the lower abdomen, 2-3 inches below navel and in the middle of the body.

 

It is the source of the life energy of the human body and the starting point of all meridians in human body. It is not actually a physical organ, but an elixir field. It is somewhat similar to the idea of manipura, the seat of prana in the yoga tradition. Sun Do exercise is mainly focused on development of this energy center through its breathing methods and exercises.

 

For the ordinary person it is not easy to understand Danjeon, but we naturally focus on the Danjeon while holding the breath when we need extra physical strength. Also, babies’ breathing is natural Danjeon Breathing. Their lower bellies rise up and down as they breathe. Expansion and contraction of the lower abdomen is typical of natural Danjeon Breathing. Danjeon Breathing is the way of bringing us the peace and fresh life energy of young children again.

 

There are three (3) Danjeons. The energy center located at lower abdomen is called the Lower Danjeon, the energy center located at the brain is the Upper Danjeon, and the energy center located at heart is called the Middle Danjeon.

 

The energy in the 3 Danjeons can be transmitted between each other, but the Lower Danjeon is the only place where the life force is formed through Danjeon breathing.

 

 

1.         Sun Do can be practiced by anyone regardless of one’s religion, ideology or age as long as one has the sincere desire to learn

 

2.         Sun Do is a systematic and integrated disciplinary method which contains all the factors used to cultivate mind, body and spirit used by other existing body-mind cultivation practices, such as yoga, taichi, martial arts, and meditation techniques.

 

3.         Sun Do is a body and mind cultivating system consisting from beginning level to the highest level with full instructions and descriptions of its effects and benefits.

 

4.         Sun Do is not a method invented or advocated by a single individual’s experience and/or ideas. Rather, it is a discipline particular to Korea that has descended from ancient times, developed and organized over a long period of time through lifelong devotion, developed by trial and error with a result-proven process. Thus, it is a rational, safe and traditional method.

 

5.         Sun Do is a practical discipline. Anyone can earn the benefits of this practice with step by step training in accordance with his physical and spiritual conditions.

 

6.         Sun Do practice increases overall health, revitalizes the life force, prevents disease and helps live a long healthy life. It enables the practitioner to live in harmony with the universal law and overcome self-desires.

 

7.         Sun Do is an authentic method for achieving human perfection that can develop the infinite potential of the practitioner and allow the practitioner to achieve the utmost value of true existence.

 

 

The Danjeon Breathing helps developing stronger life energy and activating the natural healing power of our body. Danjeon breathing induces a deep meditative mental state throughout the practice session and enables the practitioners to deepen him/her self spiritually.

 

As the practice frees the blocked energy channels and accumulates life energy, Ki, the practitioners would experience enhanced physical health. As the life energy in Danjeon becomes more solid, the practitioner’s mind becomes more balanced and grounded.

 

Since this practice allows the practitioner to take more oxygen into the body, the body’s metabolism is enhanced. The practice enhances blood circulation which in turn helps to recover from physical fatigue and mental stress.

 

Sun Do practice is also known to be helpful in overcoming obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. The digestive function is enhanced because the intestines are stimulated with the deep lower abdominal breathing. As the function of digestion and excretion are enhanced, the complexion becomes clearer and healthier.

 

After several months of practice, practitioners usually begin to feel heat being generated at the Danjeon and can experience vibration of body due to the activated Ki flow depending on the individual’s progress.

 

The following are the most frequent reports from beginning practitioners:

 

• Better and deeper sleep

• Overcoming fatigue

• Enhanced vitality in everyday life

• Focused and clear mind

• Increased physical flexibility

• Relief from emotional stress

• Enhanced digestion and easy and normal daily excretion

• Warming of hands and feet

• Easy recovery from or resistance to cold & flu

• Enhanced strength of the overall immune system

• Increase of body’s natural healing power

• Easy to handle daily stress

 

Since a lot of physical and mental changes occur as the practice progresses, practitioners are recommended to consult with his/her instructor or master whenever he/she experiences any changes.

