From Frank O'Gorman
Sun Do needs to be viewed from a body energy (ki/qi/prana) perspective which typically is not something we Westerners do. The beginner postures may seem simplistic at first. However, when viewed from the perspective of opening and clearing blockages in the body’s energy meridians, and building energy in the lower tancheon for later circulation through these meridians, they make perfect sense! Additionally, meditation is intrinsic to Sun Do. Not too many people would meditate for 40 minutes in one sitting, but with Sun Do, the posture sequences promote a deep meditative state.
I try to practice Sun Do both on and off the mat, seeing opportunity in every moment of wakefulness to be present in body, breath, mind and spirit. Sun Do has helped me become more aware of moments when I get caught in a habitual “freeze” response which stops my breathing and tenses my body. This awareness reminds me to breathe through the situation and relax. When encountering a person whom I find challenging, I remind myself that the person is like a difficult Sun Do posture: all that is needed for me is to breathe deeply and focus my mind internally, trusting that there is something to learn from this posture or this person. Sun Do practice helps me withdraw my mental energy from feeding the aversion which only causes me to suffer, and instead focus on healing.
