The details are a bit more esoteric. By practicing Falungong and studying its texts, a devotee can get a small wheel in his or her abdomen, which spins one way to absorb energy, and the other way to eliminate harmful elements. That only scratches the surface of what adherents experience. Sometimes I feel an intense pulse. After practice, I feel peaceful.
Devotees claim that pain and disease diminish or disappear after just weeks of practice.
No one but Li Hongzhi. In a sense, Falungong is one of a long line of qigong practices that offer disciples health and strength. The ancient tradition has enjoyed renewed popularity since the 1980s. What sets Falungong apart is that Li Hongzhi simplified the arduous and often secret qigong exercises, married them to a moral, if esoteric, philosophy, and set himself up as a teacher equal to Buddha. Practitioners must study Li's books and watch his videos continuously if they want to advance.