Our Doing Good through Yoga Series continues by taking a closer look at one of the stories in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Diane Catron is a former school teacher who is using her retirement time for greater service. Dahn Yoga Foundation chose to highlight Diane’s service because her work offers an excellent example of how Brain Education can help many people.

What is Brain Education?

The system of methods known as Dahn Yoga is part of a greater system of mind and body training that recognized the importance of the human brain—Brain Education. According to Ilchi Lee, the creator of Brain Education, the brain guides all human activity, behavior and experience—from breathing and muscle movement to sensations and emotions—and is not just a cognitive processor. So, “the brain is not something for only scientists or experts to understand and discuss. Each human being has the ability and authority to understand and manage their brain.”

Brain Education was created to provide individuals of all ages and backgrounds with tangible tools for personal growth and fulfillment. Beginning with a foundation of physical well-being, Brain Education enables individuals to transform their stress response. Component programs teach how to improve the brain’s potential, through physical conditioning and balance, sensory awareness, emotional regulation, concentration, and imagination. Research on Brain Education has shown that this combination of practices result in improved focus and improved memory power. These are benefits everyone can appreciate, but they are most useful for school age children and for seniors. Diane has helped both with her community classes.

Diane offers classes from a Brain Education program especially developed for seniors, known as Brain Education for Successful Aging. The classes are held at the Santa Fe Dahn Yoga center but are open to individuals in the community to drop in at a substantially reduced rate. She said the participants are mostly women, many aged 75 or older, who have had a lot of fun together. Diane says “my 3 goals for them is to strengthen their core muscles, improve their balance—something you worry about when getting older, and teaching them how to focus their minds.” On the other end of the spectrum, these skills are also useful for very young people. Last year Diane taught Brain Education in a Summer Program with the Boys & Girls Club in Santa Fe, using special methods developed for teaching for children. She helped those young people develop skills not only made their summer fun, but that they could use during the school year.

Diane is a particularly good teacher of Brain Education, not only because of her background as a teacher but because of the subject she taught. As a High School science teacher, she knows how to help people feel at ease learning a subject that at first seems unfamiliar. With her experience and the wonderfully adaptive tools of Brain Education, the subject of the brain becomes fun and commonplace. With her skill and attitude, Diane’s work is likely to have many positive ripple effects.

Here is some basic information about the Brain Education system.

Overview of the 5 Steps of Brain Education

Step 1: Sensitizing

Brain-oriented purpose: Awakening the body-brain senses

Commonly Reported Benefits: Physical health, enhanced focus and awareness

Step 2: Versatilizing

Brain-oriented purpose: Making the brain more flexible and adaptable

Commonly Reported Benefits: Enhanced adaptability and creativity, more resilient mindset

Step 3: Refreshing

Brain-oriented purpose: Freeing one’s brain from negative memories

Commonly Reported Benefits: Positive outlook, self confidence

Step 4: Integrating

Brain-oriented purpose: Integrating brain functions and unleashing potential

Commonly Reported Benefits: Balanced, smoother behavior and activity

Step 5: Mastering

Brain-oriented purpose: Enhanced executive control and faculty of imagination

Commonly Reported Benefits: Realizing the power of choice and creation. Authorship of one’s life.