 

Internal Practice

 

In most Sun Do studios, the practice sessions are usually composed of three parts:

 

1. Warm-Up Exercises (20 Min)

 

The Warm-Up Exercise is for the relaxation and focusing of body and mind to prepare for the main breathing practice. This preparatory warming-up exercise consists of a series of stretching exercises to relieve stiffness, to enhance the balance our body structure and to stimulate the flow of Ki (life energy) and circulation of blood. Also, the practitioners are required to clear and focus their mind in this stage.

 

2. Main Danjeon Breathing Practice (40 Min)

 

The main Danjeon Breathing practice session is performed with a specific sequence of postures at each level to accumulate Ki and bring universal life energy into our bodies.

 

During this session, the accumulation of Ki at the Danjeon and circulation of Ki throughout body is enhanced. The students will be able to circulate the accumulated Ki through the meridians. Students are instructed in detail how to circulate Ki throughout the body.

 

Through out the main breathing session, a recorded song is played to help the practitioners to keep a precise rhythmic breathing pattern.

 

3. Cool-Down Exercises (20 Min)

 

The cool down exercises empower the mind and body utilizing the Ki accumulated during the main breathing session.

 

Using special series of postures, the practitioner can send the Ki to each part of the body and internal organs in order to stimulate and strengthen the part and its function.

 

As part of the cool down exercies, Ki Sin Bup (internal organ exercise) is also performed.

 

Some external practice forms, such as Hwa Joong Bup and Oh Gong Bup may also be practiced depend on class.

 

External Practice

 

External Sundo practices are taught only when the practitioner has reached a certain level in the internal practice. External practice helps solidifying the life force in Danjeon. Some beginning level of external practice forms available for the beginners are:

 

1. Hwa Joong Bup

This exercise is for the practitioner to learn moving with balance and harmony while maintaining centered and balanced body and mind.

 

2. Oh Gong Bup

This exercise represents the cycle of universal Ki and its formation, growth and return to the origin. This exercise has 10 sets of movements with 5 distinctive serial postures in each set.

 

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.

 

The purpose of the practice is to develop one’s body and mind to the ultimate potential.

 

The essence of life force in lower Danjeon (Jung, 정, 精) representing the physical force and is located at the center of lower abdomen. The essence of life force in the lower Danjeon nourishes the upper Danjeon (Ki, 기, 氣) representing spiritual/intellectual force and is located at the brain. The life force in the upper Danjeon nourishes the life force in the middle Danjeon (Sin, 신, 神) representing mental/mind-will force and is located at heart. 

 

Sun Do is a practice to raise the life force in lower Danjeon thereby enriching the upper and middle Danjeons.

 

This process is beautifully explained by the Grand Master: the life force in the lower Danjeon can be compared to the wax/wick of candle; and the life force in the upper Danjeon can be compared to the flame of the candle; and the life force in the middle Danjeon can be compared to the light of candle. A bigger candle provides bigger flame and bigger light.

 

This Jung (정, 精), Ki (기, 氣), Sin (신, 神) 3 danjeon practice is can be found only in Sun Do. No other oriental philosophy or medicine system explains the concepts, functionality and the way of developing these 3 danjeons as Sun Do does.

 

Through life long practice, Sun Do aims to acquire utmost health and strength in body and mind, noblest virtue of human nature and spiritual enlightenment solidified in body and mind.

 

Sun Do practice utilizes the universal energy to attain a healthy body and mind and to achieve the goal of our life. The goal of Sun Do is to participate in the universal rule of nature so that we can co-exist in harmony with nature.

 

 

One of the ancient names of Sun Do is “the Way of Receiving Bar’k” or Bar’k Dol Bup.

 

It is said that around the end of the last Ice Age, there was a group of people who traveled toward the East where the Sun rises every morning. They were looking for the source of warmth and life force which was thought to be brought by the Sun. They yearned for the powerful energy of the Sun and slowly began to practice intuitively to receive the energy of the Sun (Way of Receiving Bar’k) by calmly facing the Sun, humbly trying to receive the energy while changing postures to receive the energy to all parts of body.

