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The Epoch Times
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How to Cultivate Yourself: Falun Dafa
By Lara C. Pullen, Medical Writer
“The increasing
popularity of this
movement is notable,
but what most
impressed me during
my research were the
people I interviewed...
this had to be the
nicest group of people
I ever had the pleasure
of talking to.”
In addition to spiritual and
physical healing, Falun Dafa is said
to cultivate a sense of community.
While study of the book and
practice of Falun Gong can be performed alone, practitioners believe
that group practice aids in the momentum of the practice and accelerates the healing process.
One more thing: Falun Dafa is
free. As many practitioners explained to me: If money changes
hands, it is not Falun Dafa.
felt [that] my body was so light that
I could almost float up.”
Two years ago, Yang’s blood was
“My doctor can’t believe how
checked during a regular physical
much it has changed my health.”
exam, and all of the 32 test results
With these words Gail Rachlin, a
came back normal, including four
50-something New York City Falun
that were specifically designed to
test liver function.
Dafa practitioner, enthusiastically
When asked about these apparbegins her description of the posient “miracle cures” that are so comtive impact that this new interpretamon among Falun Dafa practitiontion of the ancient Chinese practice
ers, Dr. Yang discourages the line
of Qi Gong has had on her well-beof questioning by saying: “It is very
ing. Her exuberant response is echwrong to think that Falun Gong is
oed in the voices of other practitiondesigned to help heal an illness.”
ers, many of whom claim medical
A Very Alternative Approach to
While he concedes that many
cures that border on miraculous.
Healing
practitioners are initially drawn
Unlike many forms of alternative
Dr. Jingduan Yang may or may
to Falun Dafa because of a health
healing, which frequently involve a
not be joking when he explains the
problem he emphatically states
treatment that is administered by
rates that he will charge his future
that a miracle will not occur with
one person to another, Falun Dafa
patients. Dr. Yang’s background is
all people. He likens Falun Dafa
is a method of self-cultivation, acunusual in that it includes an MD
cording to practitioners.
(he is currently a psychiatry resident to a school full of students. Some
students learn faster than others
Closely related to Qi Gong
at Thomas Jefferson University
and will get better grades, but like
is Tai Chi, a series of ballet-like
Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylmovements that hone balance and
vania) as well as training and expe- any good school everyone should
improve.
strength. If you have visited any
rience as a practitioner of Chinese
Chinese community anywhere
medicine. He claims that once he
Seeing Falun Dafa Up Close and
around the globe you have probably opens his own private practice he
Personal
seen Tai Chi practiced by the older
will have three different fees.
After recently spending 2 weeks
people in the parks at daybreak.
He will charge individuals who
The Falun Dafa organization
want Western treatment and phar- researching the wildly popular form
of Qi Gong known as Falun Dafa, I
estimates that there are now 75
maceuticals $200. He says this is
decided that I should see a meeting
million practitioners in China and
justified because they will be de25 million elsewhere in the world,
pending entirely upon him for their for myself. I convinced two of my
friends, Mary and Martha (all of us
including the United States.
treatment.
So, what exactly does this moveIf a patient comes to him seeking 30-something), to join in this excursion to Chicago’s Chinatown.
ment involve?
acupuncture or other traditional
The increasing popularity of this
Above all, Falun Dafa emphamedicine, he will charge them $100.
movement is notable, but what most
sizes the cultivation of three funda- Dr. Yang justifies this by saying
mental principles:
that the patient will be shouldering impressed me during my research
Truthfulness. Compassion.
half the responsibility for their own were the people I interviewed. From
Forbearance.
wellness by watching their diet and Gail Rachlin on the East Coast
The belief system is explained
making prescribed changes to their to Zhi Ping Kolouch on the West
Coast and Sen Yang in the Midin two books that can be downlifestyle in order to heal.
west, this had to be the nicest group
loaded for free from the Falun Dafa
If, however, a patient visits him
of people I ever had the pleasure of
Web site. Many of the themes will
and wants to learn Falun Dafa,
talking to. They always returned
seem familiar to first-time readers,
Dr. Yang will teach for free, for
my calls and emails promptly and
because they reflect common meshowever long it takes, because he
sages found in Christianity, Budknows that the patient has assumed were warm and enthusiastic.
In addition to their attitude, I
dhism, and Taoism.
complete responsibility for his or
was intrigued by their stories. Gail
The philosophy of Falun Dafa is her own health and is on the road
Rachlin, 50-something, claims that
accredited with promoting a good
to wellness.
heart and healing the individual,
Dr. Yang agrees that “the medi- Falun Dafa allowed her to go off of
antidepressants. Zhi Ping Kolouch,
emotionally and spiritually. The
cal healing power produced by
43, credits it with maintaining her
exercises, or Falun Gong, are aimed Falun Gong is hard to understand
at reinforcing the messages of the
because it belongs to another para- jet-black hair and healthy heart.
Sen Yang, 39, says it cured his
book through training the body.
digm.” He explains, however, that
chronic hepatitis.
