Master Hyunmoon Kim is one of 17 masters sanctioned by Taoist Hermit Bekyung in the healing art of SunDo. Teaching the potential for human development since 1980 in North America, South East Asia, and Europe, Master Kim serves as the director of SunDo International, a worldwide association of SunDo educational and practice centers.
“SunDo teaches (…) how to become ONE with NATURE” – Master KIM
As director of the SunDo International Association and the head professor of the SunDo Graduate Studies Program in South Korea, with a Ph.D. graduate of Philosophy of Human Sciences, Master Kim integrates contemporary knowledge of western science with his traditional eastern training in SunDo and Taoism. He leads retreats and workshops throughout the world.
In 1967, Taoist hermit Be-Kyung left SunDo mountain practice and began teaching SunDo in Seoul, South Korea. In 1979, after training with Be-Kyung for many years, Hyunmoon Kim brought SunDo, a Taoist practice to the West.
Since his arrival, Master Kim has been teaching SunDo in the US, Canada and Europe. A PhD graduate of Philosophy in Human Science, Master Kim integrates contemporary western psychology with ancient eastern wisdom to teach the principles of SunDo-Taoism. His paper is a study about the benefits of SunDo practice in self-development and physical and mental health.
Below is an excerpt from an interview with Master Kim entitled, “Sun Do: An Ancient Taoist Breathing Practice Takes Root in New England,” featured in Spirit of Change Magazine, Winter 1999.
Master Kim emphasized that he sees his calling to deepen the practice of SunDo, not merely to popularize it by exposing it to as many people as possible. “I understand the life of the hermit,” he said, speaking of his training and intensive retreats in Korea with Be-Kyung, his teacher. “And I know life in the city. In order to fulfill my duty in society, I can try to make Sun Do more popular. Or I can go for more quality, to bring the practice to a new level in the West but to maintain the wisdom of the tradition.”
To promote peace and health in world society, Master Kim directs a graduate program at Hanseo University in South Korea. The SunDo-Taoist Studies Master’s Program focuses on creating educators who have a strong sense of self-realization and wholeness. Combining SunDo practice with academic studies in Taoism, students explore a wide range of topics.
“The main idea of Taoism is non-force; to let things happen naturally. In Taoist practice, we learn the principle of letting things go their natural way so that we can understand and awaken to the truth of the natural world.
Like water, when we allow ourselves to flow, we are naturally drawn down the channels that we are meant to take; we go to the places where we are meant to be.” ~ Hyunmoon Kim, Taoist Master