Dr. Jenelle Kim - Founder JBK Wellness Labs

Dr. Jenelle Kim

Dr. Jenelle Kim, DACM, L.Ac., is the founder and leader formulator for JBK Wellness Labs. Dr. Kim is carrying on the medical knowledge and wisdom of her lineage. Dr. Kim is devoted to integrating the philosophy, medical wisdom, and expertise of East Asia with the advancements of modern life and medicine of the West in order to touch and positively affect the lives of others. Dr. Kim is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and is Nationally Board Certified in Herbology, Oriental Medicine, and Acupuncture. Dr. Kim completed extensive training in East Asia under some of the most respected doctors in the field of Oriental Medicine and is the custodian of her lineage’s proprietary Bi Bong® formulas.

Dr. Kim’s teachings on meditation are currently available for pre-order under the title Myung Sung: The Korean Art to Living Meditation by Watkins Publishing and will be distributed by Penguin Random House in January 2022. In her book, Dr. Kim breaks down the principles of Myung Sung, offering a way to achieve a life of balance and happiness by enjoying the positive benefits of meditation every minute of every day. Dr. Kim’s unique approach to meditation combines lessons on movement and natural medicine learned from a lifetime of experience studying Eastern philosophy, Eastern medicine, and martial arts. 

With almost 20 years in the beauty and wellness industry, Dr. Kim has formulated some of the first all-natural luxury products carried in high-end spas across the world including Ritz Carlton, Four Season & Mandarin Oriental high-end retailers such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus & Bergdorf Goodman, and in the natural marketplace in stores such as Whole Foods Market & Sprouts.

I’m excited for you to connect with Dr. Jenelle, check out her work, and follow along as she continues to share the teachings of Myung Sung to help us find a deeper connection with our true selves and re-align our lives on a path that was meant for us.

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

My name is Dr. Jenelle Kim, I am a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, an author, entrepreneur and (last but certainly not least) a mother.  I come from a long lineage of doctors and herbologists who dedicted their lives to understanding the human condition – mentally and physically – and the ways in which proper herbal formulas, movement and philosophy of life can help us attain our best condition possible and live the happiest and most balanced life possible.  I call these 3 aspects of life, the 3 Ms – Myung Sung Meditation, medicine & movement.  I believe that by incorporating these three aspects into daily life, we can in turn understand ourselves better and our place in the universe.  By doing so we are empowered to gain control of our lives, move through challenging times and make correct choices that help us to remain balanced – inside and out – no matter what comes our way.

For the past 20 years, I have dedicated my life to formulating and manufacturing products utilizing the strength of the herbal formulas that have been passed down to me, to share with as many people as possible. My lab, JBK Wellness Labs is a custom contract manufacturing lab that creates products that for brands that are carried around the world in high end spas, retailers, natural marketplaces and big box stores.  I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to share these powerful herbal formulas with so many around the world across so many industries, with the purpose of bridging East and West and old and new for the benefit of all.  My lab actually just launched our white label division, which means that we now offer herbal products that people and companies can purchase at low quantities. This has been a wish of mine and my labs for a long time, because through this more people are able to benefit from the power of the formulas. 

Recently, another deep wish of mine has come to fruition.After much hard work and the help of the universe, I am getting ready to launch my firstbook Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditationon January 11 2022 with my publisher Watkins/Penguin Random House.Although, many told me how difficult it would be to secure a place with one of the big 5 publishing houses, I kept working hard and having faith in the universe and the universe (combined with the rules of hard workJ) granted. This means so very much to me, and even though I am still in the very beginning stages I am putting my full heart and mind into doing everything that I can to share the principles of life that have been passed down for centuries with the world.For as long as I have been on this earth, (and I am backed by centuries of the principles being practiced), I have seen what the 8 Keys of Myung Sung Living mediation can do to empower us, help us gain perspective of the world around us – relationships and circumstances, and enable us to make correct choices to change our reality for the better. I am so thrilled to be able to open this up to the best of my ability to the world.

How did you get started?

I believe I started the moment I came into this world, even though the path I was to take was not always obvious. Myung Sung Meditation, Medicine and Movement have always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t until I was about 19 when I realized that I had a larger role in making sure to share all of the principles, knowledge, and wisdom of the 3 Ms that have been passed down to me.  That was, if I wanted to do so. It was ultimately a choice, and I took it.