In general, the exercises involve
the cultivation of mind and spirit
At 2 in the afternoon on New
holding the body in positions that
that Falun Dafa teaches is consistare said aid the movement of energy ent with the modern understanding Year’s Day, I met Warren Tai and
his wife, Maria, in the parking lot
into the body. The positions are
of health.
thought to promote contemplative
Few practitioners of modern, sci- behind a bank in Chicago’s Chithought and strength. Some of the
entific medicine would dispute one natown. I left my coat downstairs
exercises may be difficult at first,
of Falun Dafa’s central premises— where the rest of the Falun Dafa
practitioners were gathering and
but these exercises are performed
that to be truly healthy, you must
successfully and routinely by young be healthy biologically, psychologi- headed upstairs with Warren, my
arms full of rugs for kneeling. We
and old individuals alike.
cally, and socially.
were joined by my friends Mary and
Sen Yang (unrelated to Dr.
Martha, as well as a pleasant ChiYang), a 39-year-old Chicagoan,
nese man whose English was poor.
was faced with a similar health
As the five of us (four beginners
reality when he was diagnosed 20
and Warren) sat on our rugs, Waryears ago with serious, chronic
ren began to explain the principles
hepatitis that required him to
of Falun Dafa and to patiently
suspend his schooling for a year.
teach us the exercises. The first was
He explains: “A doctor told me
a meditation exercise that required
directly, ‘There is no way to really
sitting in the lotus position. Martha
cure your disease. You will have it
could barely do a complete lotus
for the rest of your life.’”
position; I could barely do a halfToday, a healthy-looking Yang
regularly attends Falun Dafa meet- lotus; and Mary could barely cross
her legs. Despite our humorous inings with his 9-year-old daughter.
adequacies, Warren did not smirk.
He began practicing in 1995 and
Warren told us that with time we
perceived “a warm current movwould all be able to do it, but that
ing in his body” after reading
the effects of the meditation could
books on Falun Dafa. This physibe felt just by sitting cross-legged.
cal sensation encouraged him to
continue with the exercises and the He slowly guided us through simple
hand movements that involved
philosophy, and his health immoving the arms around the body
proved rapidly. He recalls: “At the
as if defining a circular space.
beginning my physical condition
changed very fast. When walking, I
Easy to Learn
We could hear the sound of traditional Chinese music coming from
downstairs as we stood up and began to learn the standing exercises.
The movements were soothing
and easy to learn. From the excited
look on Martha’s face, I could tell
Falun Gong is a unique way to improve
that she was just as eager as I was to
the body, mind, and spirit. It consists of
join the rest of the group and do the
exercise, meditation, and teachings that
exercises with the music.
are rooted in ancient Chinese culture.
The main group had already
The practice is best known for its slowdone
the sitting exercise and was
moving, relaxing, Tai-chi like exercises
ready to start the standing exercises.
called Qigong. Falun Gong’s exercises,
Warren aplaced himself in front of
though simple and gentle, often have
amazing effects on health. Stories abound
us to guide us. The traditional muof Falun Gong helping people to get well,
sic started and we began to move
lick stress, sleep better, and become hapour hands.
pier all around.
When it was over, we all were
A second component of Falun Gong
quiet,
seemingly basking in the
is its self-improvement teachings. This
feeling of the exercises. Warren
component, thought of in traditional
then shepherded us upstairs for
Chinese culture as the Tao, or “Way of
the English-speaking discussion
Nature,” is explained in the books Falun
Gong and Zhuan Falun. While the teachof the Falun Dafa book. Warren
ings are rich and dynamic, at their core
had water for everyone and extra
are the three simple virtues of truthfulcopies of the book for us to use in
ness, compassion, and tolerance. Stureading along. The books were for
dents of Falun Gong strive to live by
sale, but Warren was emphatic that
these values and put others first.
there was no need to buy the books
Falun Gong is always taught free of
because they could be downloaded
cost and open to everyone. It was first
for free from the Falun Dafa web
taught publicly in China in 1992, and has
since been taken up by some 100 milsite. One of the principles of Falun
lion people in 60 different countries. The
Dafa is that the teachings are pricepractice is also known as “Falun Dafa.”
less and therefore no price should
be attached to them. All aspects of
To learn how to get started practicing Falun Gong and to find a location in yourarea,
Falun Dafa can be had for free.
visit www.falundafa.org. If you are in New
I left the meeting feeling enerYork City, visit www.falun-ny.net or email:
gized and content. When I checked
[email protected] or you may contact:
in with my friends the next day,
they agreed that it was a wonderManhattan:
Scott
347-524-8160
ful experience and one well worth
or Ben
917-385-6950
repeating.
Bronx:
Kent
917-826-5778
We discussed the simplicity and
Brooklyn:
Clearine 718-230-5626
energizing quality of the exercises
Queens:
Cindy
917-622-0058
and Mary added: “My thighs got
Staten Island:
Jerry
646-321-5133
a major workout and I don’t even
New Jersey:
Gregory 908-288-0307
know why.”
CBS Health Watch
Falun Gong:
A Brief Look