Steven Hassan || When the oldest son of Alisa Daniels had a hockey injury and simply wanted to stay in shape by starting a new yoga practice, she couldn’t have imagined what path this would lead her entire family down. She now seeks to help others become aware of Il Chi Lee’s Dahn Yoga cult, now rebranded as Body & Mind, that drained her family of money and took hold of their lives. On this episode of Cults, Culture & Coercion, I talked with Alisa about the high-control tactics the organization used to influence and entrap her son and herself, as well as other family members.
Alisa is a mom of three and a grandmother of eight, happily married for 42 years to a dedicated husband and father. She worked in the physical fitness field for almost 40 years and is now retired. In her past career, she taught swimming, personal training, and scuba diving, as well as managing gyms. She noted that her career was secondary to motherhood for her. So, when her son became involved in the Dahn Yoga group, she was concerned and wanted to learn more to stay close to him. This would, unfortunately, be how she also would become deeply involved and ensnared.
Entering a Cult to Save a Loved One
Alisa’s concern for her son began around the time he sold off his guitar and other possessions to pay for a flight to a yoga workshop in Sedona, Arizona. “We were hesitant to let him do it, but he talked us into it. We didn’t know any details. My husband and I didn’t know anything about cults, and he came back a different person,” she said. In an attempt to figure out what was happening and in hopes of helping with her own battle with cancer, she agreed to meet with one of the “masters” in the center. “So, I spent a couple of hours with her, and it was quite nice. It was relaxing. It was meditative. And, of course, she gave me hints on how to get through my cancer. At first, I really enjoyed it,” Alisa said. “From then on, we were both going to the center. I was willing to do this because I was worried about my son. There were “red flags” that I knew weren’t right, but I still kept going. And because of that willingness and the love I had for my son, I got pulled in.”
We discussed common cult recruitment tactics. I, myself, was recruited into a Korean cult (the Moonies), and Dahn is a Korean cult that uses much of that playbook.“People don’t join groups they think are deleterious to their health. They believe it will improve their lives. It’s going to help them. It’s going to heal them. One big allure is the certainty that the cult “masters” project. Members are often programmed to believe that Il Chi Lee is enlightened and possesses supernatural powers.
This cult has a long history of finding “products,” “courses,” and “services” designed to make massive amounts of money for the leadership. Appealing to people’s desire to be healthy, heal, or develop their “true self” can be very appealing. Many things sold for high prices turn out to be scams, and this has gotten Il Chi Lee intotrouble in the Korean Court. They have sold “golden turtles” that were actually made of lead. Special teas that are not healthy. They want to suck as much money out of people as they can,” I said. Alisa noted her own journey, “I can’t tell you the amount of money. It was a lot. I accessed my home equity and wrote a check for $27,000,which I then gave to them. I didn’t discuss it with my husband, which I would ordinarily never do. I didn’t discuss it with anyone. I was made to believe it was okay to do that. I wasn’t thinking for myself.”
Soon, Alisa began recruiting other family members herself. “I recruited my family, my mother. She did a $10,000 workshop. My husband did a workshop. My sister did a workshop. My other son lived out in Arizona for nine months at the center,” Alisa said. “We were called the healing family by the center manager, and we thought that we were doing the right thing and helping the world and bringing peace to people and focusing on our energy,” she continued. I noted the creation of a pseudo-identity, a cult identity that the individual becomes convinced is their authentic self. In reality, they get a programmed identity that the cult leader desires to control and exploit. Alisa agreed and stated that her mom, at one point, mentioned to her that she seemed different, “cold,” but she was unable to see that in herself.
Initial Questioning and Steps to Exiting the Cult
As Alisa began to question whether the group’s practices were ethical and truly creating healing in her life, she started researching online. She researched “cults” online and found my Freedom of Mind Resource Center website. Then she ordered and read my book, Combating Cult Mind Control. That is when she began to understand the cult practices of mind control better and recognized her own experiences with the group. “I finally said to myself, “This is a cult. Then I started telling other family members: “This is a cult. I couldn’t believe it, and the scariest thing I did was to contact you. That was the scariest thing I did,” she said. I identified this fear as the result of phobia indoctrination, the installation of an irrational fear that if you talk to anybody, especially a former member or a cult expert, “terrible” things are going to happen to you. Phobias are listed under the ‘E’ of the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, which is Emotional Control.
We then discussed Alisa’s experience as an outlier member of the cult, versus her son’s experience as a “master.” He was subjected to far more Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional Control. “I feel lucky that I found your book and through that, met you, got counseling, and you guided us on how to help our son. Il Chi Lee’s cult group is very destructive–they do illegal things, and they hurt people. It’s all hidden, and you don’t see it. They take advantage of bright, young, idealistic people and figure out how to recruit them,” she said. I agreed that this was an essential point. During the interview, I showed the Pyramid Structure graphic. Fringe members have no idea what is really done inside the core of the group, much less at the apex of the pyramid.
Finding Safe Connections and Ethical Group Experiences
“If a spiritual group is legitimate, it really should be truth and love-based. It should really provide people with informed consent. Everyone should be allowed and encouraged to ask critical questions and get actual answers, and not told you need to meditate more,” I said. I encouraged those who have questions about whether they are in a cult or whether the group they are interested in may have cult-like practices to visit bitemodel.com and take the survey. I developed this free, anonymous research tool to assist individuals in evaluating their own group practices using my BITE Model and Influence Continuum.
I also encouraged taking a time out from groups when one begins to question their practices. “Why not take a time out and reality-test and seek out critics and former members and hear what they have to say, and learn the bite model and look critically,” I said. With Alisa’s knowledge today, I asked her what she might have done differently. She said, “Well, I would have talked to my son in the beginning about the necessity for us to do diligent independent research into the group and its leader, before he agreed to do any big-time or money investment. Especially if he was going to go to some remote location where he would have little access to the real world.”
As we were wrapping up our interview, I advised parents not to wait until their children are being recruited into a cult. “Don’t wait till they’re into something. Teach them now about the Influence Continuum. Teach them the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, you know, expose them to stories like this that you may believe that you’re getting into something legitimate,” I said. We then discussed teaching children “consumer awareness” as an entry point into talking about con artists and scams. Alisa advised others to note any red flags that may arise, to listen to their own instincts, and to speak with outsiders who have left the group. “It took years, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My family is so happy right now. I feel so blessed,” she said.
Resources
BITE Model of Authoritarian Control on Dahn Cult
Dr. Hassan’s current scientific research instrument to assess Authoritarian Control is free and anonymous, and it will provide a score indicating the health or unhealthy nature of a relationship or group. Check it out!
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