On the physical side, if you're already familiar with, for example, tai chi, qi gong, or any number of other Eastern approaches to balancing energy, you are on the right track. Falun Dafa, a more elemental form of the qi gong energy-balancing system, adherents say, is based on ancient wisdom that was not publicly available to the masses before. It was introduced in China in 1992 by Master Li Hongzhi. Falun Dafa literature and news reports show a clear pattern of persecution, torture and death against Falun Dafa practitioners. Unbowed, the movement's global public relations effort is extensive, including slick, professionally produced brochures, magazines and web sites.
Books are available for purchase, or for free downloading from the web sites.
All Falun Dafa events are free and open to the public. Voluntary contributions coupled with volunteer contact lists, says Jeff Chen, a software engineer from the Triangle who was in Charlotte to help organize local efforts here. In other words, in Falun Dafa, there's not much chance for gaining political power, which seems to be part of the point. The focus is on the individual's relationship to more divine powers of universal principle, which maybe is what has all those atheist commies so worked up. The local contact here, Kay Oke, organizes a twice-monthly group practice of Falun Dafa at a shelter at Reedy Creek Park, and is working on finding an indoor space.