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Find Your Voice

Choose a song that you like, and try singing it from your heart, with emotion. Let yourself become completely immersed in the song and sing it many times; try repeating your song for at least an hour. If you can’t really think of any song in particular, add some rhythm to vowels like “ah” or “ooh” and stretch them out in sound.

Instead of trying to make your voice sound louder or sing notes that are too high right from the beginning, start singing notes in a comfortable range with a lower voice. Rather than produce a sound that comes from your throat, try to pull energy up from your core to make a sound that reverberates through your entire body. In order to do that, your body and mind must be comfortably relaxed. From this state, if you focus completely on your body and your senses as you commit yourself to producing sound, it will reverberate from your dahnjon in your lower belly and your whole body will resonate.

At this time, it’s important to put your emotions into your singing. Try to feel the song imbued with your emotion as you sing, and the tone and sensations of your voice, deeply and sensitively. You’ll gradually become more comfortable with singing and feel a sense of oneness with it.

Don’t worry about the rhythm or getting every note right. In fact, rather than trying too hard to sing well, trust your senses and your rhythm, and just sing. The song becomes magnificent and delicious when it’s infused with ki energy. Leave ki energy left out of the sound, and it becomes lackluster—just as food needs to have the right amount of seasoning to be delicious.

When you sing a song you’re not familiar with, especially if you have to sing in front of other people, it’s not uncommon to feel embarrassed or awkward. But when you’re breathing, you don’t feel any embarrassment or awkwardness. While every individual’s breathing has a unique sound and rhythm, your breathing feels so comfortable because it has already become yours.

If you sing the same song for over an hour, your own unique voice starts to come through. You come to feel a perfect oneness between you and the lyrics of the song and its rhythm. Then singing feels as comfortable and easy as breathing. As you focus and sing like this, there comes a moment in which you’re amazed, thinking, I didn’t realize my voice was so wonderful. You may even find yourself in tears because you’re so deeply moved by your own voice and vibrations.

When you find your voice through singing, it naturally permeates your words and actions. In the process of finding your voice, you can find a new feeling of self-worth, as well as the desire, will, and passion to express and realize it.

I hope you make sure to spend about an hour singing this way. I sincerely hope that you don’t miss the immense joy of finding your voice.

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8 Comments. Leave new

  • Singing makes me feel alive. My first joy was singing as a child, and have carried that with me my whole life. I never knew how powerful singing could be to connect with my true self and express my inner beauty, until I met Ilchi Lee. Thank you for showing me that I am art myself.

    Reply
  • oh, i LOVE to sing. I drive, put on whatever I’m in the mood for and sing at the top of my lungs. Sometimes, not often, I’m aware that someone next to me might think i’m a little nuts, cause I’m pounding on the steering wheel. I don’t care. i’m having a great time!

    Reply
  • When my son was young, I used to sing during our commuting time together. I felt so inspired when I sang fun and joyful songs.Thank you for the inspiration to sing again. Right now is a great time to begin.

    Reply
  • I found my voice just a few years ago. I remember those moments when I wanted so much to sing but was always scared and shy. Then I went to a karaoke place with my best friend one night and while I was away from our table, she submitted my name to sing on stage. Next thing I knew, my name was being called. I froze. Nevertheless, with a little pushing from my friend, I got on stage and started singing. My voice was very soft and shaky but it felt really good after that.
    Then I started coming to Dahn Yoga. One night as I was driving home from class, I just started singing in my car and I was surprised I was able to hit notes that I never knew I could. That’s when I realized that all the breathing postures and exercises we were doing really helped me a lot. The practice has really helped me tap into a part of my brain that was dormant. I now sing whenever I feel like it, even at the center at times, at work, wherever I am. I feel my whole body vibrate when I sing, eventhough at times, I am off key. 🙂 I love it!

    Reply
  • I am a singer. This article is very good because I need to engaged my dahnjon when I sing. Thank you, for the tips!

    Reply
  • I remember when I was little my mother used to encourage us to sing. Whenever she gave us chores and we are crying, she said to us sing. The melody takes your mind of the work and before you know we finished very fast
    That memory stays wt me and I am always singing. I sing when I am in pain, for my joy, for my sadness.I also sing in church choir

    Reply
  • Thank you, for this plan to find & experience my true voice.

    Reply
  • I will sing, and not judge myself. Your instruction is simple & easy. Imagine if all citizens sang everyday! The earth’s vibration would raise very quickly!
    Thank you, Seuseung nim

    Reply

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