Seven-level meditation practice gains devoted Mandurah following

The Mandurah Mail has interviewed several members of Mandurah Meditation, who practice 'Ma-Eum Su-Ryun' (Maum) meditation, to gain a greater understanding of its practices and its "amazing" founder Woo Myung.

I have researched Maum Meditation over the past month, including its explosion into the western world and its mysterious leader with a mass following, whose whereabouts remain a mystery.

The Maum meditation method is taught in Mandurah, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.

Members are taught to practice the Subtraction Method by volunteers, which involves "throwing away" your memories and "false human mind" to be "resurrected as truth", after passing level seven.

Members of the organisation are also encouraged to add supplements to their diet, participate in a special dance together and facilitate in promoting the centre.

When I arrived at the on Thursday for my interview and introductory session, I was greeted with a big smile from the organisation's public officer Robin Jung and treasurer Soon Hee Dhal Kwon, who both teach and volunteer at the centre.

Vice president Daniel Wylie and wife Hayley, the organisation's secretary, and members Chantal Giller and Erin Lane were also present.

They have all been members of the non-for-profit organisation for more than six years, paying $150 a month membership fees.

Woo Myung's website states there are no limitations on the time members can spend at a centre, within opening hours.

"Students can choose to meditate for one or two hours, for several hours or even all day if they want," the website reads.

"Rather, when students dedicate in cleansing their minds, it is greatly appreciated."

Membership fees are pricey compared to other Perth mediation centres.

Mandurah's Dharma and Meditation centre and Bibra Lake's Diamond Way Buddhism ask for a donation, and the Perth Mindfulness Meditation Hub is free to attend.

Like Mandurah Meditation, East Fremantle's Kadampa Meditation Centre asks for a monthly payment but it is almost half the price, at $80 per month.

On the more expensive end, Transcendental Meditation costs $1500 for an adult, which is a one-off cost to learn the method.

But, Ms Dhal Kwon said the monthly payments go back into the centre to pay for the running costs, or to create new facilities to reach more people.

"Every penny is saved in hope that more centres can be opened for more people, so that more people can benefit," she said.

Members are also encouraged to buy dietary supplements called Self Balancing Food (SBF), costing $75 a month for the grain monthly package and $75 for the vegetable monthly package.

The group claims SBF is a "revolutionary dietary supplement" that will "balance the body" in three months.

The centre's most current charity annual information statement shows there were 10 volunteers between July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, but Ms Dhal Kwon said there were now about 30 in WA.

Ms Jung said members become more involved with the facility as they progress levels.

"As they go up a level, they naturally become more involved in helping," she said.

"As they start and notice small changes from depressed, to becoming clear, they start letting people know and like to help other people.

"The volunteers became bigger and bigger and now they are all over the world."

Ms Jung said each centre is set up by volunteers, including Mandurah members, who renovated the Scott Street facility themselves.

The volunteers actively promote the organisation by setting up stalls in busy areas and handing out pamphlets.

According to Mr Myung's website, it takes seven levels to "reach truth", "completion" or "enlightenment" and the Subtraction Meditation method he created, is the "only method for human completion in the human history".

The Subtraction Method promises to reduce anxiety, stress and depression by eliminating painful memories from your mind, or "discarding your mind world".

Followers of the meditation practice are also encouraged to do a 'health-boosting' dance together, which Mr Myung created.

Ms Jung led my introductory session last Thursday. I was asked to close my eyes and imagine certain objects in my mind, like an apple, my work place and someone I disliked, and was told to discard them from my mind.

"They are just pictures," she said.

Ms Jung said it does not cost extra money to progress a level.

Maum Meditation founder Woo Myung, or the 'great teacher', is a composer, illustrator, calligrapher, best-selling author and poet, according to his website.

The 'ordinary man' opened his first meditation facility in South Korea in 1997, which is now home to 225 facilities and more than 100 centres in 41 countries worldwide.

The website states he has held lectures in various cities in the world between 2001 to 2016.

Despite an entire website being dedicated to 'the great teacher of meditation', the Mail was unable to find a photo of Mr Myung.

Ms Jung said Mr Myung travels the world to teach the Subtraction Method and has no fixed address.

"He constantly travels," she said.

His website states he will continue his journey until everyone in the world has access to his Subtraction Method.

Mr Wylie said Mr Myung had visited the Mandurah centre.

"He's amazing," he said.

"He created this method because it helps."

Ms Dhal Kwon said Mr Myung had "dedicated his whole life to raise human consciousness".

The Mandurah Meditation centre was originally called Maum Meditation when it opened in 2013, but in 2017 re-branded, along with all centres worldwide, to the name of the city followed with 'meditation'.

Ms Jung said Maum means heart and mind in Korean, but people had found it "confusing" to say.

"So just the local name and meditation - the focus is the meditation," she said.

"It is easier for people to understand."

Mr and Ms Wylie, Ms Jung, Ms Giller, Ms Dhal Kwon have all visited the main South Korean Maum centre.

"It's amazing," Ms Wylie said.

Mr Wylie, who works as a tradesman, has reached "consciousness" after completing the seven level method.

He said it helped reduce anxiety and depression.

"It's just happiness, I know how I was before," Mr Wylie said. "It is logical. The more you follow it, the more you become happy.

"I'd become very easily stressed and upset. Upset with myself or upset with the other people involved.

"It makes you happy that you can walk away from a situation and not stress or be upset.

"Once you are the master of your mind, it's like magic."

Ms Giller, who has been part of the centre for six years, has also completed the seven levels and continues to volunteer.

"I want to help other people," she said.

"I couldn't even imagine not being a volunteer to help. That is not possible to let people outside in the world just be anxious.

"There's this world of happiness - it's so logical and simple.

"You don't need anything special, you follow the method and that's it."

Ms Lane, who has been a member of the centre for seven years, said it took her two years to get to the point where it "changed her life completely".

The bus driver said she came from a broken family and her dad committed suicide at a young age. She had found meditation extremely helpful.

"I do it everyday, most chances I get, when I remember," Ms Lane said.

"We have group sessions and try and get together every week."