Detroit Free Press: A path to peace: Meditative exercises of Falun Gong let followers free the mind and find relief in motion

Alex Lin stood at the edge of a small circle and slowly extended his arms above his head as if he were embracing a giant ball. Next, he curved his hands and delicately positioned each finger to point toward its mate.

For several minutes, the 36-year-old Troy resident appeared to be in a trance as gentle music trickled from the boom box at his feet.

After a series of five similar exercises called Falun Gong (sometimes Falun Dafa) that took nearly an hour to complete, Lin said he felt relaxed and rejuvenated.

"Physically, I'm more energetic," he said. "Emotionally, my mind is clearer."

These slow-motion calisthenics are said to move qigong (pronounced CHEE-gong), or energy, through the body to create physical and mental balance. Believers say that faithful practice helps purify the body, eliminating everything from back pain and muscle strain to diabetes and cancer.

After 3 years of cultivating the routines and living the accompanying philosophy introduced by Li Hongzhi in China in 1992, Lin said he has become a better person.

"The major benefit is inner peace," he said.

A practice to preach

Li's theory is that to achieve full harmony with the universe, disciples must also live the principles of Zen-Shan-Ren (truthfulness-benevolence-forbearance). It is explained in his book "Falun Gong (Law Wheel Qigong)," which practitioners study before they do the physical exercises.

In metro Detroit, free classes at community centers and in public parks are attracting interest across cultural lines. The book, along with others written by Li, is available in more than a dozen languages at www.amazon.com and the group's Web site, www.falundafa.org.

Lin said he is one of about 100 practitioners in the area who are conducting weekly sessions for the public. He said Master Li encourages everyone who practices Falun Gong to teach it to others.

"After 3 years of practice, I have gained a lot of benefits, physically and mentally," Lin said. "I just want to share a good thing. And isn't this something we all want -- good health and inner peace?"

Persecuted practitioners

As righteous as it sounds, Falun Gong carries with it major controversy in China.

After nearly a decade of allowing the practice to operate outside of the government control normally imposed on religion, Chinese leaders changed their minds.

Lin said Falun Gong and its founder began to draw criticism from the state media about 2 years ago, triggering a protest in Beijing in April 1999. The government responded 3 months later with a formal ban and harsh crackdown that has included beatings and imprisonment for followers.

Fred Wu, 38, of Troy called the Chinese media reports propaganda meant only to destroy Li's reputation and detract from the government's real problem -- its failing economy.

The practitioners agreed that the tranquil rituals and related teachings do have a spiritual connection, but said they don't consider it a formal religion.

"These are body/mind exercises to help you transform for the better," Lin said. "It doesn't carry any kind of religious messages. It's simply a system for self-improvement."

Human rights groups estimate that more than 100 Falun Gong followers have died in police custody. It's uncertain how many more have been placed in labor camps because they have publicly proclaimed support of the practice.

"I have two friends -- a teacher and a doctor -- who were persecuted for their beliefs," said Rene Gong, who was among a half dozen participants at a recent Saturday morning session at Troy Community Center. As far as she knows, the couple is still imprisoned in a Chinese labor camp.

Practitioners in metro Detroit said that many in China are literally living on the run to spread the word about Falun Gong.

[...]

Safe in the United States where Falun Gong is in the same category as tai chi, Zen and martial arts, the Troy group said it was saddened by the plight of fellow practitioners in China but happy to be able to openly practice and teach it.

Gong said she started practicing Falun Gong 4 1/2 years ago to help her "de-stress" from her job as a software engineer in China.

Although her busy life keeps her from devoting as much time to it as she would like, Gong said both the physical and mental exercises -- "to be truthful, kind and tolerant"' -- continue to be "very precious" to her.

Relief from pain

May Wang, 38, of Troy said before she learned Falun Gong, she was tormented by serious lower back pain.

"I would spend half of every month lying in bed because I couldn't move without pain," she said.

After 3 months of doing the tranquil routine just once a week, Wang said, "I didn't need any more painkillers." More than 2 years later, she said, she still practices the exercises at least once a week and has had no recurrences of back problems.

By no means does anyone suggest that Falun Gong should replace modern medicine. In fact, Lin said, the terminally ill who seek healing are not encouraged to participate.

"They cannot give up the attachment of having their illness cured or the idea of being ill," he said, explaining that to achieve the benefits of Falun Gong, practitioners must be able to shut down the mind.

"When we practice, we need to be conscious but very single-minded, blocking everything out, including bills, work, personal relationships."

He said stray thoughts during the exercises are like "throwing tiny stones on still water. It creates a disturbance."

A pregnant woman, who said she still was worried about persecution for her beliefs and asked that her name not be used, said the practice has taught her to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

"As a working mother, there is a lot of stress at work, at home ...with the neighbor's dog," she said "This not only teaches you how to empty your mind, but it teaches to have more peace in your heart."

Lin said his personality has altered "180 degrees" since devoting 1 to 2 hours every day to Falun Gong.

"I spend about a half hour of my lunchtime on it," he said, explaining that a small group of fellow practitioners typically joins him in the employee lunchroom.

"What you get out of it depends purely on your own effort," Lin said.

"By working diligently at it and searching inward, you can live very peacefully."