Had a shot at Falun Gong last evening. Some reasons why I thought it might turn out nice:- Falun Gong adds up to 41, one of the more interesting #s in numerology, in the same way as my favorite Hollywood actor, Gregory Peck (23+18).
- The exercises are simple—just four standing exercises followed by a sitting one [another 4+1 there ;-)]
The core concept of Falun Gong is qigong, where the qi (chee) and the gong differ as explained in the image: (excusez-moi for the quality, but it's always difficult to scan a page in a book with a hard spine)
Like Ramakrishna's peacock, I went back for another dose today sharp at 5:45 PM. Having been put through the paces y'day, it was much better this evening. In fact, I started crying during the third and fifth exercises. So there must be something to it.
Swami says that when the mind becomes pure, the great energy of the Universe descends. It must be the gong that He's referring to. Weirdly enough, I saw another reference to this gong in God Lived With Them. Near the end of the chapter on Swami Vivekananda*, one reads: (pp. 67-68)
One day Swamiji came downstairs and sat on the canvas cot under the mango tree in the courtyard, facing west, as he often did. The monks around him were busy with their activities. One was sweeping the courtyard with a broom. Swami Premananda was climbing the steps to the shrine after his bath. Suddenly Vivekananda's eyes became radiant. Surcharged with spiritual fervor, he said to a disciple: "Where will you go to seek Brahmn? He is immanent in all beings. Here, here is the visible Brahmn! Shame on those who, neglecting the visible Brahmn, set their minds on other things! Here is the visible Brahmn before you as tangible as a fruit in one's hand! Can't you see? Here—here—here is Brahmn!" These words struck the people around him like an electric shock. For about fifteen minutes no one could move or function. Premananda went into ecstasy; others experienced an indescribable peace and joy. At last Vivekananda said to Premananda, "Now got to worship", and all were released. The disciples were amazed to witness the spiritual power of Vivekananda.* Btw, the quote for the day on this site goes:
Swamiji explained this phenomenon on another occasion: "He who has realized the Atman becomes a house of great power. From him as the center, and within a certain radius, emanates a spiritual force, and all those who come within this circle become animated with his ideas and are overwhelmed by them. Thus without much religious striving they inherit the results of his wonderful spirituality. This is grace."
Every individual is a center for the manifestation of a certain force. This force has been stored up as the resultant of our previous works, and each one of us is born with this force at our back.