 

The Sun energy absorbing practice later developed into the complete system of Sun Do. It is presumed that the Sun Do system was fully structured during the Neolithic Age and continued to be a core element of the national education system until it was taken to the mountains.  

 

There is no written record of Sun Do; only teachings, practices and tales passed on by mouth from masters to students who were prepared for the practice. A prominent practitioner, Chon Ki Do In (Man with the Universal Power), who lived in the Mt. Baekdu area and regarded as a person revived the lost Sun Do practice appeared in one of the Sun Do legends which could be dated back around 10,000 years.

 

A part of the Sun Do practice was handed over to Han people (Chinese) through Huan Di (the Yellow Emperor, the father of Chinese medicine and Taoism) who learned Sun Do from the legendry Sun Do master, Ja Boo Sun In, while traveling through northeastern Asia after the Great War (ca. 2,700-2600BC) between the Hans and Koreans (Sima Qian, ca. 145–86 BC, Records of the Grand Historian, 史記).

 

The Northeast part of Asia has been considered to be the land of immortals for thousands of years. The Chinese have always looked for the immortal way in the East. It is a very famous legend that the First Emperor of China (Quin Shi Huang, 259BCE-210BCE) sent 3,000 boys and girls to ancient Korea in search of the immortal elixir. There were no stories about immortals in the ancient Chinese literature including the Laotzu until the era of Zhuangzi, who lived around 4th century, BC.

 

In ancient times in Korea, some people, including the religious leaders or shamans, went into the mountains to attain the ability to communicate with Heaven. The sky, the Sun, the Moon, the stars were revered as the vital force inherent in all beings and it was thought that they could get closer to Heaven (the universe, stars, Sun) in the mountains. Their practice was naturally focused on breathing because the air was their connection with the sky, earth and human beings. They tried to breathe in more air and breathe harmoniously. They slowly learnt to breathe through the skin, to circulate the inhaled Ki, and eventually attain full enlightenment and power. These teachings have been orally transmitted in secret only to those who were mentally and physically prepared. 

 

The persons who practiced Sun Do in the mountains were called Bar’k (bright and pure person), San (a new being in between heaven and earth), Sai (a person able to communicate with both heaven and man), Sar’m (a spiritual leader who helps people to live in peace and harmony with each other and nature), Sunin (a person accomplished beyond all others), Man of heavenly power, Man in the mountains, and Man practicing the way of truth. 

 

Sun Do had flourished in the Northeast part of Asia where the ancient Korean nations were located until Buddhism and other religious teachings became the dominant culture. When Sun Do flourished, it was said that all of the prominent kings, scholars, politicians and warriors were raised by Sun Do practice. Over time, Sun Do became less and less popular as people avoided the painstaking practice to develop the body and mind. As Sun Do practice neared extinction in human society, the teachers of Sun Do gathered few students and retreated to the mountains to preserve the practice.

 

In the year 1967, a Sun Do Grand Master, Chung San, finally came down from the mountains after 20 years of Sun Do practice. After hundreds of years of secluded practice, the grand masters in the mountains finally decided it was time to reveal the secrets of Sun Do to the modern world for the benefit of all human kind.

 

Sun Do is a body and mind practice system known to people only by legend for thousands of years until the Grand Master Chung San came down from the mountains in 1967 after his 20 years of practice. The entire practice system is now fully open to the public and available to the modern world.

 

Sun Do had been developed by the ancient Korean people. Its practice had been passed on from a few teachers to a handful of disciples for thousands of years in the secluded mountains of Northeast Asia which the ancient Chinese called “the Land of Immortals”. It has been practiced virtually unchanged since of its inception.

 

Sun Do (Kouk Sun Do) has also been called “The Way”, “The Way of Life“, “The Way of Receiving Bar’k (Sun Energy)”, “The Immortal Way” or practically called “Danjeon Breathing.” From a modern perspective, Sun Do practice may be considered as another type of Yoga, Taichi, meditation, Zen or even martial arts, but Sun Do includes most of the elements of these body and mind practices.