I studied Eastern Medicine and thought that I would have clinics where I could treat patients, which was a significant passion of mine.  As life would have it, the universe led me down a path to share the herbal knowledge that had been passed down to me with a greater audience. I started to educate herbal medicine and to formulate herbal products that entered main stream industries, at a time when many people were unfamiliar with what I was hoping to share. Twenty years ago, I was on the forefront of the natural products industry, as well as the forefront of the herbal products industry, and many people tried to deter me from this path thinking that no one would be interested. I smiled and kept moving, and now it is clear to see that was not the case… many, many people are looking exactly for this knowledge and wisdom.  

I have a manufacturing lab, JBK Wellness Labs, which my husband and I started about 10 years ago on a shoestring budget. Now we are one of the fastest growing manufacturing labs in the country; additionally, we have labs overseas to help serve people internationally.

My book, which is set to launch in January 2022, was a mere concept about 20 years ago, which then turned into pages upon pages of notes and stories from discussions with my mentor. With much hard work and ultimate faith my book is now ready to be launched with one of the largest publishing houses in the world.

The truth is, I still feel that I am just at the beginning of all that can be shared. It is my ultimate wish and goal to help promote mindfulness, wellness, perspective, higher consciousness, and overall positivity in our world

What Inspired the work you’re doing?

As mentioned above :), I am inspired by all those that came before me who dedicated their lives to understanding the human condition, the ways that we interact with the world, and the ability we have to connect with the universe and move through situations in the most balanced way possible for our own health and happiness and for the good of everything around us (some may understand this as “moving with the Tao”).

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

My biggest passion is to share the principle of Living Meditation, medicine and movement as it has been passed down in my lineage with as many as possible. I wish to leave something good behind in this world especially for the coming generations. Yes, I do. It is not always easy but in the end it is always rewarding and fulfilling.

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

My children, family and loved ones.  My work (which is so much more than merely “work.”

My joy blueprint also greatly involves all of the moments that I see people’s lives positively affected through the sharing of the formulas and principles.Nothing is more important to me than doing everything I can to add positivity in any and every way possible to this world, especially now when it is needed so terribly much.

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

I integrate the 3 Ms – Meditation, Medicine & Movement into my life, as well as the daily practice of the 8 Keys of Myung Sung Living Mediation (listed below).  Through these practices I am able to live each moment with intention and mindfulness. 

A few specific tools/practices that help me stay mindful and grounded day to day, include: at least 15 minutes of moving meditation in the morning (followed by various exercises and practices whenever possible throughout the day…although, sometimes 15 minutes is what I get J), a daily regimen of eating healthy and supplementing with proper herbal formulas and vitamins/minerals that are balanced for my body, and incorporating the 8 Keys of Myung Sung Living Meditation, which include:

Key 1: Know Your True Self

Key 2: The True-Right-Correct Method

Key 3: Stop Being Drunk on Your Own Thoughts

Key 4: How Will You Be Remembered? 

Key 5: Seek Connectedness & Honour

Key 6: Change Your Reality for the Better

Key 7: It Only Takes One Match to Light a Thousand

Key 8: Be Like Bamboo

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

My younger self would say, “I am happy to know you have achieved what you have so far, now keep going! The sky is the limit.”

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?

It only takes 1 match to light 1000 ~

This is one of my favorite principles, and normally when I discuss or think of this it is filled with positivity based on the understanding that it only takes one positive action, one person, or one thought to ignite 1000 more.  But, there is more to it. Ultimately, just as there is night and day, loud and soft, masculine and feminine, yin and yang there is always positive and negative, which means that just as this principle applies to the positive, it also means that it one negative action, person, or thought can ignite 1000 more. So, if we know the impact that even just one of our thoughts has, then we can be that much more aware of the fact that each one of us holds the power and has the choice in any and every situation to make our lives and the lives of those around us better or not. No moment is unimportant. 

If we change our perspective, we can change our lives.

What is your biggest dream?

To continue to be give the incredible opportunity to share all that has been passed down to me and be able to positively impact as many people as possible now and always.

To connect with Dr. Jenelle and learn more visit her website Jenellekim.com andJbkwellnesslabs.com and on Instagram @drjenellemkim TikTok @drjenellekim Twitter @JenelleMKim Facebook @drjenellemkim and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jenelle-kim-863835175/

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