Falun Gong

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Sep 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

catlin	20 Sep 2002
Hi folks, I wonder if there is also so much interest abroad in this falun gong stuff as here. I have met some Falun Gong members and I always thought them a bit strange. They claim that falun gong is no sect, only a peaceful Chinese mix between Tai Chi and breathing tecniques to relax body and soul. On the internet I found something which mentions that Falun Gong ppl believe that the world is invaded by aliens and that sounds really queer to me. Any more information about that?

ihcoyc	20 Sep 2002
In our local public library, someone donated a couple books by Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, in English "translation." I believe the title I looked at was "Zhuan Falun." I leafed through them and chose not to read them. The title of the English version shows the first problem. Whoever "translated" these books only did an inadequate job. They were full of jargon that had merely been represented by transliterated Chinese, and gave no glossary of these terms. As such, they were quite difficult to follow. There seemed to be a great deal of concern about not allowing demons to get your "qi," whatever that means. (Is it the same as "chi?") Apparently one way those demons can get at your qi is if you practise another spiritual discipline besides Falun Dafa. I lost interest in learning more upon reading this. I didn't come across anything about aliens, but given the paranoid tenor of what I did read, it wouldn't surprise me. I have no love of the Red Chinese government or its tactics, but after looking through this I suspect their objection to this stuff might not be unreasonable in itself.

Sea Sprite	20 Sep 2002
I've asked a couple of Tai Chi, Chi gung masters what they think of this group and they all said that it not wise to join. You can learn meditation, tai chi, chi gong without joining this group.

faunabay	20 Sep 2002
I actually had gone to a Falun Gong group for awhile that met in the mornings to do the "exercises" just like the Tai Chi or Chi Gung. It was/is mostly like chi gung movements - or non-movements. LOL For those who don't know, chi gung has alot of poses that you hold without moving. :-) I liked it quite a bit, but never got into the spiritual practices at all. Though once I began doing more research into the spiritual ends of it, I stopped going to the group. Didn't agree at all! So the way I look at it now, the physical "exercises" are great for mind and body (kind of like chi gung/yoga/tai chi) but the spiritual end is kind of out there and suspect to me!

Diana	20 Sep 2002
I think this Falun Gong is definitely a cult movement. The guy who started it has, if I remember rightly, left China and is getting a kick out of his power. And his followers in China are tortured and killed. But I've never heard any talk of aliens. Not nice. I don't think Hermit will give him a biscuit.

ChrisTheObscure	20 Sep 2002
I've not heard much about the alien thing either...but I'd be curious to know more about that part of it...might lend it some similarity to the Church of Scientology. C.

napaea	21 Sep 2002
some more info... one of the reasons the followers are being kicked out is because of the success of Falun Gong. i don't know anything about the spiritual beliefs part of it, but according to a special i saw, the people who practiced in china were becoming very healthy due to this exercise regimen. they all met peaceably in parks every day, and it was free and open to anyone. all of a sudden, people who had been on medications and had health problems started getting better, and no longer needed meds. according to the program (a Public special, not sponsored by anyone in particular) the government was concerned that if this kept going they would lose money in the pharmaceudical arena. also, people were seeming content and peaceful...they started arresting people just for practicing. now, they never mentioned in the program what the "religious beliefs" were, but i was upset that people were being arrested just for doing something that didn't harm anyone else and actually made the individual healthier. so the originator of the movement had to leave the country, because they were going to imprison him. i'm all for people calling this thing crazy if it is, but i certainly don't think people should be arrested for practicing it peaceably in a park! how sad is that?! i almost bought a book because of this show, so i'm glad you all knew about the "weird" side of it. i just hope they aren't persecuted for this kind of thing!

catlin	23 Sep 2002
Thanks for all your input! I am glad I never got involved with this weird side of Falun Gong.

Laurel	23 Sep 2002
http://www.gospelcom.net/apologeticsindex/f02.html is a good website for looking at the sceptical perspective. http://www.fofg.org/ is a good website for looking at the issues of freedom of belief and a more supportive outlook regarding Falun Gong. I personally see Falun Gong as "wacky" but harmless and mourn for those practitioners in China who have died as I grieve for those of any religion/ethnicity/other who are persecuted and murdered for the crime of being "different". Laurel

Kyrielle	24 Sep 2002
There are frequent "information sessions" at a local library where I used to work, when the public can supposedly ask a couple of refugee practitioners about their Falun Gong. However, I have only seen someone else in the room with them once. Usually when I looked in the two Chinese refugees were meditating on the floor with closed eyes. They distribute their Falun Gong newsletter and wear bright Chinese-style clothing. They looked so into their meditation that I never wanted to disturb them to inquire about their spirituality. -- Kyrielle

the hermit	25 Sep 2002
Quote: Originally posted by ihcoyc There seemed to be a great deal of concern about not allowing demons to get your "qi," whatever that means. (Is it the same as "chi?") Apparently one way those demons can get at your qi is if you practise another spiritual discipline besides Falun Dafa. I printed this thread out and took it to my Tai Chi group this afternoon. The master laughed when he read it... Yes... most mainstream martial art practitioners consider the Falun followers to be "wacky" and "out there" Yes...qi is another way of saying chi. Yes... they believe in demons (which poor translation sometimes renders as aliens) who will polute your qi or chi if you don't follow the discipline of Falun. This is not that far fetched in eastern philosophy... just the part about the only way to avoid them being thru Falun. Ancient eastern philosopy and spiritual teachings speak of demons that harm or misguide as do many older western texts. Even now some teachers will speak of demons and how they can hurt or drain your chi. As napaea notes this group is having problems in China for various reasons, including the fact that any group that contains so many followers is always considered to be a threat to the government and it's control of the people. Here in the u.s. it's very similar to Tai Chi and the followers intermingle with many "normal" Tai Chi groups. One of the "experienced" members of my group are followers of Falun who left China last year and have been granted political asylum here in California. He's quiet and a little strange at times, but I think it's more because he's not very comfortable with his english speaking capabilities. He seems nice enough and hasn't tried to push any philosophical ideas on us, though he's been in the group for 6 months now. Just thought I'd add this... In Chinese philosophy and medicine there exists the concept of 'chi', a vital force that animates the body. Chi is, literal, your "life force" and the power that is called upon in martial arts.

The Falun Gong thread was originally posted on 20 Sep 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.