 

The purpose of the practice is to develop the human body and mind to the ultimate potential. Through the life-long practice, the Sun Do practitioners would be able to achieve a healthy and strong body and mind, noble virtue of human nature and spiritual enlightenment which are solidified in body and mind.

 

It has no religious aspects whatsoever. It has no religious rituals or any object of worship. It doesn’t advocate any belief or dogma. It is not a philosophy or belief system. Sun Do is an experiential and scientific system, and is independent of all notions and beliefs.

 

Sun Do practice system is composed of nine (9) levels of practice:

 

The first 3 levels practices are: two sets of 25 sequential postures at Beginning Level Practice, 23 Postures at Intermediate Level Practice, and 360 Postures for Advanced Level Practice. These 3 levels are for the training of body and mind to restore its natural health. Beyond this levels are six (6) more levels for the most advanced practitioners who are physically prepared and mentally and spiritually advanced.

 

The first 3 levels are the practices that practitioners are 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.

 

Sun Do features deep abdominal energy center breathing known as Danjeon Breathing which enables the practitioners to breathe in the universal life energy, Ki, into the body. Through the practice, the practitioners are gradually able to accumulate the Ki in the Danjeon and learn how to circulate the Ki throughout the 365 Ki channels in the body.

 

This Ki breathing practice improves and revitalizes the autonomic nervous system and enhances the body’s self-healing ability significantly. With this enhanced life force, Ki, attained through life-long practice, the practitioners develop a stronger immune system better able to prevent disease. This result is called “Healing by Do (Tao).”

 

As the Ki is accumulated and circulated, the Sun Do practitioners experience various radical and fundamental transformations in the body and mind. Thus, it is strongly recommended to practice under the careful guidance of qualified Sun Do instructors.

 

This glossary is for those who are not native speakers of Korean and who are new to Sun Do. This is a practical guide and should not be understood as an official or academic resource. This glossary will list the words which Sun Do practitioners most commonly encounter during practice sessions.

 

Multiple explanations will be used in most cases to help the understanding of the complicated meanings of certain words, or simply to ease the difficulty of finding the appropriate English word.

 

This glossary will include Korean and Hanja (漢子, Han characters) whenever necessary to help understanding.

 

The sounds between B and P, U and O and EO, T and D, K and G, C and S, among others, are often used interchangeably in translating Korean. We tried to keep it as consistent as possible. The contents will be edited or added as necessary.

 

 

Sun Do, Sundo  (선도, 선道)

Kouk Sun Do; Bark Dol Bup; Way of Life; 국선도;

 

Sun (선, 선)

Human and the universe in harmony; immortal; yogi ;

 

Do (도, 道)

Tao; way of life

 

Ki (Chi, Qi) (기, 氣)

Life energy; life force; vital energy

 

Danjeon (Danjon, Tanjon단전, 丹田)

The energy center located at the center of the lower abdomen, below the navel; physical center of gravity; elixir field; Tantien or Dantien in Chinese, Danten in Japanese; (roughly equivalent to) Manipura - the seat of prana 

 

Dan (단, 丹)

The combined life energy of Yin and Yang; elixir of life

 

3 Danjeon(s) (삼단전, 三丹田)

- Lower Danjeon at the lower abdomen relying on the two kidneys

- Upper Danjeon relying on brain

- Middle Danjeon relying on heart

 

Bark (Park, Bark) (밝)

Ancient word for the Sun; energy and light of the Sun; the virtue of the Sun as the source of all life;

 

Bark Dol Bup (밝돌법, 밝돌法)

The way of participating in the cycle of universal Ki energy

 

Dol (돌)

Cycle, rotation, change

 

Bup (Beup) (법, 法)

Law (of nature), the way

 

Jung Ki Sin (Jeung Ki Shin) (정기신, 精氣神)

 

Jung (정, 精): Physical essence of life energy relying on the Lower Danjeon; physical essence; vital essence

 

Ki (기, 氣): Spiritual/intellectual essence of life energy relying on the Upper Danjeon; intellectual essence; vital energy

 

Sin (Shin 신, 神): Mental/heart essence of life energy relying on the Middle Danjeon; congenital mind-will essence; vital spirit

 

Ho Heup (호흡, 呼吸)

Inhalation and exhalation; breathing

 

Dan Bup (Danbup단법, 丹法)

Practice levels of Sun Do; 9 levels of Sun Do - Jung Ki, Kun Kon, Won Ki, Jin Ki, Sam Hap, Jo Ri, Sam Chung, Mu Jin, and Jin Kong

 

Joong Ki Dan Bup (중기단법, 中氣丹法)

Level 1; beginner level with two sets of 25 Haeng Kong postures with Breathing Pattern 1

 

Kun Kon Dan Bup (건곤단법, 乾坤丹法)

Level 2; intermediate level with 23 Haeng Kong postures with Breathing Pattern 2

 

Won Ki Dan Bup (원기단법, 元氣丹法)

Level 3; advanced level with 360 Haeng Kong postures with Breathing Pattern 3

 

Hun (Hoon) (훈, 訓)

Principle; precept; decree; core value

 

Jung Sim (Jeong Sim, Chung Shim) (정심, 正心)

Righteous mind; one mind; genuine mind; mind in truth

 

Jung Si (Jeong Shi, Chung Shi) (정시, 正視)

Righteous point of view; right view; correct observance; view in truth

 

Jung Gak (Jeong Gahk, Chung Gahk) (정각, 正覺)

Right Enlightenment; right awakening; right understanding; enlightenment in truth

 

Jung Do (Jeong Do, Chung Do) (정도, 正道)

Right way; the way in truth

 

Jung Haeng (Jeong Hang, Chung Haeng) (정행, 正行)

Right conduct; the conduct in truth

 

Ki Sin Bup (기신법, 氣身法)

Stretching to spread Ki to the internal organs; 5 sets of stretching exercises for 10 internal organs (kidneys, urinary bladder, heart, small intestine, liver, gall bladder, lung, large intestine, stomach, spleen)

 

The articles in this library are posted and edited by actual practitioners in order to help fellow practitioners who are in the beginning stage of the same journey and want insight into the practice.

 

It is a very challenging project to translate Sun Do practice concepts. There are several reasons for this besides the common translation hurdles, such as language barriers, cultural differences, etc. Sun Do is a system of practice designed to attain the ultimate truth through body and mind cultivation, therefore it would be very hard to explain or understand Sun Do from a philosophical or academic point of view unless the person himself/herself has attained that very same level of practice.

 

Sun Do is not a philosophy or a religious belief. Sun Do is real, practical, scientific, and is independent from any notion. The results of the practice are attained by our body and mind and it is able to be observed objectively.

 

The articles posted here are a general introduction to Sun Do in a broad perspective drawing an overall picture of each topic. Most of the articles would be about the practice itself, the effects, the mechanism of the practice and the actual results and benefits that could be attained.

 

 In explaining Sun Do, a lot of basic concepts in the I Ching, or Oriental Medicine are used but it is not because Sun Do is part of I Ching or Oriental Medicine; rather it is just handy to explain Sun Do using those terms. The core concept of Sun Do is the functionality of Ki and it could not be fully explained even if we combined all of the concepts of I Ching and other eastern philosophies.

 

We hope to add more articles as we progress. Any inappropriate translations or expressions are solely attributed to the incompetence of the editors and not to Sun Do.  

 

The articles of this Sun Do library are cooperative products by J. Lee (Jin Ki Danbup), H. O. Kim (Won Ki Danbup), R. Nadeau (Kun Kon Danbup), M. Fujitska (Kun Kon Danbup) and Maya (Joong Ki Danbup).  

 

Please feel free to contact us at sundonyc@gmail.com with any comments.